USA > Louisiana > Sketches, historical and descriptive, of Louisiana > Part 10
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West Florida, as designated by Great Britain, is situ- ated between the Apalachicola and the Mississippi, and contains about four hundred miles of sea coast. To ac- commodate the different settlements, formed mostly on the opposite extremities of this tract, the Spanish govern- ment divided it into two districts. Pearl river forms the boundary between them. That on the east retains the "name - of Florida ; that on the west, extending to the Mississippi, is called New Feliciana. This district is mostly populated from the United States. It contains a few French, mostly planted at Baton Rouge ; as likewise .some English and Scotch, who came out under the Bri- tish government. The number of souls may be estimated at about twelve thousand. The inhabitants are mostly situa- ted on, or in the neighbourhood of the Mississippi. They formerly cultivated indigo, and pursued the lumber trade ; but these articles are now nearly abandoned, and the plan- ters have turned their attention to the culture of cotton.
The lands in this district are unquestionably the most valuable, in an agricultural point of view, of any in the two Fioridas. They are generally elevated, except near the coast, and yield large crops of cotton. In fine, all the productions common to the Mississippi territory and lower
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Louisiana, except sugar, are cultivated here with success. 'T'he district is watered by the river Amit, which falls in- to the Ibberville, and by Thompson's creek, and Bayou Sara, which join the Mississippi, and are navigable some distance into the country. A variety of creeks and bayous of less note are formed along the coast, which will serve to facilitate the exportation of produce as soon as the lands about them become settled.
The capital of New Feliciana is Baton Rouge, situated on the east bank of the Mississippi, and about fifteen miles above the Ibberville. On ascending from New Or- leans, the first high grounds commence at this place. The general elevation of them is from twenty five to thirty feet above the highest floods; and they alternately recede. from the Mississippi, and approach that river, forming occasional indentations of swamp, till intersected by the thirty first degree. The inhabitants of Baton Rouge are mostly French. They formed a settlement here as early as 1722. The fort is in a ruinous condition. The officer who commands it, has the title of governor, and admini- sters the Spanish laws in the district.
Pearl river annually inundates large tracts of land, particularly near its confluence with the gulf. It heads in the high grounds near the Chickasaw country, and may be made navigable for at least one hundred and fifty miles. . 'The country on the west side of it along the coast, is ge- nerally low, and covered with swamps, or pine barrens, except were it is watered by creeks and bayous. On each side of these are found some oak bottoms, which are dry part of the year, and considered as fertile. A few indi- gent settlers are scattered here and there along the coast. They raise some corn and cattle, and manufacture lime from a species of clam shell, found in such immense banks as to justify the expectation, that this article will not be exhausted for many years to come. They like- wise manufacture considerable quantities of pitch and tar.
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These articles are transported about thirty miles across lake Pontchartraine to New Orleans, and from thence no small part of them find their way to the Havanna and La Vera Cruz. The growth on the more elevated grounds near the lake, is pine; and this kind of wood more or less covers the ridges for some distance into the interior. "
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From Pearl river to the Apalachicola the lands on the coast are similar to those just noticed, except that they are of a more spungy nature, and a greater proportion of them covered with water. 'The high grounds are sandy, and covered with pine. The low, grounds, which embrace. much the largest district of country, are either occasion- ally covered with water, or composed of swamps and marshes, and most of the year impassible by man or beast. These extend along the coast, and up the rivers and other water courses some distance into the interior. : The scattered tracts of high ground, capable of cultiva- tion, are so isolated among the swamps as to be render- ed inaccessible, except by water. 'This immense coast, if we except Mobile and Pensacola, contains not much more than one hundred families. They are mostly plan- ted along the bays of St. Louis and New Baloxi, at the mouth of the Pascagola, and some other water courses. . The whole of that tract to the eastward of Pensacola, may ' be considered as an uninhabited wilderness ..
