River risen above the mark which was 12 inches /1804
out of water: set off at 71? 1. and continued our
Voyage with the same obstacles from rapids,
which were very violent at particular points from
the encreased body of water descending from the
higher position; but we obtained at the same
time the advantage of approaching the willows
& even passing thro' them, to avoid the most
difficult passes. During the hour of breakfast the
river rose 1 yi inches perpendicular. The gen-
eral height of the main banks is now from 6 to
12 feet above the level of the water, and the land
is rather of a better quality, the Canes &c shew-
ing a more luxuriant vegetation: the superficial
soil subject to inundation is of brownish appear-
ance greatly mixed with Sand; At noon arrived
at 'cache a Macon' (Masons hiding place) on the
right, stopped here for dinner. Having been
informed of some pit coal reported to be in the
neighbourhood, we determined to explore its
position. Doctor Hunter with the Pilot set out
for this purpose, & at about 1 % mile N.W. of
the Boat found in the bed of a Creek a substance
similar to what we had formerly seen under the
name of coal; some pieces of it were very black,
solid, & of a homogenous appearance greatly
resembling pit Coal, but it was deficient in pon-
derosity, & did not seem to be penetrated by
bituminous matter in a sufficient degree to con-
stitute Coal; We may perhaps therefore be per-
November 1804 \ mitted to consider it as vegitable matter in a November J certain stage of its progress of transmutation into Coal, we were the more confirmed in this opinion by discovering other fragments, which still retained very evidently the fibrous texture of wood, one peice in particular seemed to have been a large chip taken out by the felling ax. Those last pieces were not so far advanced in the transmuting progress as the first mentioned; although black it was not so perfect, being rather a very dark brown black, retaining the exact form & shape of the wood as it had been separated from the log: as this incipient or imperfect Coal was found imbedded among clay & gravel, which appeared to have been washed down by the torrent, no clue could be found to lead to a discovery of the process by which nature effects so extraordinary a change, an ingenious enquirer placed in favorable circumstances, will probably have the good fortune to make this discovery: The time may arrive when the Planter who shall be clearing his Plantation or farm of useless timber, will be enabled from the instructions of the Chemist to place the whole in a situation to be transmuted into an usefull article capable of long preservation. This is no doubt the Carbonated wood described by Kirwan & other Chemists. We found along the banks a species of the white thorn loaded with abundance of ripe fruit, being a small oval berry of a cornelian
, , r , . , - 1 November
berry was also round 1n the same s1tuat1on. 1 ne
white maple has now a beautiful appearance, its leaves before their fall first assume a pale yellow, but this soon fades, and they change into a splendid white and present at some distance the appearance of clusters of elegant flowers. Being cloudy at noon we made no observation for the Latitude.
We suppose the river to have risen at least 30 inches and it now flows with great rapidity, which obliges us to pass sometimes among the willows to avoid its impetuosity: this afternoon we passed some reaches of the river, which were very handsome, being of considerable length, and at least 150 yards wide, and flowing with a full current from bank to bank. We found a considerable number of unknown (to us) plants some of them very handsome, but our very limited knowledge in practical botany, did not enable us to discover what they were, particularly as they were not in flower. Made this day 13 miles 39 perches. Therm! at 8!1 p.m. 66° Extremes
S4°-710
Therm! 68°—river water 60? fallen 4 inches Wednesday 28th in the night — Cloudy — calm. Set off at yh 5' and continued our voyage, meeting the same species of obstacles as yesterday—the river appears to increase in width being sometimes 170
yards
1804 1 yards broad, flowing at this time with a full tide November J from snore to shore. The Current is in some places extremely rapid, that is where the depth of the Channel is diminished and the bed contracted, in such situations we are under the necessity of catching hold of the willows &c, & hauling up along shore, oars and poles being insufficient to stem the violence of the torrent; in other situations for miles together the current is inconsiderable, in fact it is nothing under the shelter of the points, this advantage is the result of the enlargement and encreased depth of the river. Being cloudy we had no observation for the Latitude. Some of our people who walked out with their guns at the hour of dinner discovered some buffalo tracts we are therfore in hopes soon of getting some fresh beef. We past some beautifull Pine Forests. The Lands in many places appeared of a pretty good quality producing trees and a variety of vegetable subjects indicating a good soil. Encamped in the evening after making by our reckoning 12 miles 255 perches. Here we found an old dutch Hunter with his party consisting in all of 5 persons. This man has resided 40 years on the Washita and before that period has been up the arcansa river, the white river and the river Sl. Francis; the two last he informed us are small rivers of difficult navigation similar to that we are now upon, but the Arcansa river is a river of great magnitude, a large and broad
