Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-08-10

/ visited one OF the largest ancient iortifica.
lions in the Western country. 1t covers
upwards of sixty acres OF ground, has
high aud regular built walls of embark
meats, witl,6mparded getaways on each
side both within and without there are
several large mounds, some oil which are
round and others square The largest Of
the round ones is thirty feet in height, and
surrounded by ditch and bank.
They arrived at Cincinnati in four
DAYS from the time Of starting-but were
only 70 hours in running 526 miles, with
the wind the whole distance ahead.
The party were detained week at
Cincinnati Ga account Of the i'll health OF
DIR. Baldwin. While here they were
passed by the 9th and part of the 9th
regiments, in ten large bsrges. with twenty
oars each many Of the officers had their
wives, aud some their sisters with them,
all 10 excellent spirits, altogether pre-
senting a very elegant spectacle.
A salute was fired on passing the resi-
dence Of Gen. Harrison, 20 miles below
Cincinnati, in compliment to his past SER
vices.
The party arrived at Louisville on the
I9th--here commence HE falls of the
Ohio, which continue rapid for two
miles, the water flowing for that distance
over flat table rock; having high
steam power aided by the velocity OF the
current, the boat went over beautifully,
and with satisfaction to all on board.
Shippingport is situated at the foot OF
the Rapids, where the party remained
four days, and then proceeded TO Shaw
aimee town. This town was originally
settled by the SIiawannee nation, but is
now wholly occupied by whites; it is
badly situated, aud requires little pene-
tration to say il can never thrive. The
party were detained here two days 10 af-
fecting some slight alterations and repairs
in the boat.
Some miles below this town there is a
range of limestone rocks, fronting the
river in precipice Of sixty feet perpen-
dicuIar, in which there is large cave,
noted for number Of Mammoth bones
found in it !; the cave is one hundred and
sixty feet deep, and has beautiful arched
front. Here the boat ran on sand bar,
aud was got off with difficulty by the
crew, il the wafer. with prizes, &c. Two
miles below she grounded second time,
but was got off with less difficulty.
We entered the Mississippi, on Sun
day, the 3Oth Of May. The Indian name
Missachipa, OF Father of Rivers is GER
tainly not inappropriate. The current
runs from to miles per hour, and con.
tains about 10Th Of yelIowish mud, which
prevented our making use of it as long as
We could do without; with all its mud it
is considered wholesome water by those
residing on its banks; it certainly is
better than many Of the springs, some OF
which are very impure, emitting sulphur
retted hydrogen, which may be smelt at a
quarter Of mile one Of this kind is near
ST. Louis.
On the Mississippi game is plenty |;
We saw deer, turkeys, swan, geese and Pc
licans; but have not found new bird.
The scenery of the Ohio, and lower
paris Of the Mississippi, present same
ness throughout, until you ascend as high
as Cape Guardian; II then becomes
broken, and 10 some places grand beyond
any thing | have ever seen; long and
broken precipices of limestone rock, of
immense height, extend for miles along
the river some with bare SUBMITS, others
capped with bushes and trees. AS you
ascend higher, the country gradually
opens into pFaries, which continue up to
st. Louis, which is situated on an extern
sive prairie, extending 6 or miles back
from the river.
The rise and fall of the Mississippi is not
SO great as that of the Ohio and some
other of the western rivers The Ohio
has been known to rise sixty-three feet
perpendicular; ten is high for the Mis-
sissippi.
Tie foods Of the Ohio become more
frequent as the country becomes cleared,
those Of the Mississippi less.
We have employed a keel boat and
manned her with twenty men, TO take our
provisions and presents, which enlarges
our party to upwards Of 40 men--the boat
has assembled the Missouri several days
before US.
Colonel j. johnson has built FIVE steam
boats to carry troops and provisions to the
Yellow Stone. Three Of them are at Belle
Fontaine on the Missouri, waiting the ar
rival Of the other two, which have been
detained below by accidents--it is men
toned that one Of them had taken fire, 10
attempting to race the Western Engineer,
and was near being destroyed. 1t is the
general opinion in that country, that
colonel Johnsonw meet with great diff
Guilty, as the smallest Of his boats draws
si.. caat a..L a. nl;ecour; Ia onn Of thc