Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1832-05-16

found extensive beds of coal % excellent salt(
springs, ton some of which The Cherokees hsY
already erected salt works) and rich mines of
lead ore In this portion Of the territory, which
Mr. Mccoy considers as the most valuable O
any portion of equal dimensions in the Indian
tract, and great part of which is exceedingly
fertile, the Cherokees have settled. Mr.. Mccoy
says that in his opinion this tract alone ecould
haze been sufficient both IN ertent and resources
to form a comfortable and prosperous home for
ali the Cherokees. But this is not ali the land
assigned to this tribe for the western limb of the
territory already mentioned, though not so well
Supplied with perennial springs, nor generally so
fertile, vet contains rich prairies, nterspersed
with groves, ranges of timber hills and streaks of
wood along the water courses, so that in the words
of Mr.. Mccoy, can immense population will
here find the conveuinces for agriculture and Its
kindred pursuits" -a eos .H.-.a sst
The Creek lands are bounded south by Arkan-
SIS river and latitude26 The country which
Mr.. Mccoy has been directed to survey for them
iac!udes about 100000 acres. Leaving out
one half for waste lands, it will be four millions.
The Creeks already settled here, about 5000 in
'' m err, occupy l02,AoO acres. On the east of
the Mississippi it, is supposed that there are
81 900, including the, Seminoles, and when they
are all transported Z their new abodes, they will
cccupy, SAYS Mr. Mccoy, "only eight parts OF
the country leaving thirty one parts unoccupied'
That portion of the Creek country living north
and east of the Arkansas has been thoroughly
examined by Mr. McCoy,and he gives good
account of it both for its fertility and in other re-
spects.
i With respect to the whole of this Indian terri
tory, extending 800 miles north and sorth, and
200 east and west, Mr. Mccoy remarks, that s'ex.
cepting the bottom lands, it is high and undulat
linz am, certainly in point of healthiness not sur
passed by any district in the western country"
6 From what Mr.. Mccoy has seen, and from
/, authentic information of what he has not seen
he declares himself convinced that the territor,
is more than adequate to all the purposes desired
y for region destined for the settlement OF the In
$ dams. mo mistake" says he, "could be create
= than the suppositi,n that were all the Indians OF
Il this side of the Rocky Mountains located within
This territory, they would be crowded to their in
II convenience Let the fact be illustrated by re
d ference to the state OF Ohio. The whole mum
J. Der of Indians on this side of the Rocky Noun
/, tans is estimated to be $4,000, many of whom
: are on the sources of the Mississippi, and. higl
q up on the Missouri, we could not hope to brln!
Q into this territory The number which claim
our attention in this matter is less than 100000
Here we have a humber equal to only about one
fifth of the population of Ohio, and territor,
full three times as large as Ohio to place them In
= The state of Ohio is not filled. Were four
: Iffths of its present inhabitants removed ant
> the remaining fifth scattered over the states O
J Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, it would be impossi
bic to suppose that the fifth part would be crowd
ed to their inconvenience" 81 ~