USA > Louisiana > Historical collections of Louisiana : embracing translations of many rare and valuable documents relating to the natural, civil and political history of that state > Part 22
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The southerly of these two rivers is that of the Ousoutiwy, upon which dwell first the Arkansas, a great nation, higher upon the same river the Kansa, Mintou, Erabacha and others.
The river to the north is named Niska, upon which live part of the nation of the Ozages; their great body inhabiting a large river which bears their name, and empties itself into the Yellow River, as will be hereafter mentioned: and upon this river near the mouth is the na- tion Tonginga, who with the Torimas are part of the Arkansas.
Ten leagues higher is a small river named Cappa, and upon it a people of the same name, and another called Quesperies, who fled, to avoid the persecution of the Irocois, from a river which still bears their name, to be mentioned hereafter.
Ten miles higher on the same side of the Meschacebe, is a little river named Matchicebe upon which dwell the nations Mitchigamia and Epiminguia ; over against whom is the great nation of the Chi- cazas (Chickasaws), whose country extends above forty leagues to the river of the Cheraquees (Tennessee), which we shall describe when we come to discourse of the great river Hohio.
Ten leagues higher, on the cast side, is the river and nation of Chongue, with some others to the cast of them.
Fifteen leagues higher, on the west side, is the river and nation of Sypouria.
Thirty leagues higher on the east side is the opening of a river that proceeds out of a lake twenty miles long, which is about ten miles from the Meschacebe. Into this lake empty themselves four large rivers. The most northerly, which comes from the north-east, is called Quabachicou or Quabache, upon which dwelt the nations
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Chachakingua, Pepepicokia, Pianguichia. The next south of this is the vast river Hohio (Ohio), which comes from the back of New York, Maryland, and Virginia, and is navigable 600 miles. Hohio in the Indian language signifies the fair river; and certainly it runs from its heads through the most beautiful fertile countries in the universe, and is formed by the confluence of ten or twelve rivers, and innume- rable rivulets. A town settled upon this lake, or the entrance of the river HIohio thereinto, would have communication with a most lovely fruitful country 600 miles square. Formerly, divers nations dwelt on this river, as the Chawanoes (Shawanees), a mighty and very popu- lous people, who had above fifty towns, and many other nations, who were totally destroyed or driven out of their country by the Irocois, this river being their usual road when they make war upon the na- tions who lie to the south or to the west.
South of the IIohio is another river, which about thirty leagues above the lake is divided into two branches; the northerly is called Quespere, the southerly the Black River; there are very few people upon cither, they having been destroyed or driven away by the afore- mentioned Irocois. The heads of this river proceed from the west side of the vast ridge of mountains, which run on the back of Caro- lina, Virginia, and Maryland; on whose opposite or east side are the sources of the great river Potomack, which by a mouth of some leagues broad, disgorges itself into the middle of the Bay of Chesepcack, and separates the two last-mentioned provinces from each other. The mountains afford a short passage or communication between those two rivers, which the Indians are well acquainted with, and by which, in conjunction with the French of the Meschacebe, they may in time in- sult and harass those colonies.
The most southerly of the above said four rivers, which enter into the lake, is a river some call Kasqui, so named from a nation inhabit- ing a little above its mouth; others call it the Cusates, or the river of the Cheraquees (Tennessee), a mighty nation, among whom it hath its chief fountains; it comes from the south-east, and its heads are among the mountains, which separate this country from Carolina, and is the great road of the traders from thence to the Meschacebe, and intermediate places. Above 200 miles up this river to the south- cast is the great and powerful nation of the Chicazas, good friends to the English, whose dominions extend thence to the Meschacebe. Be- fore you come at them is a small fall or cataract, the only one I have yet beard of in any of the rivers that enter the Meschacebe, either
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from the east or from the west. Thirty or forty leagues above the Chicazas, this river forms four delicate islands, which have each a na- tion inhabiting them, viz., Tahogale, Kaligue, Cochali, and Tali. Sixty leagues above the island and nation of the Tali inhabits the aforementioned nation of the Cheraques (Cherokees), who have at least sixty towns, some of which are not above sixty miles from Caro- lina. They have great friendship with the English of that province, who from thence carry on a free trade with and are always very kindly entertained by them.
