Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by R.J. Taylor, Jr. Foundation.
About Augusta herald. (Augusta [Ga.]) 1799-1822 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 1803)
From the National Intelligencer. The following IMPORTANT TRACT was on Monday communicated to Con gress by the Pretident of the United bftates. AN ACCOUNT OF Louisiana, Being an ablfraft of Documents in the offices of the Departments of (fate and of the Trcafury. The objeft of the following pages is to consoli date the intermation respecting the present state of Louisiana, furnished to the Execu tive by several individuals among the best informed upon that subjefl. OF the province of Louisiana no gen eral map, fufficiently correft to be depen ded upon, has been published, nor has any been yet procured from a private source. It is indeed probable, that sur veys have never yet been made upon so extenlive a scale as to afford the means of laying down the various regions of a country, which infomeofits parts, ap pears to have been but imperfectly ex plored. Boundaries. The precise boundaries of LouiCana, wcftwardly of the Miffiflippi, though very extensive, are at present involved in some obfeurity. Data are equally wanting to assign with precision its northern extent. From the source of the Millillippi, it is bounded eaftwardly bv the middle of the channel of that river to the 3 1 ft degree of latitude: thence, it is afierted upon very itrong grounds, that according to its lim its, when formerly poflefled by France, it llrCtches to the East, as far, at least, as the river Perdigo, which runs into the bay of Mexico, eastward of the river Mobille. It may be confident, with the view of these notes to remark, that Lonifiana, in cluding the Mobille fettiements, was dis covered and peopled by the French, whose inonarchs made several grants of its trade, in particular to Mr. Crofat in 171a, and some years afterwards, with his aequief cence, to the well known company pro jected by Mr. Law. This company was relinquiflied in the year 1731. Byafe crct convention on the 3d November, 1762, the French government ceded so much of the province as lies beyond the MilfilEppi, as well as the island of New ortr»n», and. by the treaty of peace which followed in 1763, the whole territory of France and Spain eastward of the middle of the Miffiflippi to the Iber ville, thence through the middle of that river, and the lakes of Mauripas and Pon chartrain to the Sea, was ceded to Great Britain. Spain having conquered the Floridas from Great Britan during our re volutionary war, they were confirmed to her by the treaty of peace of 1753. By the treaty of St.” lidefonfo, of the ift of OClober, 1800, his Catholic Majesty pro mises and engages on his part to cede back to the French Republic, fix months after the full and entire execution of the conditions and stipulations therein con tained; relative to the Duke of Parma, the colony or province of Louisiana, with the fame extent that it actually has in the hands of Spain, that it had when France polfelled it, and such as it ought to be after the treaties subsequently enter ed into between Spain and other states.” This treaty was confirmed and enforced bv that of Madrid, of the 21st March, 1801. From France it palled to us by the treaty of the 30th of April last, with a reference to the above clause, as deferip tive of the limits ceded. Di visions of the province. The province as held by Spain, inclu ding a part of Weft Florida, is laid off in to the following principal divisions: Mo bilie, from Balife to the city New-Orleans and the country on both Tides of Lake Ponchurtraiu, firft and second German coasts, Catahanofe, Fourche, Venezuela, .Iberville, Galvez Town, Baton-Rouge, J’ointc Coupee, Atacapas, Opeloulas, Oua chita, Avoyelles, Rapide, Natchitoches, Arkansas, and the Illinoife. In the Illinoife there are commandants at Now Madrid, St. Genevieve, New Bourbon, St. Charles and St. Andrews, all übordinate to the commandant general. Baton-Rouge having been made a gov ernment, subsequently tothetreatv of lim its, &e with Spain, the posts of Manchac and Fhompfon's Creek, or Feliciana, were added to it. Chapitoulas has sometimes been regar ded as a separate command, but it is now included w ithin the jtirifdi&ion of the ci ty. The lower part of the river has like wise had occalionally a leparate comman dant. Manv of the present eftablifliments are separated from each other by immense and tracklets deierts, having no communica tion with each other by land, except now and then a solitary instance of its being attempted by hunters, who have to swim rivers, expose themselves