severe labour during every month of the year, they enjoy an unusual degree of health. Notwithstanding the southern latitude, it is an universal remark, that the heat of summer is found less oppressive than in the middle states. The constant prevalence of the seabreeze during the summer from the Gulf of Mexico, together with the elevation of the surface, satisfactorily account for this circumstance; and however extraordinary it may appear, this portion of the country has neither the climate of the Mississippi river, nor that of the Atlantic on the same parallel of latitude." The author of the Western Gazetteer (p. 227) remarks, "that no country can have a more delightful climate than this state. Though some particular places may be considered rather sickly, owing to local causes, yet, generally speaking, it is a healthy country. If bilious complaints are more prevalent than in higher latitudes, still consumptions, pleurisies, rheumatisms, asthmas, and the long catalogue of the diseases of cold climates, are rarely ever witnessed in the Mississippi and Mobile country." The yellow fever appeared at Natches in the autumn of 1817.

Rivers. The course of the river Mississippi, along the western frontier, is 572 miles, and its branches which water this state are the Yazoo, Big Black river, the Bayou Pierre, and Homochitto, which we shall hereafter describe. The Tennessee river forms the north-eastern boundary, to the junction of Bear creek, a distance of about fifty miles. Pascagoula river has its source near the thirty-third degree of latitude, and runs south 250 miles through the central parts of the

state to the Gulf of Mexico, where it forms a broad bay. Its western branches are the Hatcha Leecha, which enters twenty miles from the gulf, and the Chickesaha, fifteen miles north of the old Florida line, which itself has several branches. From the northeast the Pascagoula receives the Cedar, Pine Barren, and Red Bank creeks. It is boatable 150 miles from its mouth; but its outlet, though broad, is so shallow, that it does not admit the entrance of vessels drawing more than four feet water. Pearl river, which separates this state from that of Louisiana, below the thirtyfirst degree of latitude, rises near the thirty-third parallel, and taking a southern course through the territory of the Choctaw Indians, of more than 200 miles, falls into lake Borgne to the east of lake Ponchartrain. It is the largest stream between the Mississippi and Mobile rivers, and is navigable to the distance of 150 miles from its mouth, but its entrance is obstructed by trees and logs, and has only seven feet water. If this obstruction were removed, small schooners might ascend from the sea to some distance above the thirty-first degree of latitude, near which, in dry weather, the stream is fordable. Lake Borgne, into which this river discharges its waters, is an inlet of the gulf formed by the peninsula which shoots out to the north-east. Yazoo river rises from several sources near the northern boundary of this state, and runs in a south-west course to the Mississippi, which it enters nearly at right angles in latitude 32° 28′, 112 miles above Natchez, with an outlet 280 yards wide. In the spring season large boats can ascend fifty miles from its mouth to the junc

tion of its two great branches, which are navigable for small boats to a considerable distance, but the western branch has a fall twenty miles from its mouth. When the waters of the Mississippi are high, those of the Yazoo are so accumulated that they overflow their banks, and run off by different channels. Big Black river rises from several sources above the thirty-third degree of latitude in the country of the Chickasaws, and runs a south-west course to the Mississippi, which it joins a little above the thirty-second degree of latitude, about fifty miles above Natchez. In the rainy season it is navigable about seventy miles; but the back current of the Mississippi sometimes sets up twenty miles and creates inundations. The Bayou Pierre runs into the Mississippi forty miles above Natchez; and above this two other streams, called Cole's creek and Catherine's creek, each forty yards wide. Homochitto river rises near Pearl river, south-east of Natchez, and falls into an old channel of the Mississippi above Loftus's heights in latitude 31° 12'. It is a fine stream about sixty yards wide. Buffalo creek, a few miles below the former, is about forty yards wide. In very dry weather these streams are fordable. Cole's creek is a fine stream with a sandy bottom, which, at the distance of fifteen miles from its entrance, divides into two branches. After heavy rains it runs like a torrent, and its branches cannot be easily crossed. Buf falo creek, which takes a western course of thirty miles from ground watered by some of the branches of the Amite, joins the Mississippi just above Loftus's heights, and is forty yards wide, with a deep channel. Cathe

rine's creek, below Natchez, is forty yards wide, and during high water is boatable several miles from its entrance. Two streams fall into the bay of St Louis to the east of Pearl river, called Wolf river and Nassoube-atcha river. Biloxi river falls into the bay of the same name, to the east of that of St Louis. The Tombigbee branch of the Mobile river, which runs along the eastern side of this state, has its source within a few miles of the Mussel Shoals of the Tennessee river, and runs 450 miles to its junction with the Alabama, or eastern branch. The united streams then take the name of Mobile river, and, after a course of forty-five miles, flow into Mobile bay, which extends thirty miles farther to the Gulf of Mexico, affording an easy navigation for sloops of considerable burden. A number of small streams run into the Tombigbee from the west. Dog creek, four miles above Fort Stoddart; the Chickasaw creek, five miles below; the Bassa Bagrie, near the confluence of the Tombigbee and Alabama; the Opalee river, forty miles above the mouth of the Alabama, the Senelee, Noxabba, Noisy creek, Swan creek, Salabamaby, and Black Warrior. The southern parts of this state, from the Mississippi to the Pearl river, are watered by the head branches of the rivers of Louisiana, the Bayou Sara, Thompson's creek, Amite, Ticfah, Tangipao, Chefuncti, and Bogue Chitto.

Extent of Navigable Waters.-The Mississippi is navigable for 572 miles; Tennessee, upwards of 20, (in this state;) Yazoo and branches, 270; Big Black river, 150; Homochitto, Amite, &c., 170; Pearl and branches, 220; Pascagoula and branches, 250; Bayous

and bays St Louis, Biloxi, Pines, &c., 100; Gulf coast, 120; Tombigbee and Western branches, 600. Total 2472 miles. *

Islands. A chain of islands run along the coast, known by the following names, Dog, Ship, Cat, Marianne, St Joseph, Malheureuse, Buck island, at the mouth of Biloxi bay, Round island, and others at the mouth of the Pascagoula. None of them are of much importance.

Minerals.-Coal is said to be found on the Tombigbee, Tennessee, Black Warrior, and other streams.

Forest Trees.-The most common are ash, bay, cherry, cypress, cotton wood, gum, hickery, mulberry, magnolia, oak, poplar, plum, black walnut, and pine. The trees along the borders of Pearl river are well adapted for masts, yards, and plank for vessels. About half the surface is covered with pine, which is considered as of the best quality, and grows to a large size, from sixty to eighty, and even a hundred feet, without a branch. Logs are procured from seventy to eighty feet in length, for the construction of cabins. The long-leaved pine prevails from the coast to the northern boundary of the Choctaw territory. The rivers are bordered with trees of the most useful kind, white and live oak, pine, cypress, cedar, black walnut, hickery, locust, magnolia, &c. The cypress grows to a large size in the marshes.

Of live oak and red cedar, so

valuable in ship-building, there is a great quantity near The cane, which grows to the

the water courses.

* Western Gazetteer, p. 241.