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Show 1\PPENDIX TO PART If. mountains, to its sou rce, a distance of about 170 miles; (by the meanders) it is alternately bounded by perpendicular precipice. in small nat ro\v prairies, c.n 1\ hich the bufl'alo and elk ha,·e found the means to an i,·e, and arc almost secure from danger, from thcirdestroycr-:\ l <m. In m. ny places the l'i,·er precipitates itself over rocks, so as at one morncnt to be \'i siblc only in the foaming and boiling of its waters; at the next moment it disappears in the charms of the o'er har. gin ~ precipices. The A t·kansaw river, taking its meanders agreeably to Lt. \Yilkinson ·s sun·cy of the lo"·e t· part, is 198 1 miles from its entrance into the 1\lississippi to the mountains, and from thence to its source 192 miles, making its total len g-th 2 173 miles, all of which may be navigated '"ith proper boats, constructed for the purpose; except the 192 miles in the m untains. It has emptying into it, several small rivers navigable for 100 miles and upwards.,. Boats bound ttp the whole length of the navigation, should embark at its entrance, on the i st of February; when tht:y would have the fresh quite to the mountains, and meet with no detention . But if they &hould start later, they would find the river 1500 miles up nearly dry. It has one singularity, which 2tt·uck me very forcibly at first vi<;w, but on reflection, 1 am induced to believe it is the same case with all the rivers which run through a low, dry, and sanely soil in warm climates. This I obsen·ctl to be the case with the Rio del Norte, Yiz: fot· the extent of 4 or 500 miles befol'e you anive near the mountains, the bed of the river is extensive, and a perfect sand bar, which at certain seasons is dry; at least the water is standing- in ponds, not affording sufficient to procure a running course. When you come nearer the mountains, you find the river contt·actcd, a g t·avelly bottom, and a deep navigabl~ ~trc~m. From these circumstances it is evident, that the sandy s~IIImbibes all the waters which the sources project from the moun· tams, a~d renders the rivet· (in dry seasons) less navi~able five lnmdn ·d mzle8 ; than 200 miles ft·om its source. The borders of the ~rk<_msaw river may be termed the paradise (telTestrial) of our ter-ritories for the wande1·iu" 8a Of 11 • • • ' <> vage8. a countnes ever vtsltcd by the foots teps of civilized man, there Flcver was one probably that produced game in greater abundance, and we know that the man· net'S and morals of the eJTatic nations, are such r the reasons I leave to be given by the ontolop;ists) as never to giv~ th em a numerous ~ See Lt. Wilkinson's report of the lower Arkansaw. APPENDIX TO PART IT. population; and I believe that there arc bnfEdo, elk, and deer sufficient on the banks of the Arkansaw alone, if used without waste, to fe ed ali the savages in the United States territory one century. lly the route of the Arkansaw and the Hio Colot·ado of California, 1 am confident in asscrtin~?: (if my information from Spanish gcntle- 11len of information is correct) there can be estabJishctl the best communication on this side the Isthmus of D.-.ricn between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as, admitting the utmost, the land carriage would not be more than 200 miles, and the route mny be macle quite as eligible as our public high ways over the Alleghany mountains. The Rio Colorado is to the gt·eat Gulph of California, what the Mississippi is to the Gulph of Mexico, anc! is na\'igable for ships or considerable bmdcn, opposite to the upper p art of the province of Senora. From the Arkansaw to the Rio del Not·te (the route I passed) the country was covered with mountains of small p rairies, (as per chan) bnt the game became much more scarce owing to the vicinity of the Spani:;h Indians ancl the Spaniards themselves. In this westcm traveru of Loui siana, the follo\\'ing gen eral observat ions may be made, viz: that from the Missouri to the head of the Osage ri ve r, a distance in a straight line of probably 300 miles, the country will ad mit of a numerou s, extensi\'e and compact population; from thence on the rivet·s Kanses, La Platte, Arkansaw, and their various branches. lt appears to me to be only j 1ossible, to inu ·ocluce a limi ted population on their banks. ThL in habitants would find it most to thei r advantag-e, to pay attention to the multiplication of catt le, horses, sheep, and goats; all of which they can raise in abundance, the earth producing· spontaneously sufli~: i c nt fo r their support, both winte t· and summer, by which means th ci t· herds mig·ht become immensely numerous; but the wood now in the country, would not be su!Ttcient for a moderate shat·e of population, more than 15 years, and then it would be out of the q uestion to think of using any of it in manu!'. ~: tories, cons{'(ptcntly t heir houses would be built entirely of nntcl ·brick ( like those in New S p:.~in ) ot· of the brick manufactured with fire. llut possibly tin1e may make the dis· covery of coal mines, which would render the countt·y habitable. The source of the La Platte, is situated in the same chuin ot mountains with the Arkansaw, (sec chart) and comes from that g rand reservoir of snows and fountains which gives birth on its north easll! rn side to the Heel river; * of the Missomi, ( its g reat SNtth wr<>- ~ The yellow stone river of I.('wis. I n |