to the inclemen cy of the weather, and carry their provi fion9 on their hacks for a time, propor tioned to the length of their journey. This is particularly the case on the weft of the Mifliftippi, where the communica tion is kept up only by water, between the capital and the distant fettiements; three months being required to convey intelli gence from the one to the other by the Mifliftippi. The usual distance accom plished by a boat in alcending, is five leagues per day. The rapidity of the cur rent in the spring season especially, when the waters of all the rivers arc high, facili tates the defeent, so that the fame voyage by water, which requires three or four months to perform from the capital, may be made to it in from twelve to sixteen days. The principal fettiements in Lou isiana are on the Miffiflippi, which begins to be cultivated about twenty leagues from the sea, where the plantations are yet thin, and owned by the poorest people. As cending, you fee them improve on each fide, till you reach the city, which is situ ated on the call bank, on a bend of the river, 35 leagues from the sea. Chapitoulas,first and second German coasts Catahanose—Fourche and Iberville. The best and mod improved are above the city, and comprehended, what is there known by the Paroifle de Chapitoulas, Premier, and Second Cotedes Allemanas, and extended 16 leagues. Above this begins the parish of Cataha nofe, or the firft Acadian settlement, ex tending eight leagues on the river. Ad joining it and still afeer.ding is the second Acadian settlement or parish of the Four che, which extends about fix# leagues. The parish of Iberville then commences, and is bounded on the east fide by the ri ver of the fame name, which though dry a great part of the year, yet, when the Miffiflippi is raised, it communicates with the lakes Maurepas and Ponchartrain, and through them with the sea, and \hus forms what is called the island of New-Orleans. Except on the point just below the Iber ville, the country from New-Orleans is fettled the whole way along the river, and presents a feene of uninterrupted plantations in fight of each other, whose fronts to the Miffillippi are all cleared, and occupy on that river from 5 to 25 acres witha depth of 40; so that a plantation of 5 acres In front contains 200 acres. A few sugar plantations are formed in the parish of Catahanofe, but the remainder is devo ted to cotton and provifians, and the whole is an excellent foil incapable of be ing exhausted. The plantations are but one deep on the island of New-Orleans, and on the opposite fide of the river as far as the mouth of the Iberville, which is 35 leagues above New-Orleans. Bayou de la Fourche — Atacapas. and Opelou sas. About 25 leagues from the last men tioned place on the weft Gdeofthe Missis sippi, the creek or Bayou of the Fourche, called in the old maps La Riviere des Chi tamaches, flows from the Mifliftippi, and communicates with the sea to the weft of the Balile. The entrance oftheMiffif fippi is navigable only at high water, but will then admit of craft of from 60 to 70 tons burthen. On both banks of this creek are fettiements, one plantation deep, for near 15 leagues, and they are divided into two parishes. The settlers are nu merous, though poor, and the culture is umverfally cotton. On all creeks ma king from the Miffiflippi, the foil is the fame as on the banks of the river, and the border is the highest part of it, from whence it defeends gradually to the swamp. In no place on the low lands is there depth more than fuffices for one plantation, before you come to the low grounds incapable of cultivation. This creek affords one of the communications to the two populous and rich fettiements of Atacapas and Opeloufas formed on and near the small rivers Teche and Vermil lion which flow into the bay of Mexico. But the principal and fwtfteft communi cation is by the Bayou or creek of Pla quemines, whose entrance into the Mif fiifippi is seven leagues higher up on the fame fide, and 32 above New-Orleans. These fettiements abound in cattle and horses, have a large quantity of good land in their vicinity, and may be made of great importance. A part of their pro duce is sent by sea to New-Orleans, but the greater part is carried in batteaux by the creeks above mentioned. Baton Rouge and its dependencies. Immediately above the Iberville, and on both Gdes of the Miffiflippi lies the pa rish of Manchac, which extends 4 leagues on the river, and is well cultivated. Above it commences the settlement of Baton Rouge, exteuding about 9 leagues. It is ; remarkable as being the firft place, where the high land is