The tract under consideration is watered by a number of rivers ; such as the Pascagola, the Mobile and its nu- merous branches, the E'scambia, and other streams fal- ling into the bay of Pensacola, the Apalachicola and its several branches, and a variety of smaller streams, which intersect the low country in almost every direction. Some of these rivers head in the back part of Georgia, and others in Tennessee. They are of infinite importance to our settlers above the line of demarcation, and this im- portance daily increases with the increase of population. 'The duties exacted by the Spaniards on our imports and
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exports, are severely felt. They serve to check the pros- perity of the interior country, to irritate the minds of the settlers, and to paralyze the hand of industry.
The free navigation of the Mobile river is of great con- sequence. Some of the branches of this river rise in Tennessee, and one of them interlocks with the waters of the Tennessee river. Indeed, the navigable waters of these two rivers approach within nine miles of each other. The Mobile affords a boat navigation of three hundred and fif- ty miles ; and coasting vessels may ascend above the line of demarcation, to fort Stoddert, about which we have some extensive and wealthy settlements. Just below this line, the river is separated into two or three channels, forming in its progress several large islands, one of which is about thirty miles long, and eight miles broad, yielding large crops of cotton, and calculated for the culture of rice. The city of Mobile, as it is called by way of emi- nence, stands on the western channel, about thirty miles from the gulf, and in thirty degrees forty minutes north latitude. It was founded by the French in 1702; at which time Isle Dauphin, situated near the mouth of the harbor, became the seat of government for Louisiana, where it remained till it was removed to New Orleans in 1722. The city now contains about. seventy or eighty houses only; some of them exhibit the appearance of wealth. The inhabitants are a mixture of French, Scotch, . and Irish. Near the lower end of the city stands a regu- lar fortress of brick, erected, or rather repaired, by the British government ; the area of which is of considera- ble extent, containing a spacious square of barracks for the accommodation of troops. The trade has much decli- ned, and the little that remains is almost wholly engros- sed by an English firm. The city is surrounded by swamps, and intermittents are prevalent during the last of summer, and the beginning of autumn,
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The town of Pensacola, at present the capital of the Floridas, was founded by the Spaniards in 1696, and in- tended by them to frustrate the settlement of the French in Louisiana. It is situated on the gulf of Mexico, at the head of a delightful bay or bason, formed by the Es-, cambia and some other rivers, about sixty miles to the eastward of the city of Mobile, and in thir y degrees twenty five minutes, north latitude. It stands at the foot of gale hills, extending about one mile along the beach of the bay, in the form of a crescent and nearly surrounded by two rivulets of fresh water. In 1772, the town contained about one hundred and eighty habitations ; but since the Spani- . ards conquered it from the English in 1781, it has gra- dually declined. In 1794, the population did not exceed ' four hundred, exclusive of the military, and retainers of the government. Many of the houses and public struc- tures were formerly spacious and elegant ; but some of them already exhibit the appearance of decay. This piace is plentifully supplied with shell and other fish, and the climate about it is deemed healthful. The bar at the en- trance of the harbor has no more than four fathoms of water over it. A fortification placed on Rose's island, ., and another on the main opposite to it, would effectually prevent the entrance of armed vessels into the bay, and of course defend the town from maritime attacks.
The country about l'ensacola is barren, mostly compo- sed of sand hills ; it will not even admit the growth of garden vegetables, except where vegetable mould is col- lected, and mixed with the sand. The same may be said of the lands about the mouth of the Mobile and the Per- dido. The lands, however in the rear of these places, , and at some distance from them, yield all the necessaries, and some of the conveniences and luxuries of life. The country is particularly adapted to the raising of cattle, and vast droves of them are scattered over it.
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St. Augustine is situated on the Atlantic coast in about thirty degrees, or, as some make it, twenty nine degrees forty minutes north latitude, and almost surrounded by water. It is of an oblong figure, intersected by four streets, which cut each other at right angles. It is enclo- sed with a ditch, and strongly fortified. In addition to a formidable bastion, it is defended by a castle, called fort St. John, and all the works are well supplied with ordnance. It has a church and monastery of the order of its name.
