TOWNS Sc VILLAGES.—BOOK If. 
sjpn of the French villages on both sides of the river, and accord¬ 
ingly descended in considerable force, but were checked by 
gen. Clark, who commanded the American troops on the other 
side. An attack was, however, made upon a small settlement, 
commenced within a few miles of the town, and the inhabitants 
were nearly all butchered: others, who happened to be out of St. 
Louis, were killed or pursued within a short distance of the 
town. It is said that upwards of eighty persons fell victims to 
their fury. Happily, this will be the last time that St. Louis will 
ever have any thing to dread from the Indians ; the frontier has 
extended so far north and west, that a complete barrier is form¬ 
ed against future incursions. They may come here in peace, 
and for the purpose of trade, but it will be far hence that they 
■yvill dare to raise the tomahawk. 
St. Louis contains according to the last census 1,400 inhabi¬ 
tants. One fifth Americans, and about 400 people of color. 
There are a few Indians and me tiffs, in the capacity qf servants, 
or wives to boatmen. This town was at no time so agricultural 
as the other villages; being a place of some trade, the chief tow# 
of the province, and the residence of a number of mechanics, 
It remained nearly stationary for two or three years after .he 
session; but it is now beginning to take a start, apd its re¬ 
putation is growing abroad. Every house is crowded, rents are 
high, and it is exceedingly difficult to procure a tenement on any 
terms. Six or seven houses were built in tfie course of last sea¬ 
son, and probably twice the number will be built the next. There 
is a printing office, and twelve mercantile stores. The value of 
imports to this place in the course of the year, may be estimat¬ 
ed at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The outfits for 
the different trading establishments, on the Mississippi or Mis¬ 
souri, are made here. The lead of the Sac mines is brought to 
this place; the troops at Belle Fontaine put sixty thousand dol¬ 
lars in circulation annually. The settlers in the vicinity on 
both sides of the river, repair to this place as the best market 
for their produce, and to supply themselves with .such articles 
as they may need. ”% 
The price of marketing does net differ much from the towns 
of the western country; every thing appears to be approximate 