contiguous to the river, and here it forms a bluff from 30 to 40 feet above the greatest rife of ttie river. Here the settlements extend a considera ble way back on the east fide; and this parish has that of Thompson’s creek and Bayou Sara subordinate to it. The mouth of the firft of these creeks is about 49 leagues from New-Orleans, and that of the latter 2or 3 leagues higher up. They run from north-east to and their head waters are north of the 31st de gree of la itude. Their banks have the best foil, and the greatest number of good cotton plantations of any partofLoui fiana, and are allowed to be the garden of it. Pointe Coupee and Fausse Riviere. Above Baton Rouge, at the distance of 50 leagues from New-Orleans, and on the weft fide of the Miffilfippi is Pointe Coupee, a populous and rich settlement, extending 8 leagues along the river. Its produce is cotton. Behind it, on an old bed of the river, now a lake, whole outlets are closed up, is the settlement of Faufle Riviere, which is well cultivated. In the space now deferibed from the sea as high and including the last mentioned settlement, is contained three-fourths of the population, and seven eighths of the riches of Louisiana. From the settlement of Pointe Coupee on the Miftilfippi, to. Cape Girardeau above the mouth ol the Ohio, there is no land on the weft fide, that is not overflowed in the fprtng to the distance of 8 or 10 leagues from the river with from 2 to 12 feet of water, except a finall spot near New-Madrid ; so that in the whole extent there is no pollibility of forming a con siderable settlement contiguous to the river on that fide. The eastern bank has in this refpeft a decided advantage over the wef lem, as there are on it many situations which effefrualiy command the river. Red-rivet and its settlements, On the weft fide of the Miliilfippi, 70 leagues from New-Orleans, is the mouth of the Red-river, on whose banks and vicinity are the settlements of Rapide. Avoyelles and Natchitoches, all of them thriving and populous. The latter is fijuate 75 leagues up the Red-river. On the north fide of the Red-river a few lea gues from its |un£tion with the Miflillippi, it the Black-river, on one of whose bran ches, a considerable way up, is the infant settlement of Ouachita which from the richness of the foil may be made a place of importance. Cotton is the chief produce of these settlements, but they have like wile a considerable Indian trade. The River Rouge, or Red-river, is used to communicate with the frontiers New- Mexico. Concord— Arkansas — St. Charles, and St. Ctfc. There is no other Icttlement on the Mifliffippi, except the small one called Concord, oppofire to the Natchez, till you come to the Arkansas river, whose mouth is 250 leagues above New-Orleans. Here there are but a few families, who are more attached to the Indian trade (by which chiefly they live) than to cultivati on. There is no settlement from this place to New Madrid, which is itfelf in considerable. Ascending the river you come to Cape Girardeau, St Genevieve and St. Louis, where, though the inhabi tants are numerous, they raise little for exportation, and content themselves with trading with the Indians and working a few lead mines. This country is very fertile, especially on the banks of the Miflouri, where there have been formed two settlements, called St. Charles and St. Andrew, mostly by emigrants from Kentucky The peltry procured in the Illinois is the best sent to the Atlantic mar ket ; and the quantity is very considerable. Lead is to be had with ease, and in such quantities as to fupplv all Europe, if the population were luificient to work the numerous mines to be found within two or three feet from the furface in various parts of the country. The settlements about the Illinois were firft made by the Canadians, and their inhabitants ftilj re semble them in their avertion to labor, and love of a wandering life. They con tain but few negroes, compared to the number of the whites; and it may be taken for a general rule, that in proportion to the distance from the capital, the number of blacks diminifli below that of the whites ; the former abounding moil on the rich plantations in its vicinity. General Description of Upper Louisiana. When compared with the Indiana terri tory, the face of the country in Upper Louisiana is rather more broken, though the foil is equally fertile. It is a faft not to be conterted, that the weft fide of the river poflefles fomeadvantages net general ly incident to those regions. It is eleva ted & healthy, & well watered with a varie ty of large rapid streams, calculated for nftjlfs and other w ater