The Arkansas advocate., 1834-02-21

ble stream, flowing from the north, and though 1t cannot be said to be navigable
 for steam boats, yet lis floods, when they
 occur, ensure for the lime the navigation
 of the Arkansas as high as the garrison.-
 The Yerdigris, anotherconsiderable stream.
 enters the Arkansas half | mile above the
 sGaraH6 river, on the same side with 1t, and
 from one point, the Grand river, tic Yer 1 digris, and the pawnee CT Arkansas proper, appear to diVerge as from a common cen
 ire. lie watef5 of tie yerdigris and
 Grand river are clear. Forty miles from l the mouth of the Grand river, descending.
 the Arkansas receives from the left the H. lin0is, considerable stream, whose waters
 are also clear, and whose influence on the navigation of the main channel Is sensihly felt. Four miles lower, the Arkansas re- eeiyes from the right the Canadian, by far its most important tributary. This stream IS said to be nayigable for considerable distance, is waters have the red color of those of the Red river, and is confluence produces visible effect on the navigation
 of the Arkansas. 1t Fort Smith, about
 l20 miles from Cantonnent Gibson, the Arkansas receives from the right the Po- teau, a fine stream, which poufs consid- efable accession of water into the principal river.
 The point of junction of the Canadian and Arkansas may, think, with propriety, be called the head of steam beat nayipa- ton on the Arkansas. Between that point and Fort Gibson, the chances of getting up and down with safety, and without deten- ton. in boat Of any considerable draaght of water, are too Precarious to be at all re- lied upon. Nc steam boat captain, in en- tefng the Arkansas from the Mississippi, can feel any certainty of reaching tie 9ar- rison, though the water be ever 90 high be- low. The flood may be out of the Illinois, the Canadian, or the Poteau, in which case
 he can of course get no higher than the
 confluence of those streams with the main
 current, or, if the rise proceeds from the
 Grand river, inc Nerdigfis. or the Artan-
 sas, 1t will, in the greater number of cases, have run of before boat can traverse the
 space below. A very small steam boat,
 by remaining at Fort Smith, or the garfi- son, and watching the floods, may be very useful, and l understand it Is conterpiated by tiIc tytsctstots,1tsster e.t.ertis, Depart ment to adopt this course fer the transpor- tafion of' the large amount of stores requir- ed at Fort Gibson, which Is now the focus
 of our relations with numerous powerful tribes of Indians.
 l. Between Fort Smith and Little Rock,
 the Arkansas receives from the north the
 Mulberry, and from the south the Petit
 Jean and the Fouche La Feye, all small
 streams, but said to be navigable by keel boats. Besides these, which are the mos! l important, the Arkansas receives many oth-
 er tributaries above Little.Reek; below thai
 point, from the peculiar formation of the
 country, and the proximity of White rlvel
 on the north, and the Ouachita, &sc. on. the
 south, it's secondary streams are very few
 and generally very small.
 For purposes of description, the Alkan
 sas. from Cautonment Gibson to the mouth
 may he considered as divided at Little Rock into two parts, which differ from eacl other essentially in general features ans , character. From Fort Gibson to Lltti' 7 Rock it is commonly called 3'70 miles, 0 ( from Fort Smith 250, and from Little Rocl
 to inc mouth about 270. These number I are those on which the pilots nearestagree . hnt inc distances are not accurately lll9Wf . and are probably overrated. Above Littl . Rock the banks of the river are oecasi9fa | lv rocky: sometimes for considerable di' taneos. rocky bluffs 150 or 200 feet Aig 77f rise directly from the water; at other place e particularly high up, flat ledges .ot roolSt, ;- nearly. or quite across the bed of u
 Istroo;,, Where the hills recede from t l. banks, the intervening space IS hiiea up 70 fertile bottoms of various widths, as on ! q, q; Ohio. and these bottoms are usually hish n. and more out of the reach ot mundanol fo than in the lower division ot the stream rb The scenery bears, in places, great 7, sernblance to that of the Upper Nlississ 1T nj. Coal of excellent quality, and In V " quantities. is said to he found m the ss ,r- stone formation, high up this part of ss Lryer. The reaches are generally long he the stream pnrsues a more direct cou o,y and is much wider and shallower than ;+, low. and has numerous middle hars ,ad I a,icksand shoals, rendering the naviga ;ng intricate, except sat the highest stages .,,e, water. from tie circumstance fhat the es low mel at such places is liable to sblit at e' l.5 aaoa. There are also in this part ot ap river many gravel bars, haying on | - those irregular roundish elevations e ien .spotafoe hils'' by the pilots, and whiS nae ,a am informed, are occasionally haol oC me- me- M shift their places during freshets. ot e',,a eu, mart from Gantonment Gibson to the n, m o9,e ba of the Canadian, have already .II spoke pc 9,ra two nr;ncipal Instructions there lev lbaIlow nI ,Sp rapids. from r to 20 miles D :, the the sal.'o.a,N as . cascade called Web onths grounu' a'N' lf, ,g,;les below the garr He of Falls, aeoee o .,ere are flat, rocky ie'