Fifteen leagues above the Hohio, or the river coming out of the lake aforementioned, to the west, is the river Honabanou, upon which dwells a nation of the same name, and another called Amicoa ; and ten leagues above that is the great island of the Tamaroas, and over against it, on the east side, a nation which goes by its name, and another by that of Cahokia, who dwell on the banks of the river Chepusso.
Fifteen leagues above which to the west is the Great Yellow (Missouri*) River, so named because it is yellowish, and so muddy that though the Meschacebe is very clear where they meet, and so many great rivers of crystaline water below mix with the Meschacebe, yet it discolors them all even unto the sea. When you are up this river sixty or seventy miles, you meet with two branches. The lesser, though large, proceeds from the south, and most of the rivers that compose it fall from the mountains, which separate this country from New Mexico; notwithstanding which, there is a very easy communi- cation between them. This is called the river of the Ozages, from a numerous people, who have sixteen or eighteen towns seated thereupon, especially near its mixing with the Yellow River. The other, which is the main branch, comes from the north-west, most of whose branches descend likewise from the mountains of New Mexico, and divers other large provinces which are to the north of New Mexico, wholly pos- sessed by Indians, who are said to be very numerous, and well policed. They are all at war with the Spaniards, from whom they have defended their countries above 150 years, and have rather recovered than lost ground. They are likewise at war, as generally the Indians are, amongst themselves. The most northerly branches of this river are interwoven with other branches, which have a contrary course, pro- ceeding to the west, and empty themselves into a vast lake, whose waters by means of another great river (Columbia) disembogues into
" The first explorer of this river and the St. Peter's was La Hontan.
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.
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the South Sea. The Indians affirm they see great ships sailing in tbat lake, twenty times bigger than their canoes. The Yellow is called the river of the Massorites, from a great nation inhabiting in many towns near its junction with the river of the Ozages. There are many other nations upon the same, little inferior to them in ex- tent of territories or number of towns, as the Panimahas, Paneassas, Panas, Panelogas, Matotantes, few of them having less than twenty- towns, scarce any of which count less than 200 cabins.
Forty miles above the Yellow River, on the east side, is the river Chicagou, or the river of the Alinouecks, corruptly by the French called Illinois, which nation lived upon and about this river, having above sixty towns, and formerly consisted of 20,000 fighting men, but are now almost totally destroyed by the Irocois, or driven beyond the Meschacebe westward. This is a large pleasant river; and about 250 miles above its entrance into the Meschacebe, it is divided into two branches ; the lesser comes from north and by cast, and its head is within four or five miles of the great lake of the Alinouecks (Michigan) on its west side; the other comes almost directly from the east, and proceeds from a morass within two miles of the river Miamiha, which empties itself into the same lake. On the south-east side, there is an easy communication between these two rivers, by a land carriage of two leagues, about fifty miles to the south-cast of the forementioned lake. The course of this river from its head exceeds 400 miles, navi- . gable above half way by ships, and most of the rest by sloops and large boats or barges. Many small rivers run into it, and it forms two or three lakes ; but one mightily extolled, called Pimiteouiii (Peoria), which is twenty miles long and three miles broad; it affords great quantities of good fish, and the country round about it abounds with game, both fowls and beasts. Besides the Illinoueck are the nations Perouaria (Peoria), the great nation Cascasquia and Caracantanon ; and on the northern branch inhabit part of the nation of the Mascontens.
On the south-east bank of this river, Monsieur de la Sale erected a fort in the year 1680, which he named Creve-coeur, from the grief which seized him on the loss of one of his chief trading barks richly Jaden, and the mutiny and villainous intrigues of some of his company, who first attempted to poison and afterwards desert him. This fort stands about half way between the bay of Mexico and Canada, and was formerly the usual route of the French in going to or returning from either of those places ; but since, they have discovered a nearer and easier passage by the Quabache and Ohio, the sources of both
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which rivers are at a small distance from the Lake Erie, or some rivers which empty into it.
Forty leagues higher on the west side is a fair river, which our peo- ple were at the mouth of, but could not learn its name. I suppose it's the same the French call Moingona. Some make it to proceed from the Mitchayowa or long river, as may be discerned in the annexed map ; but as all our journals are silent in that matter, so shall I, till some more perfect discoveries thereof afford us further light and cer- tainty therein.
