VIEWS OP LOUISIANA, 
when the water is high, they can come up to the town, of eve,r| 
&ize. 
In the neighbourhood, there are several remarkable foun- 
tains, which send forth copious streams of water. One about a 
mile distant, affords a considerable accession to the Gabourie^ 
and turns a mill a short distance below. The fountain itself, is 
truly beautiful; after wandering for some time over arid and, 
dry hills, we come all at once into a thick grove of oak, hickory 
and other trees, and descending a declivity, we discover the foun¬ 
tain, fifteen or twenty feet square, and as many in depth, enclose 
ed on all sides, except the one from whence the stream issues, by* 
masses of living rock, and its glassy surface, shaded with young; 
trees and shrubs. Various beautiful creeping vines, with their 
‘flowers, soften the severity of the frowning rock, and sport in 
festoons woven by the fantastic hand of nature. I recollect a 
trifling incident, which occurred in one of my visits to this foun¬ 
tain, but which made an impression on my mind. I found a par-, 
ty of about sixty Shawanese warriors encamped near it ; after 
some coversation with the chief, a good old man, and of a re.-, 
markable fine figure; why said he, does not some white man 
build a bouse and settle himself near this place ? but, continued 
the old chief, seemingly recollecting himself, perhaps some 
Manitou (spirit) resides here, and will not permit it! How sim-. 
ilar is the action of the human mind in all countries, and in all 
ages. It seems to be a natural sentiment to attribute to whatev¬ 
er is extraordinary, the agency or control of some superior be¬ 
ing. The ancient Greeks and Romans, in their highest stage of 
refinement, carried it so far, as to have divinities for every foun¬ 
tain and river. 
St. Genevieve was formerly built immediately on the Missis? 
sippi, but the washing away of the bank, and the great flood of 
1782 (Marine* des eaux) caused the inhabitants to choose a high¬ 
er situation. The ruins of the old town may be still seen, and 
there are several orchards of fine fruit yet remaining. 
The principal employment of the inhabitants is agriculture; 
but the greater part, are. also more or less engaged in the lead 
mines. This is a career of industry open to all, and the young, 
in netting out to do something for themseivus, usually |$ake 
