, 1872-10-24
sirnilitude because it appeared while the subject

similitude, because it appeared while the subject
IN n 'Sst Watnore,s % aazetteer OF Missouri" for
1871 there a eapa 45oS 70 aneal
running, with more reality, but less dramatic
art, the stamp Of Bret Hnr<efs OUTLAW sketches.
| The same literal treatment aud dry hu5nor ap-
| pear, and the characters are Arkanssns Of the
The war of Secession in this State is related in
magazine paper (Harper's, volume a3}, by J.
S. c. Abbott; and the roster and work Of the
Union regiments, by .Adiutant General A. ":
Bishop, in report published at the expense Of
Congress. No adequate book or paper on this
subject has yet appeared.
''The Life of the Notorious Desperate, Cul-
len Baker," edited by his brother-in.law, who
killed him At last, is current pamphlet st LIZ
tie Rock. This fellow must have been the worst
demon in the State, and no State had Worse
demons.
The above is all have found, not referred to
in the body Of this article to reward curiosity
can have time for access to the files. ct the old
State Gazette at Little Rock, sand Nll consult
some OF the old men about to perish there,
NAV write book to deserve the thanks Of soclol-
ogists and benefit ArkansaB BY setting the mir
ror before it's people. a thankless task is often
the truest, and ultimately the best appreciated.
i very complete account of the rivers OF Ar
kansas is to be had in the report Of the Chief Of
Engineers. Secretary Of Wars Documents, 1871
s'Ihe Discovery Of the Great West" BY Park
man, relates the first occupation Of Arkansas
Post.
THE FIRST WHITE MEN
to tread the soil Of the State we're DeSoto's par
ty, in the year 1541. He crossed within thirty
for the nails aud iron in them, and marched
northwestward across the Arkansas "bottoms
for five days, to an Indian town on the banks OF
White River. It was in the month Of May, and
e - L. tt-F %+oS1o nrrxA
this town, on the same river, he erected the
greet t:piue-tree Cross which Powell transfers, IN
bis painting, to the -" Discoveryo Of the MISSISSIPPI
pi." He marched also south to the River Saline
9nd sa Gnsht nae sd wth dn
tinued to the Upper Arkansas, near
ter quarters. Rere died De Soto's interpreter,
Juan Ortis. Early in the spring be marched the
whole breadth Of the State to the Mississippi,
he dad, 20 miles below the mouth Of the Arkan-
sas, His SUCCESSOR, Luis de Moscoso, recrossed
Arkansas to the Red River corner, was lost in
Texas and fourth time the deepairing band
travelled the breadth OF the State back again TO
the mouth of the Arkansas River, pursued and
ambuscaded by Indians. Here, reduced by
death to $50 men, they built seven brigantines,
and launched down the "Rio Grande,'' OF Mis-
siesippi, July 2, 1543.
Thus Arkansas was occupied more than two
J
thirty years ago. ~
MARQUETTE N ARKANSAS.
In the summer OF 1878, after an interval Of one
hundred and thirty years, the priests, Marquette
kansas River, and had q fish-bake with the In
dams. Garhsh, perhaps, or bnfalo-hah, OK
| catfish. The Arkansas Indians, farther down,
] said that they had no Spanish firearms, like the
! From this Arkansas village 700 miles above the
| mouth OF the Mississippi, Marquette and Joliet
! and their fi7e boatmen, the second dscoverers
Of the Mississippi returned to the Illinois River
! and Chicago. Nothing happened to Marquette
more in Arkansas, except that he got the
dysentery. $1,000. ,-.
| La sALLE's VISIT TO ARKANsA5.
| In February or early March, 1882, Robert
Cavelier La Sale, Norman, and Henri de
Tonty, an Italian officer (fzom whose fathers
tine), with twenty-three Frenohmen and thirty
one Indians OF both se1es, three being children,
vent direct from Chicago with boats, and down
| the Illinois, to the month OF the mississippi.
Of the Arkansas, and partook Of the hospitality
| OF the QuapaW Indians, Who possessed domestic
| fowls and tame geese, and we're 'a lively, civil,
| generous people," Hymns we're sung; one Gu
ing Louis XIV; and two Of the native Arkansana
piloted the party down the Mississippi, These
Indians Char]eYoix subsequently called les Beat!
| L'Honnles and said they we're the tallest and
| beHt-1ormed IN America.
! De qoETY.s ARKAHH8s COLONY.
Nearly all current books state that Arkansaa
| was first settled at Arkansas Post, in the year
1885. This is true only IN q. qualified tense.
Mr. Francis Parkman, the latest authority, saya
was n asgs that Tony gonSg, to the ssst
ful search, to the villages OF the Arkansas,
| where some OF his men volunteered to remain.
i He left six Of them, and Of this number we're
Couture and De Launsy; This Is the date OF
l r&-A III rya pRttlA.
ment it can be called. The following year, 1887,
the survivors Of La Sales party-their leader
murdered on the way, and his death avenged
] upon the aasasains-croBsed the subsequent
| State Of Arkansas from the Red River to the
Lower Arkansas. La Sale had been murdered
near the River Trinity, Of Texas. The story OF
| the murder was related by the survivors to the
| man Couture, carpenter Of Houen, France, ana
he took it doRn at the time it was tod; and thus
| lead savage life made one OF them an hlsto1l"
| cal authority -
| The comrades OF La Sale, says Parkmant
| "approached the River Arkansas at point not
far above its junction With the mississippi LED
ss' ed =. of engR Ros en hs Ind bordsss S It. t6s Tie
stream. Nestled beneath the forests Of the far
ther shore, they saw the lodges OF large Indian
current, they presently deserted an object which
neryed their spent limbs and thrilled their
| honesiek hearts With joy. It was tall wooden
| cross, and near it Was small house, built eVl,
| IDENTIFY by Christian hands. With one accord
they fell on their knees and rsiaed their = hands R
ropean @ dress, issued 5rom The door Of The house,
their n9 to saqts 4sea sS eafttsa Ssh Tos
ranoas mt nut from the farther shore and fer
red them to the town, where they we're vel,
coined by Couture and De Launay, two OF
! Tonty's followers"
At this spot, they ate corn-bread aud dried
buffalo NEST. Aug: !, in wooden canoe, 40 II. the5
men remained behind, as well as . Paris ganai11
named Barthelmy. From these whites and then
savage concubines, sprang race Of half -breeda
| whose descendants existed in 1873, when Mr.
| Nuttau asceuded the Arkansas.
! THERE SETTLED.
The first true settlement was made at the Ole
French Post on the Arkansas, few miles below
/ the bayou which communicates with the White
River Annoyed by rats, and repeatedly inun'
dated, they moved to the present " Post, +" which
| is the oldest town in the State. I suspect the
| date to have been 1719 to 1721.
/ THE FRENCH IN ARKANSAS.