The Arkansas advocate., 1832-02-15

J
 Sickness and many othercalamltles that surrounded him, was the great cause of his leaving that countryside famous land of milk and honey, planted out for the different Indian tribes, yet re- maining east of the Mississippi. In de- seribing the country, he says: The Che rokee Nation is situated on the rivers
 Arkansas, Verdigris, Grand river, and the Canadian; being and lying rather in n N. W. course of the, three before mentioned rivers--a small portion of il
 lies on the south side of the river Ark ansas. The. principal productions of the country is, Indian Corn, potatoes, #eabbages, peas and beans-the range is excellent for stock of all descriptions, and there are many horses, cattle and hogs raised by the natives. GoodSprings are very rare to be found, and other streams afford water of very inferior quality compared with the waters of this country-good land is not as com mon as is expected by the people ot this eountry-the principal good lands lie on the water courses, such as large creeks, rivers, &c.-The upland val leys, are generally speaking, very poor, not well adapted to the culture of man. but better suited 10 the chase of the de serts-there appears to be vast quan- tity of prairie; and at the least calcu- lation two-thirds of the country the Cherokee Indians now inhabit, is of that description-the growth consists of Oak, Hickory, Beach, Dogwood, Sow erwood; Pine and Poplar are scarce but the main shrub which grows there, is the Indians delight--it is the shoe make bush. The Indians in the months of September and October, gather vast quantities of the leaves of that bush, put them up 10 cure in some dry place, and make use of it, mixed with tobac- co; in smoking, it gives pleasant taste to the mouth. Timber grows to a low hight-it is rare indeed to obtain more than one rail cut 10 tree. Let us has, ten then and reflect what the soil and climate ofshat country must be-wheth- CT 1t is well adapted to the arts of ciyi- llzed man, or to the customs of the wan derlng sayages of the west. Good mill seats are scarce, and there is at this time not more than two or three mills in operation in the country. Small steam-boats ply up and down the Ark ansas river to the Creek Agency-there are several salt springs in the country; two on the bark of the river Illinois, owned by Samuel McVay and Walter Webber-they have large and exten- siye works in operation at this time, and with all the industry and economy that is used, they cannot keep a sufficient quantity of salt on hand-it changes hands very frequently at seventy-fve cents per bushei at the works. The grand salt saline is on the river Verdi gris in the extremity of the Cherokee Nation, where it joins the Osage Ma tion of Indians; rather lying in N. w. course of the river of Arkansas. The Saline is owned by John Rogers and Alexander Brown, both natives of the Cherokee Nation-they nave not asevet got their works in operation; it is ex- pected as soon as this is done, they will do large and extensive business. The country of Arkansas is subject to all k!nd of diseases, and the late emigrants from this country to the Arkansas found 1t to be a fact, because there was at least half the number down with differ ent diseases, and no good water to be had 10 allay the raging thirst of the sick eTi grant, lie ,Taves q dTaugiitt foi; toi; .!iie t!iie land of his fathers and wishes himself backto the old Cherokee Nation once more; there he would stay and mingle his remains under the sod with that of his forefathers. But simple man, he left the land of his nativity, and emigrated to the west togratify the feelings of the President. Fruit is scarce-but few peach and apple orchards are to be found there; bees are plenty, but to no effect, because they make no honey; the reason.i is, because there is not a suf- hcient quantity of blossoms in the coun- try to afford the necessaries 10 carry on this trade to a fell completion. The Indians use implements for tilling the ground, butto small extent; they keep up former regulations. One would en, qure what regulation is that? Why sauntering from one house to another. eating bis neighbor out of house and home, as l may say and also indulging #himselfinindolence Indian ball playing