74
AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
it was but seldom we could bring our Bon.t to Dry land the whole country being under water for Miles back iii the woods and notwith- standing the lands on this River from the Mouth of the Messura to this place are equal to any in the world in point of soil, yet there low situation will render it impossible to settle them uritill some way is found to Bank out the overflowing of the ~1ississippea (that is be- low the Ohio) from the Ohio up the Country is·generally high and its only in places that it overflows its Banks-10 0 Clock pass'd a large sand Barr with near a mile of Driftwood on which we see l\'Ien exam- ining the Drift and Bends of the River for flower lost from the Kentucky Boats 18 of which we were informed had been lost above "\\Talnutt Hills in March and Early in April-25 lviiles below Vval- nutt Hills is a new settlement on the American side of the River of three families-Called the Three Islands the afternoon being stormy with Wind Rain and thunder we put in to Shore about 4 0 Clock. Saturday May 2. :Morning Cloudi with Rain and "\Vind Did not stand Down the River untill 10 0 Clock and about 12 0 Clock come to and passed the Grand Gulf this·is a Dangerous passage for stran- gers the River is Drawn into a narrow pass at a point which·forms a Rock Bluff with two Counter Currents on ea.ch side of the River leaveing a small Channel between the two. about the middle of the River its necessary for Boats to put under good headway to pass this place and to steer the Boat to the Bluff which will bring you in to the Middle Current the Other two Running up the River with great valocity and If your Boat is Drown into the left hand Current there is Danger of being Dashed against the Rocks 3 weeks before I passed the Grand Gulf a Boat from Kentucky with flower was Dashed against the Rocks the Cargo and 3 men lost the River in Other re- spects is not bad about this place 4 0 Clock the winde became so high that we could not keep the River made a landing at a landing place where stood a small Hous on the Bank of the River at this Hous ·We found an old man liveing by himself he informed me be had been a livin[g] 40 years in the Natche Settlement he appeard to live by the Charity of the Boats Sunday Morning 3 0 Clock-the :Moon being up and the :Morning fine we for the first time venturd to stand Down the River by :Moon light and a.bout Day light passed the River Called Byo Peea1· on which is a large settlement from this place to Natche the settlements are forming on the River the Land is Low but not often over flow'd- from the Grand Gulf you pass but few Islands 10 0 Clock was Boarded by a French Boat from Arkansa Loaded with Beever for New Orleans-11 0 Clock passed Coles Creek 21 :Miles above Natche the Bend at Coles Creek is a Bad bend in high water a Boat to go safe aught to keep under the will-ers untill the turn of the Bend
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