, 1872-10-24

Arkansas Red River and the Upper Arkansas.
In March, 1922, John Law sent 200 Germans
over to Arkansas Post, MA Mobile. They. set
tied around the Post, 60 miles above the Miesls-
sippi, and others occupied the small prairies
nearly as far mp as Little Rock. Forty Of these
settlers remained until Laws scheme failed, in
1928, when they had prepared to leave the
country. The people Of New Orleans, however,
perauaded them to settle anew 20 miles above
that city, on what was called the German
Coast; there their descendants still remain.
hIAGDALENA SETTLEMENT.
Women were aleo sent over to Arkansas and
neighboring parts from the hospitals and houses
of correction of Paris, such as the SaNpetrie1e.
That affecting and rather immoral novel of the
Abbe-Preyost, called "Manon Leecant," refers
to one of these poor lorettes: The Arkansas
Ozarks were mined and tunneled for gold and
finance.
ARKAN8As BECOMES SPANISH.
In 1862, the French Empire fell before the
English eolonists; and, the same year, by the
terms Of secret treaty, the King Of Spain pos
sesBed Arkansas. To get ont Of English juris-
diction, many French crossed from the East
side to the Arkansas shore. In 1901, the King
Of Spain ceded all this territory to the King of
France, who sold it in 1903 to the United States
for twelve millions Of dollars, plus four o,
United States and meyer pnid. The price
OF Arkansas then to the Americans may be said
to have been about three millions OF dollars.
Next against her to the vest was Spanish colo
ny, with San Antonio for its chief town. Prior
to the purchase, several Americans had crossed
over and become Spanish subjects or accepted
Spanish protection, and in this way Moses
Austin, Of Connecticut, seeking to prosecute
mining in the Ozark Mountains, derived that
knowledge OF the land and it's masters which
enabled him to found with Spanish grant the
American State OF Texas.
ARKANSAS POST IN THE OLD TIME.
An account OF this old post is to be had in a
London publcation BY Captain Philip Pittman,
bearing date 1770. It is entitled 1.-The Present
State Of the European Settlements on the Mis-
siseppi." The, book Was written o few years
after the ratirement OF the French and Spanish
from the Ohio posts to their new line Of posts
on the great river, aud WAS designed to convey
military information to the authors Govern
ment. 1t that time tho "Post Of Arcansas" "
was with one exception, the solitary settlement
OF civilized beings in the limits OF the present
State.
It was, according to this account, three leagues
up the Arkansas, and WAS 3 Rtockade Of regular
form, Fashioned, the sdes only 180 feet in length,
and three-pounders guarded the fankR and faces
OF each fastion. Within the fort were COM
mander's house, q barrack with three rooms for
the men, poWder-magazine, provision-maga-
zine, and commissary- shed. The fort Was 200
yards from the water-side, and the land vas
cleared around it to the depth Of 900 yards. It
was held by French Captain and . Lieutenant,
and sergeants Eight houses, occupied BY eight
families, we're attached to the fort, and these
people sent buffalo and bear meat, tat, and
akins to New Orleans to be sold. The stockade
was in aruinous condition, being, at the time
more than 80 years old. Three leagues above
the fort at the riverside, three villages Of
ssArcauBas or Inapan Indians" numbering 800
WARRIORS amongst the bravest Of all the aborig-
ines, and they waged var with the tribes to the
west of them as far as the River Bravo. Amongst
4to.a Tpdsano roonv Thirka and Hnroa nf tha
extinguishod confeaeracy OF Natchez Indians,
had been adopted. The Natchez had been the
noblest warriors IN the Southwest, but the
French had ruined them. The French garrison
Has on good terms with the Indians.
ARKANSAS IN 1903.
| An abstract Of documents addressed to Presi-
! dent johnson, relative to Louisiana, WAS pub
| Ished in book-form in London, in 1904. It
| tween the Red and Arkansas Rivers. There we're
then 260 only OF the Arkansas tribe, attached to
| the French in friendship, and ready to fight in
| their behalf against the hostile Chickasaws.
Their first village was Is leagues up the Arkan-
and the the third six leagues. The scarcity OF
| game east OF the Mississippi frequently brought
over the Choctaws, Cherokees, and Creeks, some
| Of whom had married the women OF the Arkan-
SIS whites, Is slaves, and S free blacks. There
we're. besides, between the st. Francis River and
| the Mississippi, some vagabond Indians, who
disturbed passing boats. .......-
| LIEUTENANT PlEE UP TIE AREANEAs.
| The French had assembled the Arkansas far
above little Rock early as 1902 Lieutenant
| d, 8. Pike WAS the first American official to
| strike the Upper Arkansas, advancing from the
head Of navigation On The the Usage: It was the
9th day OF October, lso6,-Jefsrson' Presl-
/ dent.
Oct, %, he detached q Lieutenant, Ser
geant, and four men to descend the Arkansas in
canoes made Of buffalo and elk skins i 1o;;i This
Son. Sergeant Joseph Ballenger, Interpreter Ba-
yasqusz and p1ystes Boley Bradley dhS1, hud
she nvar in safety, aud arrived at New Orleans
| some time in 1907 This probably was the first
| party OF Americans to traverse the whole width
OF the future State.
In the autumn Of 1877, amongst the current
paragraphs Of news, appears the following:
"Major Brsdford has left St. Louis to estab-
blish military post on the Arkansas River, near
| the Usage Indian boundary line"
This WAS the establishment Of Fort Smith, the
| Water-gste to the Indian Territory.
| FINS.
In another letter, I shall describe AIkaneas as
en American Territory and State. GATH.