This town anciently contained nine hundred houses, and nearly four thousand inhabitants. In 1772, it was reduc- ed to three hundred houses, and one thousand inhabitants : But the apparent stability of the Spanish government since 1783, has been of great advantage to it ; symptoms of its ancient opulence and splendor begin to be manifested. The English, while it was in their possession, erected a government house with materials procured in New York, as likewise spacious barracks for the use of the military, calculated to accommodate five regiments of men.
The site of St. Augustine is extremely pleasant and healthful, and the inhabitants are abundantly" supplied with fresh water. They generally live to a good old age, and are seldom attacked by dangerous diseases. Multitudes of invalids from the islands rendezvous here, and no doubt St. Augustine will soon attract the notice of our gouty va- letudinarians in the north. There is some good land a- bout the town, which is highly cultivated. The swamps and lagoons are too remote from the population to prove injurious. Fish of all kinds are found here in plenty. The harbor is penetrated by two channels, occasioned b: breakers, and the bars of each afford no more than eight feet of water.
At what time the country about St. Augustine was first settled, is not certainly known; but it has experienced many vicissitudes from war, and often changed masters. It was attacked and destroyed by the French protestants
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as early as 1562; who, in their turn, experienced.a simti- lar fate three years afterwards. The French obtained pos- session of it again in 1567, when they annihilated the Spa- nish settlements, and then hastily retired never more to re-, turn. The Spaniards first planted themselves at the mouth of St. Nicholas' creek ; but they soon discovered a more eli- gible position, to which they removed, and founded St. Au- gustine. From some inscriptions remaining on the houses. it appears that they were built in 1571. This town was attacked by the English in 1586, under sir Francis Drake, when the Spaniards fled, leaving fourteen cannon behind them, as also their military chest, containing two thousand pounds in specie. In 1665, it was plundered by captain Davis at the head of the buckaneers. At this period the town was defended by a regular octagonal, fort, with a tower bastion at each angle. It was again attacked in 1702, by the English and Indians under governor Moore of Carolina, who destroyed some farms and small vil- lages; but after a siege of three months he was obliged to make the best of his way over land to the English set- tlements .- In " 1740, general Oglethorpe, with a small fleet, together with the militia of Carolina and Georgia, and a body of Cherokee Indians, attacked and bombard- ed the town and castle; but his exertions to reduce the. place proved ineffectual. Another attempt was made on it during the American revolution; but without success. If this place be well defended, it will be no easy matter to gain possession of it.
. As the Floridas have often changed masters, some va- riety in the population may be expected. The Spaniards were the first to make permanent settlements in them. The peace of 1763, put them in possession of Great Bri- tain. when a number of English, Scotch, and Irish, were incorporated with the ancient inhabitants. They also re- ceived an accession during the A.nerican revolution, when many of those disaffected to our: cause, obtained refuge
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in the Floridas ; and the proximity of our settlements has prompted many of our citizens since that period to become Spanish subjects.
One remarkable fact relative to the population of the Fioridas must not escape notice. While these were in possession of the English, a plan was concerted to entice a colony of Greeks into the country. Sir William Dun- can and doctor Turnbull were at the bottom of this trans- action. The country was represented to the Greeks in the most favorable light; they were promised fertile fields" and lands in abundance, and also transportation and sub- sistence. Hence fifteen, hundred souls were deluded from the islands in Greece and Italy, and landed in East Fio- rida. They were planted at a place called New Smyrna, situated about seventy miles to the southward of St. Au- gustine. But what was their surprise when, instead of cultivated fields, they were ushered into a desolate wil- derness, without the means of support ! What mortified them still more was, that some of them were tantalized with the use of rented lands for ten years, at the expira- tion of which they reverted again to the original proprie- tors, when the poor settlers were once more reduced to poverty and misery. Some of them indeed could not ob- tain land on any terms. Hence they were obliged to la- bor for the planters in the character of slaves, and to ex- perience hunger and nakedness. Overseers were placed over them, and whenever the usual task was not complet-, ed, they were goaded with the lash. Families were not allowed to live separate from each other; but a number of them were crouded together in one mess, and condem- ned to promiscuous repose. The poor wretches were not even allowed to procure fish for themselves, although the sen at their feet was full of them. P. ople were forbidden to furnish them with victuals ; severe punishments were decreed against those who gave, and those who received the charitable boon. Under this treatment many of them
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died, especially the old people. At length in 1769, seiz- ed with despair and sensible of no other alternative than escape or death, they rose on their cruel tyrants, and made themselves masters of some small vessels. But their designs were frustrated by the prompt exertions of the military ; and this revolt closed with the deaths of five of the unhappy ringleaders.
