The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1817-08-20

Dated from fhe .frkdnsas Posf,
fde assn March, 1917.
My DEAR FRIrND--Of all the prisatiens
] have endured during the last fvc months,
that OF remaining without letters from you
the most scnsibiy effects me. IL would be
TOO formidable a task 10 attempt to give you
extracts fcom my notes on The Ohio, the
Mississippi, the river Volt, the St. Francis,
aud the White river, which afford no posi-
,ion suitable for large settlement; but from
what have myself seen here, and from CIV.
cry information which 1 receive, I feel as
sured that shall fnd on the borders Of this
river oil that we can desire. The higher
you sssend the long river Arkansas, the more
picturesque sud icr,iic is the country, par
ticuisrly that par, of /, lying on the right
bank, which, belongs to the Indians, who feel
ibe greatest attachment for the French, and
the strongest desire that they would form
settle ement near them; styling them their
Great Fathers, and characterising them by
the remark, that they are as good as rndians.
Ii is confidently asserted that government is
at this moment negotiating the purchase OF
a considerable portion Of this immense ter
rl'ory, which has only two or three hundred
fanatics for soyeteigns, legitimate proprie.
tors OF country extending three hundred
miles in length, and two hundred in breadth.
IL this purchase should be made, il might be
practicable, after having oblaiDined the left
bank, 10 induce cession of the right also,
which would be very advantageous. have
been obliged to remain at the Post of Ark
cp.as, on accoust Of the rising Of the river,
and The difficulty of procuring light boat 10
ascend in but this weeks delay has moi been
LIST. I have visited ag'eat proportion OF
;he lanus situated between Whiie river, the
81. Ffancis and the Arkansas, and have seen
immense pIsiries. The largest is nearly
one hundred mics in circumference, its soil
Of middling quality. Tho smaller, which is
Spanish cession not yet conf, med, would
be extremely desirable for any one who could
stock a. with two tboosand head OF cattle,
but would not be suitable for colony
Nearly all the inhabitants Of the Arkansas
Post sn3nis envir0ns, are French, many of
them arc very amiablc and sociable. All
unite 10 wishing for us as neighbours, unless
1t be few who live by hunting and trading
but the greater part have given up this mode
Of life for cultivation oi the land. More
than ono hundred fanatics have within very
few years., established themselves here, as
squstters, at one hundred and fifty, two hum
dred, and even three hundred miles from this
post, on the beautiful banks OF the Arkansas.
there the lands are Of an admirable fertility
for tho, production OF cotton, tobacco, indigo,
rice, maize, vines, fruits, and vegetables.
This is, without doubt, the most beautiful
part of the United States, both in point OF
temperature Of climate and fertility OF soil.
Nothing is wanting In this delightful portion
of your happy country, but useful and indus
~ kna IL
it the most AousisLing Of your immencc pos
sessions. All the riches OF nature abound 10
profusion. The mountains contain nitrc, al.
luu,, salt, vitriol, lead, copper, iron, silver,
limestone, milestone quarfies, fUilor's earth,
cbrys,al, good clay for delft ware and sand
for glass ware.
Vegetation Is gigantic; the cypress, the
cedar, the white oak, the plumb tree, tho
cherry, the sassaffras, the mulberry for silk
worm, and above oil the Indigenous ohve
flourish here. do not know if this besuti-
fol tree, which rise to the height OF one hun
dred feet, and whose fruit have seen, will
produce oil equal TO that Of Proscncc but
am confident it will answer well for the
manufacturing Of soap, the tanning OF lea,h.
or, for burning, &c. sc. believe this dis
covcry 10 my own, and that il will be vaiu-
liable acquisition 10 the country. think al.
so, that the olive Of Europe would most
assurediy succeed here. Msdder, indigo, pc.
coon, fit for dying red, the yellow tree, the
gum tree, which yields a rosin highly aro-
mantle, the lemon tree, which produces an
excellent lemon, &c. all flourish here without
care or culture. cannot enumcrate all the
varieties Of the vine, among which are the
prune grape, which the Indians call Focco,
the moontain grape, ripe In june, the red,
the white, the black, the violet, SC. This,
my dear sir, n the vaH ard natural rureery
Of Dacehus.
Ihave devised q very simple and econom-
icaI mode of speedily obtaining good grapes
from The wild vines. II is to cut down an
adjacent tree, ON which incline the vine,
taking care not TO injurc It's stem, removing
ell unnecessary foliage from Ground il, to free
it from shade, and pruning il on tho prog
ira,e tree, which serves as q prop for IT,
There arc large districts in which aimos,