When you are ascended about forty leagues more, then on the east side falls into the Meschacebe the river Misconsing. This is much of the same nature with that of the Alinouecks, whether you consider its breadth, depth and course, as also the pleasantness, and fertility of the country adjacent unto all its branches. After you have rowed or sailed up it sixty miles, joins with it the river of the Kikapouz, which is also navigable, and comes a great way from the north-east. Eighty miles further, almost directly east, there is a ready communication, by a carriage of two leagues, with the river of Miscouaqui, which hath a quite contrary course, running to the north-east, and empties itself, after a passage of 150 miles from the land carriage, into the great bay of the Pouteouotamis, or the Puans, which joins, on the north-west, with the great lake of the Alinouecks. This river and bay I shall have occasion to mention when I come to describe the vast lakes or seas of fresh water which are to the east of the Meschacebe.
Forty leagues higher, on the same side, is the fair large river Mitchaoywa, which is the same the Baron le Hontan calls the long river, and gives a very particular description thereof, having navi- gated it almost to its heads. It has a course of above five hundred miles, and the southern rivers, of which it is composed, are near the northern heads of the river of the Messourites, both taking their original from the mountains which divide this country from that which leads to the South Sea. Several rivers proceed from the other side of the mountains, which are easily passed in less than one day, and fall into the same lake above mentioned, which discharges itself by a great river into the aforesaid sea. As you ascend this river from the Meschacebe, you meet with the nations Bokoros, Essanape, Guasitaries, who have cach many towns, and very populous. And the said Baron acquaints us, from very good information, that beyond these hills are two or three mighty nations, under potent kings, abundantly more civilized, numerous, and warlike than their neigh-
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bors; differing greatly in customs, buildings, and government from all the other natives of this northern continent; that they are clothed, and build houses and ships like Europeans, having many of great bigness, in length 120 or 130 feet, and carry from 200 to 300 men, which navigate the great lake, and it is thought the adjacent parts of the ocean. And Herrera, Gomora, and some other Spanish his- toriographers assert that the Spaniards saw upon that coast such- ships, which they apprehended came from Japan or China.
A little higher up is the river Chabadeda, above which the Mes- chacebe makes a fine lake, twenty miles long and eight or ten broad.
Nine or ten miles above that lake, on the east side, is a large fair river, called the river of Tortoises, after you have entered a little way, which leads far into the country to the north-east, and is naviga- ble by the greatest boats forty miles. About the same distance further up, the Meschacebe is precipitated from the rocks about fifty feet, but is so far navigable by considerable ships, as also beyond, excepting another fall, eighty or ninety miles higher, by large ves- sels, unto its sources, which are in the country of the Sieux, not at a very great distance from Hudson's Bay. There are many other smaller rivers which fall into the Meschacebe, on both sides of it, but being of little note, and the description of them of small conse- quence, I have passed over them in silence.
I now procced to describe that part of this province which is to the east of the Meschacebe ; the rivers which pass through it having no communication therewith. From the Peninsula of Florida, where this country begins, to the south-east, there are only two large rivers : the first, that of Palache, the true Indian name, by the Spaniards called the river of Spirito Santo, or of Apalache, adding an A, after the Arabian manner, from which a great part of their language is derived; as in the provinces of Nileo, Minoia, they pronounce Anilco, Aminoia, and so in divers others. This river enters the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles from the Cod of the Bay of Palache, at the north-west end of the Peninsula of Florida, in thirty degrees of north latitude, and some few minutes. It is somewhat hard to find, by reason of the isles and lagunes before it; and though a stately river, and comes far out of the country, bath not above two fathoms and a half or three fathoms water at most on the bar, as the people sent on discovery found ; but that being passed, it is very deep and large; and the tide flows higher than into any river upon all the coast, some affirm fifty miles, which is no wonder, the country being a perfect level, and the river having a double current ; one from the south, all
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along the peninsula, from twenty-five degrees to thirty. The other from the west. Near it, on both sides towards the sca-coast, dwell divers nations, Palachees, Chattoes, Sulluggoes, Tommakees, &c .; who are generally called by one name of Apalatchy Indians. This river proceeds chiefly from rivers which have their origin on the south or south-west side of the great ridge of hills that divides this country from Carolina, and is supposed to have a course of about 400 miles. Upon or near the middle of it live the great nations of the Cusshetaes, Tallibousies and Adgebaches.
