Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-08-08

the 25,h March, 1917.
Ny Dear Friend Ofall the privations have
| endured during the last five months, that of
remaining without letters from YOU, the most
! sensibly affects me. Itwould be TOO formidable
task To attempt 10 give YOU extracts from my
| notes on the Ohio, the Mississippi, the river
| Volt, the ST Francis aud the White river, which
| afford no position suitable for large settle
ment; but, from what have myself seen here,
and from everyinformation which receive,
| feel assured that shall find on the borders OF
| this river ali that we can desire. The higher
ouaScend the long river Arkansas, the more
picturesque and fertile is the country, particu-
iarly that part of IL lying ON the right bank,
which belongs TO the Indians-who feel the
greatest attachment for the French, aud the
strongest desire that they would form settle
ment near them styling them their Great Ea-
theirs, aud characterizing them by the remark
that they are good as Indians. tits confident
ly asserted that government is at tins moment
negotiating the purchase of "a considerable por-
ton of this immesse territory, which has only
| two or three hundred families for sovereigns,
legitimate proPrietors of country extending
three hundred miles IN length and two hun
dred III breadth. If this purchase should be
made, might be practicable. after having OBJ
tanned the left bank, to induce a ceSson THE
right also, which would be very advantageous.
have been obliged to remain at the Post of
the Arkansas, OF account of the rising of the
River, and the difhculty of procuring light
boat to ascend in but this weeks delay has
not been lost. l have visited great proper
ton of the lands situated between White riv-
er, the St. Francis and the Arkansas, and have
seen immense prairies. The largest is nearly
one hundred miles in circumference, its soil of
middling quality. The smaller, which is Spa
nish cessiOn notyet confirmed, would be en-
tremeiy desirable Tor any one who could stock
it with two thousand head ofcattle, but would
not be suitable for colcny-Nearly all the
inhabitants of the Arkansas post and its enyi-
rons, are French, many of them very amiable
and Sociable. All unite in wishing for us as
neighborS, unless it be few who live by hunt
ing and trading; but the greater part have gi-
ven up this mode of life for the cultivation of
the land. More than one hundred families
have, within few years, established them
selves here as squ"tters, at 1850, 200 and even
800 miles from this post, on the beautiful banks
OF the Arkansas. There thelands are of an add
nlirable fertility for the production of cotton,
tobacco, indigo, rice, maize, vines, fruits and
vegetables. This is, without doubt, the most
beautiful and agreeable part OF the u. States,
both I'm pemt OF temperature OF climate and
fertility of sail. Nothing is wanting i'll this de-
lighttul portion of your happy country, but
useful and industrious hands and intelligent
heads, to render il the most tiouTishing of Your
immense possessions. All the riches of nature
abound III prOfusiOn. The mountains contain
ntre, alum, SALT vitriOl, lead copper, iron, sill
yer, limestone, milestone quarTies, fullers
earth, chrystal, good clay for delft ware and
sand for glass ware.
Vegetation is gigantic the cypress, the ce-
dar, the white oak, the plumb tree the cherry,
the sassafras, the mulberry for silk worm, and
dDOVe all, Tile indigenous once, HOUrlSh nere.~-
do not know II this beautiful tree, which ris.
es To the height of one hundred feet, and whose
fruit hayeseen, will produce oil equal to that
OF Provence; but am confident II will answer
well for the manufacturing Ofsoap, the tanning
OF leather, for burning, &c. &c. believe this
discovery is my own, and that il will be a Valu-
able acquis ton to the country. l think also,
that the olive of Europe would most assuredly
succeed here. Nader indigo, pecoon, At for
diving red, the yellow tree, the gum tree, which
yields rosin highly aTOnlatic, the lemon
tree, which produces an excellent lemon &c
all flourish here, without care or culture. 1
cannot enumcrate all the varieties of the vine,
among which are the prune grape, which The
Indians call Focco, the mountain grape, ripe
in June, the red, the white. the black, the VIC.
let &c. This, my dear sir, IS the rGSt aud ndth-
raj nursery Of BdcchGS
have devised very simple and economical
mode OF speedily obtaining good grapes from
the wild vines. 1t is to cnt down adjacent
tree, on which incline the vine taking care
not to n)ure its stem, removing all unnCcessa.
rytoliage from around it, TO free it from shade,
aud pruning il on the PROSTATE tree, which
serves as prop for IL. There are large DIS
tTicts i'll which almost every tree supports two
or three enormous vines. Your northern
country is the Arabia Petra of America; aud
Your vegetation stunted when compared with
this. Here are many trees growing more than
200 feet high. What beautiful country, if il
could be secured from inundaIion tire ey-
cry one l meet with my questions, and every
day learn something new and useful. My zeal
and ardor do not abate, too happy IL my priya-
tons and eXertOnS prove beneficial 10 nv com
panions in misfortune.
mandatory OF channels leather and tan
merry, established here, would speedily insure
an independence. Fine buffalo skins whose
hair would make an excellent matrass S-c
could be purchased at ~ cents each. cruel
war is carried on against these poor animals
solely for their tat. The flesh is more delicate
than that -four best oxen. Fish are caught
game killed and wild fruits procured without
ulfNCulTN A 4 md
coed we'll.
have left the advanced guard ofthe Colony
on the banks OF the Ohio. The patriarch zee"
abandOnshis retreat 40 ACCOMPANY MS The in
habitants of lSew Madrid and those of this
posi-, wish to sit down beside us but l do not
think we odGht To make very extensive pur-
chase, unless we were assured of obtaining
from government pTOtracIed term for paw
mcnt. Good cultivation will afford greater
pr0nts than specializing on the resale OF the
land, ON account Of the great extent of
country TO be sold on the borders of the Arkan-
sas, when the surveying of il shalt be complet-
ed.
mailhas oeeu established this year between
tins post ard St. LOHis, and another is much
wished Tor from hence TO Washita Z; but il is ab-
SolutSIy necessary that there should be ware
bOrise at the mouth of the river, on the banks of
the Mississippi, for the loading q unloading of
steamboats, and sioOps, and the housing of mer-
chandize, sc. "A Frenchman resident here
who is warmly attached to the interests of the
Arkansas settlement, has in contemplation to
undertake this establishment or the Indian
territory. YOu may go down from this to New
Orleans in 10 or IL days; 80 or 40 are necessa-
~ for the ascent in a keel boat. have never
seen any river whose navigation is equal to that
of the Arkansas. Ii can be assembled in load
ed boat, at the rate of 800 milesIn IL days 80.
With scarcely any other expence than that of
horses, there might be relays established on
the banks, by which means boats might be drawn
up as fast as the mail travels. The shadows
are hard bOttOmed, wide, and naturally kept
rIa Ia he cftrrpuf frhcrn arc ucttber ron