works. From Cape Girar deau, above the mouth of the Ohio, to the Miflouri, the land on the east fide of the Mississippi is low and flat, and occaficnally exposed to inundations; thatontheLouifi ana fide, contiguous to the river, is gener ally much higher, and in many places very rocky on the fliore. Some of the heights exhibit a scene truly pifturefque. They rife to a height of at leaf! 300 feet, faced in a perpendicular line andfree stone , carved into various ihapes and figures bu the hand of nature, and afford the appear ance of a multitude of antique towers. From the tops of these elevations, the land gradually slopes back from the river, with out gravel or rock, and is covered with valuable timber. It may be said with truth that, for fertility of foil, no part of the world exceeds the borders of the Mif filfippi; the land yields an abundance of all the neceflaries of life, and almost spon taneously ; very little labor being required in the cultivation of the earth. That part of Upper Louisiana, which borders on North Mexico, is one immenfe/>r<*«;V ; it prouuces nothing but grass; it is filled with bufifaloe, deer, and other kinds of game ; the land is represented as too rich for the growth of sorest trees. It is pretended that Upper Louisiana contains in its bowels many silver and cop per mines, and various specimens of both are exhibited. Several trials have been made to ascertain the faCt ; but the want of (kill jn the artists has hitherto left the fubjeCt undecided. The fait works are also pretty nume rous : some belong to individuals; others to the public. They also yield an abun dant fupplv for the consumption of the country ; and if properly managed, might become an article of more general expor tation. The usual price per hufhel is 150 cents in cajh at the works. This price will be still lower as soon as the manufacture of the fait is aflumed by government, or patronifed by men who have large capitals to employ in the business. One extraor dinary fa£t relative to fait must not be omitted. There exists about 1000 miles up the Miflouri, and not far from that ri ver, a Salt Mountain ! The existence of such a mounrain might well be questioned were it not for the testimony of several refpeCtable and enterprising traders, who have visited it, and who have exhibited several bufiiels of the fait to the curiosity of the people of St. Louis, where some of it still remains. A specimen of the fame fait has been sent to Marietta. This moun tain is said to be 180 miles long, and 45 in width, composed of falid rock-salt, with out any trees, or even shrubs on it. Salt fprings are vere numerous beneath the lurface of this mountain, and they flow through the Allures ad cavities of it. Caves offalt-petre are found in Upper Louisiana though at some distance from the settle ments. Four men on a trading voyage, lately discovered one,feveral hundred miles up the Miflouri. They spent 5 or 6 weeks in the manufacture of this article, and re turned to St. Louis with 400 weight of it. It proved to be good and they fold it for a high price. The geography of the Mississippi and Missouri, and their contiguity for a great length of way, are but little known. The traders assert, that 100 miles above their junction, a man may walk from one to the other in a day ; and it is also asserted, that 700 miles (till higher up the portage may be eroded in four or five days. This portage is frequented by traders, who carry on a considerable trade with some of the Miflouri Indians. Their general route is through Green bay which is an arm of lake Michigan ; they then pass into a small lake connected with it, and which communicates with the Fox river j they then cross over a short portage into the Ouifconfing river, which unites with the Mississippi some distance below the falls of St. Anthony. It is also laid, that the traders commucicate with the Mif liifippi above these falls through lake Su perior ; but their trade in that quarter is much less considerable. [to be continued] LONDON, OClober 2. The magnitude of the preparations which are making in France and Holland, for the invasion and conquest of our coun try, exceeds, we are told, every idea that seems to be entertained of it here. This information, a paper of Saturday favs, has been obtained from a gentleman now in this city, who left Havre de Grace so late ly as the 19’hofSept. aftd deferibes the plan, projected by the Corsican Tyrant for our subjugation, as immense beyond conception. He states, that at Havre onlv, * the number of vefTels intended for the •enterprize, amounted to several hundred ; that each' veflel is one hundred feet long, 2°
