, 1842-03-05

was a tower capable of holding six or eight
fighting men. This town contained several
thousand inhabitants, and was defended with
despe ration, and sutjugated w i h great loss
by the Spaniards. The description of this
and MANY other towns walled in, some with
palisades, others with an embankment OF earth,
explains the origin of the supposed f%ortifca
tons found among the antiquities of the VAL
ley Of the Mississippi. or the Indian tribes
mentioned are the Casquinc, the last of which
were west of the Mississippi. and doubtless
answer to the Kaskaskia tribe. A multitude
of other names are given which we omit
De Soto and his party, were the first Euro
peans to behold the mighty Mississippi, which
rolled its immense mass of waters through
the splendid vegetation of an a~lluvial SOIL
The lapse of three centuries has not changed
the character of the river. 1t was then de-
scribed as more than n mile broad, its waters
of a muddy ash color. its current strong and
impetuous full of floating timber, snags islands
and sand bars.
The Spaniards called the name of the rlv-
er Rio Grdnde-ihe Great River--afteri its In
dian name De Soto and his men crossed
this river near the lower Chickisaw b'uffS.-
The wild fruits at Il at period. rs now, were
the walnut the pecan the mulberry, the per-
cimmon, the grape, the pawpaw and the
plum. The fish described were the same as
now found in the lakes and bayons of that re-
gion, and vast herds of buffalo. deer. elk and
bear, roamed through TIE forest and pralries.
The most n~or,herly poit reached by De
Soto. was an Indian town called Pdcahd. sit
uated probably in the southern part Of Mis-.
souri,. Finding no prospects of gold in this
direction, DE Soto and his party turned their
course down the Mississippi. still on ITS wes-
tern side. They passed through a success
SION of Indian towns. soma OF which were
enclosed with PALISADES and embankmen,s
Of earth. and surrounded by a ditch. ln one
instance they describe an artificial canal q
league in length. excavated by the natives,
and forming a communication between the
river and the large lake. We soon find them
near the Washita AMI amongS. The QuoPpas
tribe of Indians still in existence.
Their Journal throws much light upon
western antiquities. Mr.. Stephens in his
recent work on the earthquakes OF Central
America" has hit the true theory, when he
suggests, that the creation Of the ruined cities
he explored is comparatively of modern date,
and built by a race OF people no, yetextinct.
We have great conviction of the truth OF
this theory in relation to the antiquities oi
the Mississippi Valley. and were the subject
investigated in the mode and 10 the extent
desira BILE. satisfactory evidence NAV be OPP
/ tanned that the suppo ed oitIhcliions. and
mounds. $50 far as the latter are artIhcla)
with other works are the monuments OF the
! IN - l,I.r oT Tho pr,rapt,,rS .f the Drp.
sent lace of Indians, and that their origin
was wit in the period Of a few hundred
wears.
The historians of De Soto's expedition.
describes towns tina, We're enclosed both
with palisadops and embankuents OF earth
and in one instance of stone. They describe
the residence of the Caziques or chefs, as built
upon n cnnical hill. and where such an emf
nence was not found convenient. the people
would collect and throw up the earth 10 form
one with great labor.
Other causes are given for the ratification
of artificial mounds, which we must omit
for the present.
In the summer of 1544. De Soto, was near
the mouth of Red river. His party werenow
suffering severely, his men and horses dying
around linn, and the Indians threatening hos,
~tilitles. The energy and pride OF character
which had carried him through greater dun,
~culties than any European adventurer had
encountered. nov sunk rapidly. A mal'g'
nant fever ensued, and in three days he died
Thus persisted fernando De Soto, the
companion of Pizarro, the governor OF Gu
ba, and the first discoverer and explorer o.
the Mississippi! =.
To conceal his death from the natives, ms
BODY was wrapped in a mantle, with suitable
weights. and in the stilInes of midnight. wal
suddenly sunk in the middle Of the "Grea
Water" 1.-THE discoverer of the river slep
beneath its turbid waves. He had crossed
the continent in search of gold, and fount
nothing 50 remarkable as his burying place
The Indians were taught he had assembled t.
the sun. His soldiers pronounced his eulog!
bv grieving at their loss. and the priests chant
cd their requiems over his watery grave"
His successor, Louis de Moscoso, wit
the party, penetrated the western wilderness
, and vast p%rairies, as they supposed, on
hundred and fifty leagues, until they came Ii
sight of vast ridges Of mountains. Despairln'
of Preaching Mexico,a as they designed, they re
!. turned once more to the Mississippi, a few
, leagues above the mouth Of Red river. Her