92 
spots on the back, the belly white with black stripes.* Farther 
on, a black eagle with white head and tail was shot. We saw a 
similar one in the afternoon fly long before our boat, he had found 
a snake which he held in his talons. We met with several plo¬ 
vers also. After sunset, we stopt at the right bank for the se¬ 
cond time, to obtain more wood for the night. This place was 
called Point Pleasant, and there were about it several small 
plantations; one of which served as a trade-deposit with the In¬ 
dians. The Indians bring deer, buck, muskrat and other skins, 
and barter them for arms, ammunition, woollen blankets, stamped 
calicoes, &c. one of our travelling companions, Mr. Vallais em¬ 
ployed himself in this trade. We accompanied him to the depot, 
whence he brought a whole cart-load of pressed skins to the boat, 
to take pp with him. 
On the right hand shore the Arkansas territory ceases, and 
the new state of Missouri begins. This was first received into 
the Union two years since, and with truly great difficulty, and 
after long debate; as congress was at issue whether the state 
should be suffered to permit slavery within its limits or not. The 
state at length, however, obtained that privilege. 
Six miles below Point Pleasant, the little town of New Madrid 
lies upon the right bank, nine hundred and twelve miles from 
New Orleans. We past by it in the night, to my great regret; 
for I should have liked to have seen the remains of the violent 
earthquake, which prevailed here in the years 1811 and 1812. 
There are great sink-holes to be seen here yet, in which trees 
are buried. The soil upon which the town itself stood, has 
sunk many feet, and the place has- suffered very much. New 
Madrid was a Spanish settlement, and so long as the whole right 
bank of the Mississippi, that is, from 1763 to 1803, belonged to 
the Spaniards, under the name of Louisiana, there was a Spanish 
military post there. On the left bank of the river this evening, we 
left the jurisdiction of Tennessee, and entered that of Kentucky. 
On the 4th of April, it was exactly one year, since I left the 
city of Ghent, and my family. The time has passed over ra¬ 
pidly with me, I have seen many remarkable things, my mind 
has been kept on a constant stretch; nevertheless, that which 
passed more than a year ago is as present, as if performed but a 
few days since. If the great Architect of the universe shall 
conduct me in health home to those I love, which I have prayed 
for, then shall the 4th of April be a festival-day in my family 
as long as I live. 
Both shores of the river, appeared in the forenoon just as they 
appeared during the last days. Only we remarked two eleva- 
Coluber coccineus. 