To the west of this is the famous Coza (a branch of the Mobile), or, as curs call it, the Coussa River, and the French Mobile, the big- gest, next unto Meschacebe and Ilohio, of any in this or the neighbor- ing provinces. Its first heads are likewise from the aforesaid Pala- chean Mountains-the most northerly being at Guaxula town and province, near the foot of the mountain. Many rivulets uniting, after a course of eighty miles, form a river bigger than the Thames at Kingston, making several delicous isles, some three or four miles long, and half a mile broad; the country is wonderfully pleasant and fertile. The first considerable town or province is Chiaha, famous for its pearl fishing, there being thereabouts, in the river and little lakes it makes, a sort of shell-fish, the ancients named pinna, between a muscle and oyster; concerning which I have discoursed in the ac- count of the produces or commodities of this country. From thence the river grows larger and deeper, by accession of others from the mountains, and from the West, until it enters the province of Coza, or Coussa, which is reckoned one of the most pleasant and fruitful parts of this country, and very populous. Through this, Ferdinando Soto passed, and resided therein a considerable time; and all the Spanish writers of this famous expedition extol them above any other nation for extent of territory, the pleasantness, healthfulness, fruitfulness thereof, and the good disposition of the inhabitants. The faithful and judicious Portuguese unknown author of that expedition, in a few words thus describes this province :--
" It consists of hills and valleys between. Their granaries were full of Indian corn, and other edibles; so populous that their towns and fields, sowed with corn, touched each other; the country is very agrecable, by reason of many rivulets, which make lovely meadows. "There grow, naturally in the fields, prunes, better than we can in Spain produce by culture, even in our gardens. Vines mount, in almost all places bear the rivers, to the tops of the trees. There are
0
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divers other sorts of vines which are low, and some run upon the ground, and by cultivating might be wonderfully improved, though very good and pleasant as they are in their natural state."
Below these, on the same river, are the Ullibalies, or as some, the Olibahalies, and according to the French the Allibamons. And be- low them the Tallises, who dwell upon a fair river which enters that of Coza from the cast, thence to the once great province of Tasculuza (Tuscaloosa), alnost destroyed by Ferdinando Soto; but the chief city Mauvilla, which the English call Maubela, and the French Mo- bile, is yet in being, though far short of its former grandeur. About one hundred miles from hence, it enters the Gulf of Mexico, being first increased, as by many small rivers and rivulets, so by the fair river of the Chattas, which is made by a collection of several other little streams and rivers, and which at length form a fine river, that would seem considerable, if it were not obscured by the great river in which it is lost. This mighty nation of the Chattas (Choctaws), consisting of near three thousand fighting men, live chiefly about the middle of the river, and is not far from the Chicazas, whom I men- tioned to inhabit thirty or forty towns, in the description of the Cas- qui or Cusates river, and speak the same language. And to the east, between them and the Cozas, are the Becaes or Abecacs, who have thirteen towns, and dwell upon divers small rivers, which run into the Coussa. It is a very pleasant country, like that of the Coza, full of hills and valleys; their ground is generally more marly, or fatter than many other provinces, which are mostly of a lighter mould. And a little more to the south-west, between the Becaes and Chattas, dwell in divers towns, being five hundred fighting men, the Ewemales, upon a fair river of their name, which coming from the east, mixes with the Coussa. This mighty river enters the Gulf of Mexico, about fifteen leagues to the west of the great Bay of Nassau or Spirito Santo, or from the N. E. cape of Mirtle Isle, which is the South Land, between which and the continent to the north is the entrance of that vast inlet. The river runs into a kind of a lagune or bay, which is barred four miles from the mouth of the river, supposed to be occasioned, as the Meschacebe, in long process of time, by the silt or sediment of the water, this being almost as muddy, coming, for the most part, through a rich clay or marl ; so that at the bar, when it is low water (and it flows little there excepting the south wind drive in a great sea), there is not above fourteen or fifteen feet; but the mouth being some miles broad, and our people not having leisure to
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examine nicely, perhaps there may be found deeper places upon other parts of the bar; but so soon as you are over it, there is a most noble harbor, very large, from four to six fathoms deep. Near the mouth of this river the French have lately made a new settlement, called Fort Louis, which is the usual residence of the Chief Governor of Louisi- ana, who is nevertheless subordinate to him of Canada. In this fort are some companies of soldiers, and from thence detachments are sent to secure the several stations they have amongst the Indians in the inland parts.