channel, channel, and when the river is low with long ("1804 and great sand beaches like to the missisippi. So I November far as he has been up, the navigation is safe and commodious, without any impediment from rapids or shoals, upon all those rivers, the soil is of the first rate quality, the countries are of easy access, being lofty open forests, unembarrassed by canes & other under growth: the lands on the Arcansa are generally level and not subject to inundation, with here and there gently rising hills. The river is not embarrassed with rocks so far as this informant has ascended, but its bed is composed of mud and sand: the water of the river is extremely bad to drink, being of a disagreeable red colour and very brackish when low, a multitude of creeks which flow into the river furnish sweet water, which the voyager is obliged to carry in vessels on board to supply his immediate wants, hence this inconvenience is not of much moment. This man confirms the frequent reports given of silver being abundant up this river; he has not been so high as to see it himself, but says he has received a silver pin from a hunter who assured him that he himself collected the virgin silver from the rock, out of which he made the Epinglete by hammering it out; The tribe of Ozages live higher up than this position, but the hunters rarely go so high, being aflraid of those savages who are at war with the world and destroy all strangers they can
1804 \ meet with. It is reported that the arcansa nation November/ with a part Qf tne Chactaws, Chicasaws, Shawnese &cc. have formed a league and are actually gone or going 800 strong against those depredators, with a view to destroy or drive them entirely off and possess themselves of their fine prairies which are most abundant hunting grounds, being plentifully stocked in Buffalo, Elk, Deer, Bear and every other beast of the chase, common to those Latitudes in America. Our old Dutch Hunter informs us of a saline or salt sparing from which he has frequently supplied himself with salt by evaporation, we shall visit it in the morning, being only half a league distant. Made 1 2 miles 255 perches. Therm'at 8. p.m. 73? Extremes 68°-78°
Thursday 29 Therm! 72? river water 6 2°— Cloudy—wind South, blew strong all night—This morning Doctor Hunter went with a party and the old dutch hunter to visit the saline, which was found in the bottom of the bed of a dry gully near a Creek; after digging a few feet found the water which proved very brackish to the taste; the saline lies about i% mile northerly from our encampment, a creek falls into the river a little above our encampment, being the same which communicates with the saline, a quantity of the water was brought into camp whose specific gravity was carefully ascertained by comparison with
the the river water and found to be as 1 .02116 + to 1. f 1804 Evaporated 10 quarts of the water which pro- \N°vembei duced a saline mass weighing when dry 8 ounces. It began to rain about oh a.m. which obliged us to remain in camp untill after dinner, when it cleared up, and we set out at 1l1 27' p.m., the water of the river has now become whitish and less transparent in consequence of the rain and appears to be rising again altho' it seemed to have stopped since last night: the water was tolr lerably favorable in the afternoon having met with only one rapid of difficulty and considerable length : since we have had so much difficulty to encounter from the shoals and violence of the current, the Soldiers have exerted themselves with a considerable degree of vigor and perseverence and seem desireous that we should accomplish the end of our voyage. Therm! at 8h p.m. 520 Extremes ^2°-y6° Made this day 8 miles 2 perches. The weather clears up and begins to grow cold, we expect a north-wester in the morning.
Therm! in air 38? in river water 6o°—river Friday 30* risen 19 inches — clear calm. Set off & continued our voyage against a strong current during the greatest part of the day, altho' frequently we found favorable eddies or little or no Current where the bed of the river became enlarged, which sometimes extended to 150 and even 170
yards
] yards in breadth. Saw great flocks of Turkeys J to day, two of which were killed. At io}4 h a.m. arrived at the large branch on the left called 'Fourche des Cadaux' (Cadadoquis fork) about
I oo yards wide at its entrance into the Washita; immediately beyond which on the same side the land is considerable elevated (ab! 300 feet.) The wind from North and N.W. opposed us most of the day, so that our progress was not very rapid. At noon landed & observed the Sun's altitude in a difficult place, in some measure thro' the branches of trees, the Latitude deduced was 340
II 37". As we advance to the north we perceive more of the effects of winter; the trees are now nearly stripped of their foliage, which a week below seemed to be nearly entire, altho' changed in color: Being informed of a saline or salt-lick, we landed before 3h p.m. and the Doctor with a party went to view it, therm! at 3^ 57° The Doctor returned in the evening with a quantity of water from the saline, which from taste appeared to be less impregnated than the former, and on trial its specific gravity was found to be when compared with the river water, which at that time was principally rain water, 1.017647. This salt pit was found in a low flat place subject to be overflowed from the river, it was wet and muddy, the earth on the surface yellowish, but on digging into the stratum which yielded the salt water, it was found to be a bluish clay; probably ably the water was fresher in consequence of J1804 the rain of the day before, which had not fallen [November when the first water was collected. Ten quarts of this last water produced by evaporation six ounces of a saline mass, which from taste was principally marine salt, it was however evident that it contained besides marine salt, some soda and a bitter salt, which last no doubt was muriated magnesia, but the marine salt greatly predominated. Made 7 miles 28 perches.
