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Show 126 Jasscs on to the settlement called the rapids, . on Red ln.v cr c1 ·1 ~ t,"., 11 t r11r om this place b)' con1putat1on one hund'rcd and fifty 1nilcs. . . On this part of the rivc1: lies a considerable tract, ~f ],a n d g· ·a 1tccl by the S{Jamsh govermnent to the n1<t1- J 1 .... ' 1 . I b · . f' 1\ Iaison RouO'e a F rene 1 emigrant, w 10 e- C}UIS o ~ , M 13 r qucathccl it with all his proLpcr~y. to . . on Ifny 'ds~n of the late colonel of the otn ~)I_ana ~·egunen • an y him sold to Daniel Clarke. It IS smcl to extend from the post of ' Vashita with a breadth of two leagues, · 1 d' n- tl1e river do·wn to the b ~1p1u Calun1et; the 1 n c u m t; ' · • 11 d con1put~cl distance of which along the n rer IS ca ~- thirty leagues, but supposed not more than t\Velve 111 a direct line. On the Gth ofNovctnbcr, in t~1e a~ternoOI~-othe pm~t! arrived at the post of the 'IV a~h 1ta, 111 l~t. 3::.:: 29 _3 I • 25 N. \rhere they were politely received ~y ~1eut. Bown1ar who imtnediately ofterccl the hosp1tahty of his dwcll,ing with all the services in his I?Ow~r. Frmn the ferry to this place the nc.1v1gatiOn of the river is at this season, interrupted by r~~my shoals and rapids.' 'The general ·width is from eighty to a hundred yards. 'fhe water is extremely agree~ble to drink and much clearer than that of tl~e Ohw. In this r~spect it is very unlike its two neighbours, t?e Arkansa and Red rivers, whose waters ar~ l.oadcd With earthy matters of a reddish brown color, g1 vmg to them a chocolate-like appearance ; and, when those waters are low are not potable, being brackish frmn tl~c great number' of salt spn.n gs n·h1. ch fl ow m. to t 11 em, ai1 d l)rO-bably frmn the beds of rock salt over which th~y may pass. T'he banks of the river pr~sented v.cry l~ttle appearance of alluvial land, but furmshed an_ 1~1fimtud.~ of beautiful landscapes, heightened by the vivid colo11n~ they derive from the autun1nal changes of the leaf. Mr. Dunbar observes, that the change of color in the lcavhes of veo·etables " 'hich is probably occas1· 0ne db)· t e oxyg~'='n of the' atmosphere acting on the vegeta?Ie m?t· ter, deprived of the protecting power of the vital pnn- 12i cip!c, may serve as an excellent guide to lhc naturalist who directs hi~ attention to the rli:;covery of new ob~ jccts for the usc of the cl)-er. For he hns ahr:1ys remarked thnt the leaves oft ho·.;c trees \\·h o~c hark or "'ood are known to produce a dye, ~lre ch:mged in auttm1n to the same color which j.., ( xtractcd in the dyers vat frmn the woods; n1ore c~pccially br the use ofmordants, as allum, &c ·"·hich yields oxyg n: thus the foliage of the hickory, and oak, \\ hich proclnccs the quercitron bark, is changed b .. :forc it~ bll into a beautiful yellow; other oaks a~sume a lltwn color, a li' er color, or a blood color, and arc kno\\ n to ,·icld dyes of the same c·on1plexion. " In lat. 32o l Fl N. doct. I-I untrr discovered alono· I . . l l b t 1e nvcr SIC e a su )stance nearly reseinbling mineral coal· its appcarancc ''as that of the carbon .. 1t1.. c1 wood described by Kin,·an. It does not easilr burn; but on being applied to the flan1c of a candle, it sensibly increa~ed it, a11d yic lded a bint smell, rc~embling in ? slight degree, that of the gmn lac of common sealmg \\'ax . Soft fridblc stone is comn1on, and great qtW!1titics of gravel and sand, upon the beaches in this part of the river. A reddish clay appears in the ~truta, much ind_ urated and blackened Ly exposure to the light and a11·. The_ posi tion called fort lV1iro being the property of a pnvute person, ·who \\·as formerly civil command. ant here, the lieutenant ha~ taken po~t about four hundred yards lower; has built himself !)Omc log honses, a~1d _inclo~ed them with a slig-ht stockade. Upon VIewmg the country cast of the river, it is evidenthr alluvial; the surface has a gentle slope from the riYcr to the rear of the plantations. The land is of exec! ~ lent qnality, bl'ing a rich black mould to the depth ( I a foot, under which there is a friable lo~un of a browi~· ish liver color. At the post of the 'Vashita, they procured a boat of less draught of water than the one in which they as - |