As the Ullibalys or Allibamons, Chicazas, and Chattas (Choctaws), are the most populous and potent nations upon and between this river and the Meschacebe, the English for several years resided peaceably amongst, carried on a considerable trade with, and were as friends kindly entertained by them, till about the year 1715, by the intrigues and practices of the French, they were either murdered, or obliged to retire, and make room for those new intruders, who have since unjustly possessed and fortified the very same stations, in order to keep the natives in awe and subjection, and to cut off the communication of the English traders with the Indians thereabouts, and as far as and beyond the Meschacebe; whereby they have secured to themselves an exten- sive and profitable trade of above 500 miles, which the subjects of Great Britain were a few years ago the sole masters of.
Besides the French settlement above mentioned on the continent, they have another small town and fort in the isle Dauphine, formerly called Slaughter Island, from a great number of men's bones found there on its first discovery, the remains, as is said, of a bloody battle fought between two nations of Indians. This island lies about nine leagues south of Fort Louis, and fourteen leagues west of Pensacola. It is inhabited and fortified only on account of its harbor, it being the first place the French shipping usually touch at in their voyage from France. The distance between this river and that of Palache or Spirito Santo to the cast is about 190 miles. The coast between them is very deep and bold, contrary to all former maps; for those sent upon discovery sounded several times every day, and found it so, as by the journals will appear.
Between those two great rivers are divers harbors; the chief, and indeed the best, upon all the coast of the Gulf of Mexico is Pensicola, a large harbor, and very safe from all winds; has four fathoms at the entrance, and deepens gradually to seven or eight. To the cast of the harbor enters a fine river, which comes about 100 miles out of the country, and is made of two rivers, which unite some miles above.
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COXE'S (LOUISIANA) CAROLANA. 237
This harbor or bay lies ninety leagues west from the upper part of the peninsula of Florida. On the larboard or west side of the harbor stands a poor town, containing about forty Palmetto houses, with a small stockadoed fort of twelve or fourteen guns, but of little moment; because all their soldiers, and the majority of the inhabitants, are ford'adoes, or forced people, having been malefactors in some parts of Mexico, therefore are confined in that place for a number of years, according to the nature of their crimes. In short, they are not unlike our felons, which are transported from the jails in England to the plan- tations. The French, in the year 1719, took this fort with small loss from the Spaniard, who, in a few months, retook it again. The first of these made themselves masters thereof a second time, but whether they have deserted it, or keep it still in their possession, I know not.
If the French secure this port and harbor, which is not above four- teen leagues east of their chief settlement at Mobile, they may with ease, at all seasons, infest, with large men of war and privateers, the navigation of the English and Spaniards in the Bay of Mexico, by lying in wait for and intercepting their fleets and private ships, trading to and from Panuco, Vera Cruz, Campeche, Porto Bello, Jamaica, and the Havana.
Thirty leagues to the east is Apalatchy-Cola, which is also a good harbor, and west of Apalatchy River thirty leagues.
The Bay of Nassau or Spirito Santo is made by four islands, which run almost due south, a little inclining to the west. The most northerly, between which and the main is the entrance of the bay, being eight leagues long, our people called Mirtle Island, from the great quantity of that tree or shrub which grows there, where digging they found excellent good water very plentifully. This island in some places is very narrow. Whether it be the same the French call Isle aux Vaisseaux, or Ship's Island, I can't tell; but its situation, distance from isle Dauphine, or Slaughter Island, and its commodiousness for sheltering ships from the wind, creates a probability of its being so. The bay is fifteen miles broad, from Mirtle Island to a row of islands which run parallel with the main, and another bay or lagune between them, within which they did not go. These islands stretch south- ward fifty or sixty miles, as far as one of the smaller mouths of the Meschacebe ; and doubtless there must be very good harbors, being defended from the sea and winds by a double row of islands, and having probably good depths. Our people visited only the most northerly, which they mimed Rose leland, a most fragrant smell coming from it three leagues off, which exceeded all perfumes; it is about sixteen
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