above St Louis, which sometimes discharges its waters into the Missouri, is five miles in length.

Rivers.-The Arkansas river takes its rise near the forty-first degree of latitude, in a high ridge of moun-tains, and runs in a south-east direction across the Missouri territory, to the Mississippi, which it joins at a distance of more than 2000 miles from its source, following the windings of the stream. The length, from its mouth to its descent from the mountains, is 1981 miles; and in the spring season, with proper boats, it may be navigated all this distance. In summer it nearly loses its waters for 1500 miles of its course. Some of its tributary streams are navigable more than 100 miles. The Negracka, from the north-west, is 100 yards wide. The Neskalonka, 120. The Grand Saline, or Newsewketonga, which interlocks with the Kansas river. The Strong Saline, seventy-five yards wide. The Verdegris, 100 yards wide. Grand river, 130 yards, extends its branches to those of the Osage river. The Illinois, which joins on the north-east side. Canadian river, a large branch from the south-west. Pottoe, from the same quarter. River Au Milieu, from the north-east. White river, which waters the country between the Arkansas and the St Francis, was little known before it was explored by Captain Many, of the United States' army, who penetrated near its source in the Black Mountains, which separate the waters of the Arkansas from those of the Missouri and Mississippi, about 100 miles west of that of the St Francis, with which it has a direction nearly parallel. Its course, through a fine hilly and well-wooded

country, to the Mississippi, is computed to be about 1200 miles, and it is navigable for boats throughout it whole length, and for barges 800 miles. The channel is deep, and generally free from obstructions; the current gentle; the waters clear and limpid. Its mouth, 350 yards in width, is 397 miles below that of the Ohio, and twenty miles above the Arkansas river. During the season of high water there is a communication between this river and the Arkansas, by means of a bayou or channel, through which boats pass up the Arkansas. The principal branch of White river is Black river, (La Noire,) which enters on the north-east side, about 400 miles from its mouth, and is navigable 500 miles. This branch receives in its course three considerable streams, the Current, Eleven Point, and Spring rivers, the last of which, about fifty miles in length, issues from an immense spring, from which it is navigable to its outlet. The other branches are Eaux Cachées, James river, Rapid, John, and Red river, from 150 to 300 miles in length, and all navigable nearly to their sources. Bradbury mentions, that about 300 miles S.S.W. of St Louis, there is a branch of White river, composed entirely of one spring, so copious, that a boat of thirty or forty tons burthen might sail to the source. This is probably the stream known by the name of Spring river, described by Mr Brackenridge. It is about 200 miles west of Cape Gi rardeau. River St Francis rises from two sources near the Osage river, about sixty miles west of St Ge

* P. 247.

nevieve, and runs a course of 900 miles, (by computa tion,) to the Mississippi, which it enters seventy-five miles above White river. After the union of its two upper branches, it is called Middle river, to the junction of the eastern branch, which has its source near the Big prairie, eight or ten miles north-west of New Madrid. Other branches run nearly in the same direction, and unite at no great distance from its outlet. The St Francis has a communication with lakes situated between it and the Mississippi, and its southern bank being overflowed when the waters are high, the channel is not easily known, except to an experienced boatman. Above the point where it takes a western direction, it is a fine limpid stream, affording a navigation of 600 miles. Maremek river rises from a small lake near the source of the St Francis, and passes, through a broken and cultivated country, to its junction with the Mississippi, about forty miles below the Missouri, and fifteen below St Louis, where its width is nearly sixty yards. In the spring season it is navigable throughout its whole extent, a distance of more than 300 miles; but in summer and autumn it is shallow, and scarcely boatable. * Its principal branch is Big river, which winds through the country where the mines are situated. Negro fork is navigable forty or fifty miles with canoes. Gasconade river, which enters the Missouri about 100 miles from its mouth, is

* In the Western Gazetteer (p. 177) it is stated, that it is navigable 250 miles to its source, in a spring, or large fountain, near the source of White river.

navigable for boats nearly 100 miles; though in its passage, through a hilly country, there are numerous shoals and rapids. Both this and the former rivers are said to have springs of water rising in their beds, which would form considerable rivers. * Osage river, which enters the Missouri 133 miles from its mouth, is navigable about 500 miles, though it also contains numerous shoals. The principal navigable branches are the Nangira, Grand river, the Fork, Cook's, Vermillion river. Red river winds several miles through the Missouri country before it enters the north-west corner of the state of Louisiana, above the limits of which, towards the eastern side, are also several branches of the Washita river, the Corne, Cypress, Saline, and Hachios. The country west of the Sabine river, claimed by the United States, and by the Spaniards as part of the province of Texas, is watered by the Rio Soyac, which flows into the Sabine lake; Rio Trinité, running into Galvestown bay; Rio Brassos, Rio Colorado, and Rio Guadeloupe, which discharge their waters into the Gulf of Mexico; the last at the distance of 170 miles from the Sabine. † For further details on the rivers of this region, we refer to our General Account of the Rivers of the United States, Chapter III.

Extent of Navigable Waters.-The Missouri river is navigable for large boats 3000 miles; the Arkansas, above 1200; the White river, between 400 and 500;

Bradbury, p. 247

Western Gazetteer, p. 184.

the St Francis, 300; the Gasconade, 200; the Osage,

350.*

Minerals.-Lead ore is very abundant in this country; it is said to extend through a surface 600 miles in length, and 200 in breadth, from St Genevieve to the mines of the Sack and Fox Indians, on the Mississippi. Iron ore on the rivers St Francis, Maramek,

*Letter of Dr Sibley, agent at Fort Osage, 30th March 1817.

The chief mine worked at present is known by the name of Burton, (belonging to Mr Austin,) and is situated at the distance of forty miles west of the village of St Genevieve, in the district of the same name, on the Negro fork of the Maramek. The matrix, or gangue, of calcareous stone, lies at the depth of nine or ten feet, and the veins of ore extend generally in a horizontal direction, from four to six feet under ground, and in some places descend to a considerable depth. Mr Lebaume, of St Louis, who is proprietor of a square league of land, dug holes, to the depth of four feet only, in places remote from each other, and found ore in thirty-eight. On the Maramek river the ore is found in layers of two feet in thickness above the stratum of rock. The ore is sold at the pit, at from twenty to twenty-five dollars per 1000 pounds. An able digger will sometimes raise 2000 in a day, with no other instruments than a pick, wooden shovel, and sledge. The ore is melted in a rudely constructed furnace, by the combustion of large logs of wood, on which it is placed in alternate layers, to the amount of 6000 pounds. By this rude process it yields fifty per cent., and the scoria from twenty-five to thirty more. More improved furnaces, similar to those ef Europe, have been lately introduced. The only air-furnace is at the mine Burton, of which the expence is esti mated at between 5000 and 6000 dollars. § The following estimate of the annual produce of the different mines, and of the number of Bradbury, p. 253. § Schultz.