This transaction is so contrary to the reputed humani- ty of the English nation, that it requires some credulity to believe the solemn report of a British officer, who was an eye witness to what we have related.
Various other settlements are formed along the gulf and Atlantic coast, and on their numerous rivers, parti- cularly to the north of the twenty eighth degree. The inhabitants have either fixed themselves contiguous to navi- gation, or resorted to the rich bottoms, which bound some of the water courses.
East Florida has but few large rivers. The St. Mary's and Apalachicola wash the northern and southern extremi- ties of it. : The St John's, which falls into the bay of A- palache, is nearly two hundred miles long, and presents an easy communication with St. Augustine. Indian river stretches along the peninsula in a longitudinal direction, and may prove useful at some future period. Numerous streams of less note penetrate the shores of the coast, af- fording a boat navigation from twenty to thirty miles, and will one day bear to the ocean the opulence of the back country.
In the two Floridas are to be found a variety of soils ; some equal to any in the world ; others indifferent; and immense tracts exist which are of no value. Those the best acquainted with the lands, usually enumerate seven different kinds.
'The first is denominated pine barrens, which extend over almost the whole of the peninsula, and are frequently found in other parts of the country. These lands mostly
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consist of a grey or white sand, or of a red or yellow gravel. They produce vast quantities of yellow and pitch pine, which are suitable for boards, timber, and various other articles. They also produce a variety of shrubs, and a kind of wire grass, which yield sustenance to an immense number of cattle. Intermixed with the pines on the more elevated grounds, are the horse chesnut, and several kinds of oak. In wet seasons, these sandy and gravelly soils are not altogether useless in another point of view; orchards of peach and mulberry flourish remark- ably well on them. ' From three to five feet beneath the surface is a stiff clay. Some of these lands are extremely rocky, especially near the extremity of the peninsula. In West Florida this kind of land affords many symptoms of iron ore.
The second is called hummock land, because it rises in tufts or small mounts among the pines. Most of the up- land in the northern parts, remote from the sea, is of this kind. The soil of it is various ; in some places composed of white sand ; in others of a mixture of clay and black sand ; also a kind of ochre, and a stratum of black mould. Lands of the latter description are very fruitful, particu- larly in cotton, indigo, potatoes, and pulse.
The third is called prairie, because it is destitute of timber; and this is of two kinds. The first is to be found in the pine barrens ; and as it is covered with sand, it is unfit for tillage. The second is found on the high grounds, and are similar to those scattered over many parts of the western country, particularly Louisiana. Some of them are of considerable extent ; their soil is luxuriant, mixed with shells, flint, chalk, and marl. They produce a wild grass, of which cattle and other animals are extremely fond.
'The swamps, as distinguished from marshes, compose the fourth kind. These are divided into river and inland swamps. The latter are the most valuable, because they
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produce large crops of rice, and in some instances the .best cotton, corn, and indigo in the country. The grounds in them are composed of either clay or sand, and gene-, rally of both. The soil is prolific, and produces trees, particularly cypress of the largest kind. In wet seasons they are filled with water. Were they properly drained, ,perhaps hemp might be cultivated on them to advantage. The natural growth of the river swamps consists of seve- ral species of cypress, canes, reeds, withes, vines, bri- ars ; and these are so numerous, and so matted together, as to be impenetrable to man or beast.
