Scenery along the Mississippi.--Hopefield.--St. Helena.--Arkansas
Territory.--Spanish Moss.--Vixburgh.
We pursued our course at the rate of ten miles an hour, passing the
Chickasaw Bluffs, Memphis, a small settlement on the Tennessee side, and
a number of smaller and larger islands, from two to six miles in length,
but seldom more than one in breadth. The sediment of the Mississippi is
continually forming new sand banks, at the same time that its
irresistible power carries away old ones. That river was, as I have
already mentioned, very low, and the numerous sand banks on both sides
contracted its channel into a bed scarcely more than half a mile broad.
On these banks numberless flocks of wild ducks, geese, cranes, swans,
and pelicans, stationed themselves in rows, extending sometimes a mile
in length. As soon as the steam boat approaches, dashing through the
water with the noise of thunder, and vomiting forth columns of smoke,
they fly up in masses resembling clouds, and retire to their covers in
the marshes and ponds contiguous to the banks of the Mississippi. They
abound most 150 miles above Natchez, and hundreds of thousands are seen
crossing the river in every direction. The scenery in view is an immense
valley, with banks sixty feet above the water, forests of colossal trees
on both sides, and the vast expanse of waters rolling with a velocity
the more surprising, as the country stretches in a continued plain, with
scarcely any perceptible decline. The rural scenery of the regions
consists of detached cabins raised on huge stumps of trees; instead of
windows there are the natural apertures of the logs joined together; in
front of them woodstacks, for the use of the steam boats; ten or twelve
deer, bear, or fox skins drying in the open air; some turkies and hogs,
scattered over a corn patch, &c. Farms, or plantations, properly so
called, are seldom to be met with here; the chief object of these
settlers being the breed of cattle and poultry, for the use of
steam-boats. The only trace of agriculture is a small tract of cotton
field, which the settlers endeavour to improve.
We stayed an hour and a half in Hopefield, opposite to the Chickasaw
Bluffs, the chief village of Hempstead county, with ten houses. There
are two taverns, such as may be expected in these parts, a store and a
post office. Two hours later we saw the mouth of the Wolf river; the
beautiful President's island, ten miles long, which with its colossal
forests presents an imposing sight, with several small islands in its
train. Among these is the Battle island, taking its name from a battle
fought here between two Kentuckians, who compelled their captain to land
them, and returned after half an hour, the one with his nose bitten off,
the other with his eyes scooped out of their sockets! This night we
arrived in the county town of St. Helena, ninety-five miles above the
mouth of the Arkansas. The place was laid out a few years ago, and bids
fair to become of some importance, from the extreme scarcity of spots
adapted for towns on the banks of the Mississippi. The village is
situated a quarter of a mile from the west bank. The cabin houses are
built upon dwarfish round hills, resembling sugar loaves. Viewed from a
distance they have a handsome appearance, which, however, considerably
diminishes on approaching nearer to them. The spot is quite broken land.
Two hundred yards further up, a ridge eighty feet above the level of the
water, extends about a quarter of a mile, and six other houses are built
upon it, amongst which is a tavern and store, with few articles besides
a barrel of whisky for their Indian guests. A heap of furs, of every
description, indicates that this trade is a very lucrative one. About
thirty miles to the westward are the military lands, granted as a reward
to the soldiers who served in the last war; only a few of them have come
to settle on these grants. The distance from the eastern cities being so
immense, the expenses of the journey, compared with the object they were
about to attain, were so great, that most of them remained in the east.
On the following morning we passed the mouth of the White river, and
thirteen miles lower down the river Arkansas, a beautiful, wide, and
very important stream, next in size to the Ohio, which after a course of
2,500 miles, 900 of which are navigable for steam-boats, empties itself
into the Mississippi at this place. From this river the territory of
Arkansas has taken its name. It was formerly part of Louisiana, then of
Missouri, and has since 1819, been separated from the latter, and now
forms a distinct territory extending from 33° to 36° north latitude, and
from 11° 45' to 23° west longitude. Its area is computed to be above
100,000 square miles. With the exception of a few towns, such as
Arkopolis, Post Arkansas, Little-rock, &c., and some other settlements
of less note, it is not otherwise known than from the reports of the
expeditions sent into the interior at various times. According to their
accounts it differs in some essential points from the eastern states.