Therm' in air 320 in river water 54? Clear— /Saturday calm — river fallen 18 inches. The morning was [December 1" cold & damp; we passed a considerable Island on the right about 54 of a mile in length, called 'Isle du bayou des roches' (rocky creek Island) — we were greatly impeded this day by rapids, it was with much difficulty, some hazard, & great exertion of the men, that we ascended some of the rapids: we passed several points of high land full of rocks and stones, much harder and more solid than we have yet seen; the rocks were all silicious, and we began to observe, that their fissures were penetrated by sparry matter: indications of iron were frequent, & even fragments of poor ore, but no rich ores of that or any other mettal have presented themselves to view. Some of the hills appear to be well adapted to the cultivation of the vine, the soil being a sandy loam with a considerable proportion of gravel & stone
and
1804 1 and a superficial covering of good vegetable black December J earth: the natural productions were sufficiently luxuriant, consisting of several varieties of oak, Pine, Dogwood, Holly &c with a scattering underwood of Whortleberry, Hawthorn, Chinabriar and a variety of small vines. It is probable that a skilful Vigneron, who shall undertake the establishment of a Vineyard in a well-chosen position in this neighbourhood, will find his labors amply compensated; the market of New Orleans is at hand, where his wines (if good) may be immediately sold and paid for at a high price. At noon we were detained upon a very bad rapid
6 shoal, by which we lost the opportunity of making a meridian observation: In the evening also we landed a little earlier than usual at the foot of a long and difficult rapid, which we did not think it prudent to encounter so late, from the danger of getting fast upon it all night: we are now encamped upon the declivity of one of those hills about 150 feet high, commanding a fine prospect both up and down the river, & will at a future day become a rich Vineyard. Therm! at 811 p.m. 35? Extremes 32°-58? Made this day
7 miles 148 perches.
Sunday 2* Therm' in air 300 in river water 50? Clear — calm—river fallen 4 inches. Continued our voyage and passed over a series of strong rapids, which opposed us untill the hour of breakfast. The
Country Country appears now to wear a new aspect; high J1804 lands and rocks frequently approach the river; lDecei the rocks are extremely hard, and altho' the grain resembles that of free-stone, yet the stone is hard enough to be used for the purpose of hand-mill stones, to which object it has been applied; the river beaches also exhibit a great variety of fragments of flint and other stone of the most solid kinds; the quality of the land seems to improve, the superficial stratum of Vegetable earth being of considerable thickness (from 6 to 12 inches) and of a dark brown color mixed with loam and some sand; at 2*^ h p.m. passed a rock on the margin of the river consisting of blue slate, which we shall probably find time to examine on our way down; more of the same is to be seen higher up. About a league from the river a little above the slate quarry is a considerable plane called 'prairie de Champignole,' often frequented by Buffalo; some salt licks are to be found near it, and in many situations on both sides of this river at small distances from it, we are informed that Salines or salt-licks exist which may be rendered very productive; when this river comes to be settled, so necessary an article as marine salt will therefore be in sufficient abundance for the consumption of a full population. We are greatly impeded today by rapids and were unable to get ourselves landed in a situation favorable enough to make an observation
1804 1 servation for the Latitude before it was too late.
December j ^Ve encamped just below some rapids which we are to encounter in the morning, upon excellent level and rich land, being almost entirely an Oak forest; it is not improbable that this land is sometimes subject to inundation, having the appearance of alluvial Land which has acquired permanency & stability, it is now at least 20 feet above the level of the river water. Therm! at 8h p.m. 38° Extremes 30°—59!
Monday 3"! Therm! in air 38°— in river water 48°—clear — calm — river fallen 8 inches. Continued our voyage with favorable water until breakfast, after which we encountered a great many very bad rapids during the remainder of the day; some were so difficult, that it was impossible to ascend without sending the greatest part of our people ashore with a good rope, & sometimes they were obliged to walk in the water; the exertions of the Soldiers on some very difficult and trying occasions were equal to every thing which could be expected, and exceeded greatly my expectations: at noon we had a good observation about 4 miles below the 'Chutes' (falls) Latitude deduced 340 21' 25".5 we were now anxious to see the famous Chutes, which it was supposed at the Post, we should never be able to pass with so large a boat. The land on either hand continues to improve in quality; there appears to be in
general