90 
the Arkansas is distant five hundred and ninety and a half miles 
from New Orleans, and there are still five hundred and fifty-nine 
and a half miles remaining to St. Louis, so that the distance from 
New Orleans to St. Louis amounts to eleven hundred and fifty- 
eight miles. 
On the 1st of April, the shores on both sides, as well as most 
of the islands, continued still as low and woody as those we had 
noticed during the preceding days. The ugly long moss, how¬ 
ever ceased to deform the trees. Upon the right shore, was 
situated a little new settlement, Helena, which, from the appear¬ 
ance of its buildings, must be in a tolerably thriving condition. 
Towards evening, we stopped to wood on the right bank, at a 
small settlement, called Big Prairie. It was an open place, sur¬ 
rounded by forests, in which stood some very handsome live- 
oaks. As it became dark, we saw in the woods a great number 
of fire flies, swarming about, which for a moment led us to think 
that there was a smithy, or a high furnace in the forest, out of 
which the sparks were flying. The navigation during the night 
was very dangerous on account of the number of snags: we re¬ 
ceived some powerful blows, and a branch, to which we ap¬ 
proached too near in the dark, forced its way into one of the 
cabins, and made a considerable breach. Luckily no one at the 
time was sleeping there. 
Upon the following day we still contemplated no object but 
low and inundated shores. The human dwellings, the most 
jniserable that could be conceived, were placed along in a 
scattered manner. As we took in wood towards evening, we 
were obliged to fasten to the wood-pile, as the whole plantation 
was under water. The lights on the left shore, which may rise 
about forty feet, |re called the Chickesa Bluffs, of which there 
are reckoned fou/tn a stretch of about sixty miles. 
Before we reached the fourth Chickesa Bluff, we passed a 
large island, called President’s Island. The river changes its 
course almost every year, and constantly washes the sand-banks 
away, while it makes others, so that the chart of the stream made 
a few years back, is not to be depended upon as a guide. The 
passage in which we sailed along, was at times rather narrow on 
account of the island, when the river was at least an English 
mile broad. Upon the fourth Chickesa Bluff stood the quondam 
Fort Pickering, consisting of a stockade, as were the forts, as 
they were called in the Creek nation. The two block houses of 
this fort are still visible, of which a plantation house has been 
made. A short mile above the fort, stands a group of rather 
miserable houses: it is the town of Memphis. It is seven hun¬ 
dred and sixty-three miles from New Orleans, and three hundred 
and eighty-seven from St. Louis. 