'The fifth is composed of marshes; and these are of four kinds : Two of them are occasionally covered with salt water, and two with fresh water. Some of the for- mer are soft, and consist of a very moist clay or mud, and have never been converted to any useful purposes. Others again consist of a marly clay, and in dry seasons are very hard. These afford pasture for graminivorous animals, though the milk and fish of them imbibe a bad taste, and at some seasons cannot be eaten. The fresh water marshes are similar to those already described, ex- cept that they are not impregnated with saline particles. The hard ones, with very little labor, may be rendered fit for culture. The soft ones require much more labor, but they would be the most productive. They produce plenty of wild cats ( zizania aquatica ) of which the Indi- ans frequently make bread.
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The sixth is denominated galls ; and these are of two kinds. The first are called bay galls, and are properly water courses, covered with a spungy earth, and mixed and bound with vegetable fibres. They tremble like a jelly for a considerable distance about the spot impressed ; like quicksands they gradually absorb whatever be placed on them. Cattle, horses, and other animals, are often swal- lowed, and it is frequently dangerous to attempt a passage over them. They produce a stately tree, called the lob-
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lolly bay, and a variety of vines, briars, thorny withes, and on their margins a species of summer cane. When drained they produce rice, and are sometimes used for pasture - grounds. The second are called cypress galls, the soil of which is mostly composed of sand. They produce a kind of swamp cypress, as also plenty of wild grass. All these galls contain a species of very white clay, which is manufactured into utensils of various kinds. They also contain great quantities of nitrous and bitumin- ous earths, fossils, marls, boles, magnetic and other iron ore ; as likewise lead, coal, chalk, freestone, chrystals, and white topazes. Ambergris, and natural pitch, or asphaltos, are found 'among these galls.
The seventh is composed of the more elevated grounds, commonly called uplands, which extend along the heads of some of the water courses, near the line of demarca- tion. They are generally covered with large trees of dif- ferent species, similiar to those in Georgia and the Mis- sissippi territory .. ..
Part of the natural growth of the country has al- ready been noticed. It produces no less than eight kinds of oak, one of which is the live oak; plenty of white and black walnut, hickory, chesnut; three kinds of mulberry ; four kinds of the magnolia; orange and fig trees, peccon, persimmon, and sycamore ; as also a vast variety of plums, and other indigenous fruit, several kinds of which are delicious.
No part of the world can boast of finer esculent plants. Flora and Pomona are liberal in their gifts. The pro- ducts of the torrid and temperate zones are cultivated with success, particularly in the peninsula.
West Florida, as already hinted, exhibits the greatest fertility. Wheat grows here, as also barley, oats, corn, peas, buckwheat, rye, and rice; these flourish best along the water courses. . All the different soils are adapted to some kinds of grass. Apple trees are common ; but the
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peach and pear trees yield the most abundantly. The country produces plenty of indigo, flax and tobacco ; but cotton is now the staple commodity. Oranges and olives are cultivated with success. St. John's river, and some of the lakes, are festooned with orange groves. The an- . nona, lime, and mahoe, are indigenous, as also many me- dicinal plants. Various articles, usually denominated na- val stores, are produced here ; such as hemp, pitch, tar, turpentine, and shipping timber. The lumber trade has flourished in this quarter for nearly a century. Vast
quantities of fish are cured on the coast, suitable for the West India markets ; such as the drum, carp, pampanos, soles, sea trout, the roes of the mullet and black drum. Bees are plentious in the western and southern parts of the United States, the Floridas, and Louisiana, and they usually precede the whites in their progress into the in- terior.
The water, as to taste and quality, is various. Salt, brackish, nitrous, and sulphureous springs, are scattered about the country ; as also salt and fresh lakes, lagoons,. and rivers. Springs of a fresh and pure quality abound in the more elevated parts of the country, and contribute to the convenience and health of the inhabitants.
The climate in the Floridas is more changeable than that in the eastern and middle states, but much less on the extremes. The heavy winds, charged with moisture, from the coast of Labrador and Nova Scotia, which rage with violence in New England, are rendered less trouble- some as they approach the borders of East Florida ; and the thick forests over which they pass in their way to West Florida, in a great measure deprive them of their humidity and cold.
In the peninsula the climate is deemed remarkably pleasant ; it is more temperate on the west than on the east side of it. On the east side the trade winds prevail, and cool the air in summer ; but on the west side the air
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