The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-10-26

NUMBER III.
west OF tie mouth. The river, like th,
rest Of the Onaehita anc the bayou
bearing uames and shown Ia the plan
is not navigabls except after heavy
rains, which cause . rise. These Rises
ars quite lsequent from October ia
April, aud haste Il made to proflt By
tasTa, tor the rise OF water 10 very rap
Id aud its sAll proportion asely quick,
especially that part caused by the
drainage Of tbs mountain.
The falls OF the Ouachl,a are about
thirty leagues higher than tho Mis-.
s0uri.
Tnere 10 . ledge 6f rocks which oh.
ssruct tue river and form an even levse
8, 9 and lS fee, In heixnt, over which
the water fushes. There q only one
the smalleat c0nveyance.
When the water rises above and he
low this lsvee becomes perfectly level,
aud large vehicles descend without
any danger, 40 the water passes 10, 10
aud 50 feat beyond the rocks. Above
the falls the river 10 wide aud shaliow
up to the snd, aud etrewed here aud
there With large rocks, which Tenders
navigation very dangerous. During
low water one can make short Jour-
usys With small crafts, with very lite
danger.
Tue Hot sprlnes are In small
bayou. which omptles into the river
on the right, about ten leagues above
the tails. Tue water atarts teom
rock, bolllog hot, but becomes modi.
nsd % it aows aud jolns the waters OF
extremely cold sprlugs. These waters
Ars % clear % crystal. The warm wa
ter hes taste Of sulphur. Il have
Withdrawn the last sentence.)
The three forks which compose the
river unite about thirty leagues Abo ve
tue spriags. Tue western QUO 10 the
most important. sumo Cadaux Goa.
t,ves) going TO the settlement OF the
Osagt.s (nsttves) declare that they
crossed II In tho large pratries. The
whites who travels on II say they
nave never seen Its end aud that IL Is
very usvigable wherever they have
been. The southern fork Is less practi-
cable and the northern one scarcely 20.
This vast extent OF country Is inhab-
tied by 100 persons who, altogether,
supply only seveuty-four men capable
si bearing Arms, after the census Of
the present year, l7sS. These men
ere composed OF the scum oi oil ma
lions. Several are lugittvcs from their
native country, and llko the others,
are established there by their lcve OF
idleness and liberty and perhaps also
to escape the pursuit Of Justice, bsfore
any one should be- placed In authority.
Their manners and customs eorres-
pond with their origin. They hardly
know whether they are Christians.
They excel In all vleee, and their mode
Of liie 10 really shameful. Even the
sayages, who have aeen them, regard
them with contempt. They are al
ways ready TO rebel against the least
thing which IL not according to their
ides, but they trobuic themselves very
little about anything. Their gun and
powder horn are all they care for and
all countries are alike to them. Tho
women are as unworthy as the mon,
snd are suitable companions for their
husbands. What models for their pos
tesityi They are lazy In tho highest
degree. no matter what their under
taking. II they hunt u little Il is only
TO sat:siy the demands of, nature.
During tho SIX years that have been
mere, I have tried everything that
aud my Imagination could sug-
xest, to excite the ambition oi these
miserable creatures aud Cause them to
recogu,za their real condition., but /
have not succeeded. L have tried In
vain to collect them together In the
town or on the coast, and show them
how grateful they should feel in this
new position, hoping by having them
near at hand, to lead them more easi.
ly, by advice or example TO IA more
friendly life. However, twenty-five
OF them started at last to cultivate the
ground, but there are ecarceIy six
among them who cleared enough. to
make . living, which should have re-
uuired little effort, as very little
amount OF food satisfies them. Several
others started to work but very soon
abandoned It.
They say, In defense, that they can
not work while starving, and that they
have nothing TO live on while making
their crops. This reason would vindi-
cate them IL their extreme dislike for
work did not prevent one believing
this the only cause OF their idleness.
Tue whole com merce OF the country
,9,oz uot o v raeti aunuaiiy & ono 10 7 600