1807.) 
The coldnefs of the weather was very 
remarkable. On the 30th of December 
the quick-ilver funk to 9°; on the 2d of 
January, 1805, to 6°. On this latter 
oceafion, when the temperature of the 
atmofphe: ‘e was 6°, and. of the river 
water 32°, a condenfed vapour floated 
over its furface, as is ufttal m fuch cates. 
On January 11th, the mercury m the air’ 
was at 11°, and in the Wathita water at 
59°. Onthe 12th, the atmofphere was 
at 20°, and the river at 40°. In thofe 
cafes of unequal temperatures, much 
watery vapour hovered over the ftreain. 
‘Lhe obfervers relate, that although 20° 
of diference are more than enough. to 
make this exhalation appear vilible, yet 
that 18° of variation ave not enough tor 
the purpote. 
Above the alluvial country, the rocks 
were chiefly of afort of ichiltus, fome of 
it aluminous, and all of it unht for co- 
vering houfes; a kind of filicious com- 
pofition, refembling oil-fione, or turkey- 
itone, but too brittle for gun-flints ; and. 
a fort of fandy aggregate, which feemed 
as if it might be. employed for grind- 
ftones. The mineralized-aud carbonated 
wood was found in feveral places., There 
were no certain mdications of the pro~ 
per foflil coal; nor did they meet with 
any ftrata of ‘s aun And, notwith- 
itanding the heat of the fprings, they met 
with no lava, pumice, or other volcanic 
matter. 
Having, in the courfe of the voyage, 
collected confiderable information about 
the Caddaux, the Olages, and the other 
nations of Indians which fometimes fre- 
quent the Wathita and the little Miffoun, 
which runs mto it; having acquired a 
good deal of knowledge about the im- 
menfe prairies, which are compared to 
Paradifes, lying toward the fources of 
the Red-River and the Arkantas; and 
having made many atironomical, geolo- 
gical, and meteorological obfervations 
from day to day, the “adventurers, with 
their crew of foldiers, got back to Nat- 
chez about the end of January, 1805. 
From the journal of the furvey, which 
they kept with all potlible correctuefs, a 
map of the Wathita has been compiled 
and publithed at Wathington, forming 
a fub{tantial addition to American gceo- 
graphy.* . 
* As foon as we receive this and other 
maps of thefe newly explored diftriéts, we hall 
introduce them into the Monthly Maga- 
zine, 
Back Settlements of North America, 
15 
This country’ was colonized” eds by 
the French. - They projected and began > 
extenfive fettlements on the Wathita ; 
but the general maffacre planned and 
executed in part by the Indians againft 
the French, and the confequent maflacre 
of the Natchez tribe by the French, 
put an end to thete undertakings, and_ 
they ‘were’ never refumed under the 
French government. 
The pracries of this region are defcrib- 
ed as plains or favannas, Wwittiout timber, 
generally very fertile, producity an @xu- 
berance of itrong, thick, and coarfe 
herbage. When a piece of ground is 
once ‘got. into this flate in an Indian 
country, it can have no opportunity - of 
reproducing timber; it beimg an_invaria-' 
ble rule to fire the dry ¢ rais in the fall 
er winter, to obtain the advantage of 
attracting game when the young tender 
grails begins to {pring. Thus tlie young 
timber is defiroyed ; and annually the 
prairie encroaches upon the woodland. 
It is probable that the mamenfe plains 
known to exift in America may owe 
their origin to this practice. The plains 
of the Wathita lie ‘chiefly on the. eatt 
fide; and being generally fornied lke 
thofe of the Milfiippi, ftoping from the 
banks of the river towards the great 
river, they are more or‘lefs liable to the 
influence of inundation in the rear, This 
has ‘been known to advance fo. far “la 
certain great floods, as to be ready to 
pour over the margin into the Walhuta. 
Sach an occurrence has however latterly 
become very rare, and it may be gene- 
rally eliimated that from one-fourth of a 
mile to a whole mile in depth, will re- 
main exempt from 1D jundation during the 
hen floods. 
‘ith are not very plentiful in the Wa- 
fhita. In the year 1799, the waters of 
the Miihfippi, during an inundation, 
dammed up the Wathita by regurvita- 
tion, ta fuch a degree, that they welled 
confider: vbly above Fort Miro. ‘Phe {tare 
nation and corruption of the water from 
this caufe, deltroyed all the fifh in that 
part of the riv er; and they have been 
fcearce ever fince, 
The bois dure (bow-wood), or yellow 
dye-wood, is fometimes feen near the 
Wathita. It bears a gold-coloured fruit 
as large as the egg of the of rich; its 
deep-green foliage refembles that of the 
orange-trec, % und no forell-tree can com-~ 
pare with it for ornamental grandeur. 
asi 800 miles above Nachitoches, 
n the Red-River, the navigation is op- 
poled 