The eastern part of this vast territory bears the character of the
Mississippi valley, and abounds in well wooded plains, prairies, and
marshes, in alternate succession, the latter occupying almost
exclusively the tract of land situated between the rivers Arkansas and
St. Francis towards the Ozark mountains. There the country rises; rocks
and mountains become visible, announcing the approach to the Rocky
mountains. Between these and the Ozark mountains are vast plains covered
with salt crusts, imparting to the rivers flowing through the country a
brackish taste. There have also been discovered valleys competing in
point of fertility with the valley of the Mississippi; eminences covered
for a distance of many miles with vines, whose grapes are said to be
equal to the best produce of the Cape. In other places are vast plains,
which owing to their stratum being gravel, produce but a short and dry
grape, without any trees. The territory in the interior contains
important mineral and vegetable treasures. The Volcanos, the Hotsprings,
the Ouachitta lake, and other natural wonders, will soon attract general
attention. From what was related to me by an eye witness who bestowed
all his attention on them, they are undoubtedly of the first importance.
The springs are six in number, and they are situated about ten miles
from the Ouachitta, near a volcano. Their temperature being 150°, the
use which visitors make of them consists in exposing themselves to the
vapour. They are impregnated with carbonic acid, muriate of soda, and a
small quantity of iron and calcareous matter. Hitherto, besides Indians
and hunters, but few persons resorted to them until the last two years,
when several gentlemen went thither for the recovery of their health.
But the present total want of ready money in these deserted parts has
prevented a more rapid improvement. The population amounts to 18,000
souls, 2,000 of whom are slaves. Mental improvement is here sought for
in vain. The American reads his Bible, and if opportunity offers, he
visits once a year a Methodist Missionary. The French care as little for
one as for the other. Colleges, academies, or literary institutions
there are none, but in Post Arkansas, Arkopolis, and Little-rock,
schools are established. Those cannot be expected from a country without
any political importance, and with a population scattered over such an
immense extent. An extract from a newspaper published in Arkopolis,
which I found in St. Helena, may give some idea of the honourables of
these parts: "Mr. White respectfully begs leave to announce himself as
candidate for their Representative, &c.--N.B. Tailoring business done
in the best manner, and at the shortest notice!!"
Arkansas has hitherto been the refuge for poor adventurers, foreigners,
French soldiers, German redemptioners, with a few respectable American
families; men of fortune preferring the state of Mississippi or
Louisiana, where society and the comforts of life can be found with less
difficulty. It is certain, however, that the western part of this
territory is healthier than the western states of Alabama, Georgia, and
Mississippi, and that the Rocky and Ozark chain, running from east to
west, obviates one great evil--the sudden change of temperature, caused
by the want of high mountains to resist the power of the north and south
winds.
A traveller who first visits the valley of the Mississippi, is led to
believe that the waters of this immense river rise above the trees along
its banks, leaving the branches covered with weeds and mud when they
retire to their bed. It is Spanish moss or Tellandsea which presents
that appearance to the traveller. It is firmly rooted in the apertures
of the bark, and hangs down from the trees, not unlike long rough
beards. This plant has a yellow blossom, and a pod containing the seed.
It is found along the coast of the Mississippi, from St. Helena to below
New Orleans, and is universally applied to all those purposes for which
curled hair is used in the north. It is gathered from the trees with
long hooks, afterwards put into water for a few days in order to rot the
outer part, and then dried. The substance obtained by this simple
process is a fine black fibre resembling horse hair. A mattrass stuffed
in this manner may serve for a year, if not wetted; it then becomes
dusty and requires that the moss should be taken out, beaten, and the
mattress filled again, by which means it becomes more elastic than it
was before.
We passed several settlements and islands, the mouth of the Yazoo
rivers, and on the third day we arrived at Vixburgh, or Walnut-hills. We
were now 600 miles from the mouth of the Ohio, and in that whole
distance had not seen either a hill or mountain, with the exception of a
few mole-hills at St. Helena, which rose, perhaps, to the height of
twenty or twenty-five feet above the endless plain. The first objects
which interrupt the sameness of this grand but rather uniform scenery,
are the Walnut-hills, on the east bank of the river, in the state of
Mississippi. They rise singly and perfectly detached. There may be
eight or nine in number, with a small house on the top of each. Close
to the landing-place is the warehouse of Mr. Brown; and farther back,
some merchant's stores, and two taverns. Half a mile from the bank
rises a ridge about four miles long, and 300 feet high. This hill,
notwithstanding its inconvenient situation, will probably be selected
for the site of part of Vixburgh town, which was laid out two years ago,
and is now the seat of justice for Warren county. It has already fifty
houses and three stores. Several steam-boats are regularly employed in
the cotton trade. As there is not a single place on the banks of the
Mississippi, where a town of some extent could be built without being
exposed to the floods, Vixburgh must very soon become a place of great
importance for the upper part of the state of Mississippi. The
surrounding country begins to be rapidly settled; and civilization,
which is almost extinct for more than a 1000 miles up the Mississippi
and the Ohio, here resumes its power, and increases the farther you
descend towards New Orleans.
On the following day we passed Warrington, Palmyra, Davies', Judge
Smith's settlements, the Grand and Petit Golfe, and Gruinsburgh, and
arrived at five o'clock in the evening at Natchez.