162 
VIEWS OP LOUISIANA. 
fog in quicksands, but their beds, are usually composed of gra¬ 
vel or stone. 
The exception to this general description consists in the 
tract between the Washita and the Mississippi, the greater part 
of which is low land. Black river, which loses its name at the 
junction of the Tensa, Washita and Catahoula, runs through 
the lower part of this tract. The lands on the borders of this riv¬ 
er, are too low, but not annually subject to be overflown. There 
had been settlers for several years on its banks, all the way to 
the mouth, previous to 1811 , but the flood of that year, (one of 
the most remarkable experienced in this country,) compelled 
the greater part of them to abandon their plantations. The lands 
between the Black river, Red river, and the Mississippi, are 
amongst the lowest in the alluvion tract. There are some lakes; 
that of Concordia for instance, connected with the three rivers 
before mentioned, by bayoux diverging from all sides On some 
of these bayoux the land is sufficiently high to admit of settle¬ 
ments. The greater part of this alluvion soil is tinged with red, 
from the admixture of the sediment brought down Red river, 
with that of the Mississippi. The tract enclosed by the Red riv¬ 
er, Mississippi, Tensa,and a long narrow lake connected with the 
Tensa lake, called Anderson, forms the county of Concordia, 
which is almost an island, the east end of this lake approaching 
within a few miles of the Mississippi. Opposite this tract, on 
the western side of Black river, there is another of nearly equal 
size, but which is a complete island, formed by the river just 
mentioned, with the bayou Saline, and the Catahoula lake and 
river. In this tract, there are no settlements ; the lands are ex¬ 
tremely low The lake called Catafouloucta, situated on this 
tract, is said to have some high land on its borders. The Cata¬ 
houla lake, is about thirty miles in length, and about six miles 
wide. It becomes nearly dry in autumn, and at that season* 
and early in the spring, the ground is covered with fine herbage, 
and is resorted to by numerous herds of cattle. Besides several 
smaller streams, this lake receives the Little river, a fine stream 
more than two hundred miles in length; it is discharged into 
Washita, by the Catahoula river, and into Red river by bayou 
Saline. 
