Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-01-14
THE MISSOURI.


Missouri, translated from the, French Is
drawn up by gentleman IN the western
.countfy, ON whose Intelligence and aceura'
~ srea, reliance may be placed. The Arg.
er part Of the facts is derived from ae:adt
observation. The view which they pre-
sent of the products on that stream, VIII
be gratifying TO ali our readers, and Pe:u-
l,ariy Interesting TO the mercantile Partctf
the comnnnlty, by opening to them new
Source of trade that promises amply tore
ware their enterprise.
/ he Missouri, with whose sources we
are sill ana> luainted, is notwithstanding
already ,anked amongst the largest rivers.
! 1t Is an ob,eetof astonlshment 10 the whole
world. The uuinformsd man admire, Its
rapidly, its lengthy course, the saiubrlty
OF its waters, ana IS astcaishcd at It's color:
while the rehsctIng mind admires tbs In
inumerabie riches scattered on its banks,
and frrssesing the iuture, behelds already
,his rival of tins Niis flowing tnro' coun-
tries as fertile, as popu.ous, and as exren-
sive as those of Egypt.
A traveller, however intelligen, he may
be, can give but . faia, idea of the innu.
merable riches accumulated on its banks.
I his sketch will barely point out the must
important; happily tor our age, so re IN
tsAgent travellers are engaged, under the
auspices OF An enlightened government: in
tracing this river even to It's sou, ces.
VIVA, gratitude will not the whole world
owe 20 those men, who, exposing them
selves 10 the. greatest fatiyu.s, and ever
to the greatest dangers, to enlarge the cir.
ele of human knowledge, will ('f We may
be allowed the express,on) give to the
world new country.
The Missouri joins the Mississippi hve
leagues above the town Of St. Louis, a.
bout the +Olh deg. Of north lat. 1t is ne.
crs.ary to observe that after uniting with
the Mississippi, it flows through space of
1900 miles, b, fore it empties itself into
the gulph of Mckee. AS this part of its
course is well known, shall speak OF the
Missouri only. ! assembled about 600
leagues without pereeiving diminutlon
either in lis width or rapidity. The Drln.
opal rivers which empty into the Missouri
are. 40 you send the Gasconade, the RI
YER Of the Ossges, the TWO Charatops, the
Great river, The river Des Caalqs, Nichi-
nan. Batonev, the Great and Little Nina
ha, the river Plate, the river de Sioux:
the I.'Eau Qui Court, &c. &c. &c.
As far as Is leagues above its junction
with lhe Mississippi are to be found differ
rnt settlements OF American families, viz.
It, Bonhome and Fem--Csase, &c. beyond
this, srs banks are inhabited oniv by savage
uations-,he grea. and little Ossges, set.
led 100 leag CUES on the river OF that name
the Camps, the Ottos, the Paais, the
Loups, or Panis Mahas, the Mahas, the
poukas, the Ricaras, the Mandanes, the
J oux the last nation is not liked on the
banks of the Missouri, but habitusily come
there TO hunt.
The banks Of the Missouri are alternate.
ly woods and rairie,; it is remarked that
the higher you ascend this river, The more
comE.on are these rrairies. and they seem
to encrease every year by the fires which
ar-kindied every autumn by the saVagss or
white hunters, either nv cnAacc or with
the design Of facilitating their hunting.
The waters of the Missouri are muddy,
nd contain throughout it's course seo,-
ment Of very Ene sand which soon pr c'pl-
,ates; but this circuns,.r which rend
ers them disagreesble 70 the sight, takes
,o,h,ns from their saubrity. 80
Espe ience has proved that the wsers
# the Missouri are more wholesome than
nose Of the OHIO, and the upper Miss's-
,.pp,. The rivers and streams, which
empty mo The Missouri, below the river
Plate, ste clear and limped, bu, above this
river, they are as muddy as those Of the
Missouri, itself. This is eccasioutd by
beds Of sand or hills of very fine white
earth from whence they take their rise.
The bed of the Missouri is ohs,ructed
with banks sometimes of sand ard some
times Of gravel, which Frequently change
their place, and consequently render the
navigation always I'm eatain. Its course
is gensrall, ives, by north west.
10 give precise idea of The iacalcula-
~, r;L. ec,,,.r.d IN Ap 5haDts of the