Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1833-03-02

selves, their cattle, and their provisions,
and which they then fasten with ropes
,or grape vines to the larger trees,
while they contemplate the melancholy
spectacle presented by the current, as
il carries of their houses and wood
yards piece BY piece. Some who have
nothing to lose. and are usually known
by the name ofsquatters, take this op-
lportunity Of traversing the woods in
canoes, for the purpose Of procuring
game, and particularly the skins Of an
imals, such as the deer and bear, which
may be converted into money. They
resort to the low ridges surrounded
by the waters, and destroy thousands
Of deer, merely for their skins, leaving
the flesh to putrefy.
The river itself, rolling its swollen
waters along, presents a spectacle Of
the most imposing nature. Although
no large vessel, unless propelled by
steam, Can now make its way against
the current, it is seen covered by boats
laden with produce, which running out
from all the smaller streams, float si-
lently towards the city Of New-Orleans,
their owners, meanwhile, not very
well assured of finding landing place
even there. The water is covered
with yellow foam and punice, the lat
ter having Aoated from the rocky
mountains Of the north west. The ed
dies are larger and more powerful
THAI ever. Here and there tracts Of
forests are observed Undermined. the
tees gradually giving way, and falling
into the stream. Cattle, horses, bears.
and deer, are seen at times attempting
to swim across the impetuous mass Of
foaming and boiling water; whilst here
and there vulture or an eagle is OBJ
served ON a bloated carcass, tearing it
up in pieces, as regardless Of the food
as on former occasions it would have
been # numerous sawyers and plan
tiers with which the surface of the RI
yer is covered when the water IS low.
Even the steamer is frequently dis
tressed. The numberless tees and
logs that float along, break its paddles
and retard its progress. Besides, it is
on such occasions difficult to procure
fuel to maintain its fires; and it is only
at very distant intervals that wood
yard can be found which the water has
not carried of.
Following the river in your canoe,
you reach those parts of the shores that
are protected against the OVERLOOKING
of the waters, and are called Leres.
here you tiId the whole population
of the district atwork repairing and
augmenting those artificial barries
which are several feet above the level
Of the fields. Every person appears to
dread the opening of IA cre0dsse, by
which the waters may rush into his
fields. In spite Of all exertlons, how
ever, the creuasse opens, the water
bursts imPetuously over the planta-
tions, and lays waste the crops which
SO lately we're blooming in all the lux
uriance Of spring. 1t opens up a new
, channel, which, for aught know to
Il We contrary, may Garry its waters even
to the Mexican Gulf.
1 have tioated on the Mississippi and
Ohio when thus swollen, and have in
different places visited the submersed
lands cf the interior, proPell,ng light
cano by the aid Of a paddle. In this
! have traversed immense por-
tons of the country, overlooked by the
waters on these rivers; and, particular
" whilst floating over the Mississippi
bottom-landS, l have been struck lth
awe at the sight, Little or no current
is met with, unless when the canoe
passes over the bed Of bayou. All
is silent and melancholy, unless when
the mournful bleating Of the hemmcd.
in deer reaches your ear, or the dis
NAL scream of an eagle or a raven is
heard. as the foul bird rises, disturbed
by your approach, from the carcass on
which it was allaying its craving apPe-
tite. Bears, cougars, lynxes, and all
other quadrupeds that can ascend the
trees. are observed Crouched among
their top-branches. Hungry in the
nids, Of abundance, although they see
floating around them the animals on
which they usually prey, they dare
not venture to swim to them. Fati-
gued by the exertions which they have
made in reaching the dry land, they
will there stand the hunters fire, as if
to die by a ball were better than to
perish amid the waste Of waters. On
occasions like this. all these animals