The Van Buren press., 1876-07-11

part of the original Louisiana, and de-
pendency ofthe Spanish crown acquired
by treaty from France in 1862, to which
latter Power it was re- troced by Spain in
1902. 1t was purchased by the United
States from France in 1903 For this
important acquisition to our territory we
are indebted to the enlightened States
manship of Mr.. Jefferson then President
of the United States, whose sagacity ena-
bled him at a glance to comprehend the
advantages of such an acquisition.
The first permanent settlement in the
territory now embraced in the State of
Arkansas. was made by the French at
Arkansas Post in 1885. A small Garri-
son was located there at the same time and
4~rt- - L,-4h,s Te,-cN o. 81 S4.:,tt-'. ~.--,
til the purchase ofLouisaaa by the Uni.
ted States. This settlement could not
have extended far into the interior. They
were mostly hunters, tappers and traders
with but little inclination to embark in
the pursuits of agriculture; and in this
respect were unlike the English colo
nists who spread rapidly over the coun-
try and were extensively engaged in the
cultivation of the soil. Hence we find
that after the lapse Of more than a CEN
tury from its first settlement, indeed up
to the requisition of Louisiana by the
United States, the increase of popula-
tion among these colonists had been ex-
ceedingly slow. have no reliable data
by which to determine the number at that
time, but suppose it could not have ex-
ceeded two thousand souls. Their de.
scendents reside at present mostly in the
Counties of Arkansas and Jefferson and
constitute highly respectable part of
our population. Although these Colo
nists were comparatively few in number
and their settlements of limited extent,
their explorations up the Arkansas river
and its tributaries for many hundreds of
miles ON hunting expeditions, and in
search Of the precious metals must have
been frequent at an early day. This is
tradition, and the names Of many of these
streams that dow into the Arkansas may
be regarded as conclusive Of the fact.
Permit me here, to remark however,
that nearly one hundred and fifty years
tefore the French settled at the Arkansas
Post, and long before the ships of Sir
Walter Raleigh visited the coast of North
Carolina De Soto, celebrated Spanish
cayiller and adxenturer-Jv v,th five h,lndred
followers, cavalry and footmen, spcn,
nearly whole year within the limits oi
of the present State of Arkansas. Land
ing on the coast Of Florida, this remark.
able man with his followers, not exactly
like DeLeon, who had proceeded him in
search Of the "Fountain of Youth ~
which it was supposed was bubbling up
perpetually in that land of flowers, but
in search Of Gold and Silver and Pre-
cious Stones, and the untold wealth ol
fabulous cities supposed to be some
where in the far off West.
In the month of April 1541, DcSotc
reached the Mississippi River, near where
the city OF Memphis now stands. Barg
es were built, and in these he and his fol
lowers crossed to the Arkansas shore
The party ascended the river on the wes
side until they reached the elevated dry
land South of where New Madrid now
stands, where they encamped for period
of forty days, most probably within the
limits OF the present county of Pemisco,
in the State of Missouri. Turning thence
West and North West, they penetrated
an unbroken wilderness to the bills oil
White River, supposed distance of two
hundred miles from the Mississippi, anc
thence directing their course South, We
may suppose passing through the presen'
Counties of Boone, Newton, Pope, Yell
and Garland, crossing the Arkansas rivel
near the site Of the present town of Oar
danelle, they reached the Ouchita neal
the Hot Spring, in the Fall Of 154l
Here they spent the Winter and in the
Spring Of the following year descended
the Washita to its junction with Red Riv
er, and down the latter river 70 the Mis-
sissippi, where DeSoto soon sickenet
and died, and found grave in the waters
of the great river he had discovered
No attempt was made or design enter:
tanned by DeSoto and his followers tt
make permanent settlements anywhere
and yet it may be that traces still remain
oftheir sojourn and wanderings in Arkan
sas. Ancient excavations, as if for min
ing purposes, it is said have been fount
in different parts of the State. Indica
tions ofencampments at a remote periot
of time, with remains of broken bottles