Part 21

The river Tippecanoe is a branch of the Wabash. It is well known that in 1811 a bloody battle was fought on the former, between the Americans and Indians.[170] The history of this engagement is very interesting. It is worth one’s while to recur to it. Our troops, headed by the intrepid Harrison, penetrated through a dreary wilderness for the purpose of destroying the Town of the Prophet, who, together with Tecumseh, a brother of his, had been endeavouring to excite, in several tribes of Indians, hostile feelings towards the United States. The troops of Harrison were, during their march, surrounded and menaced by many hostile tribes. After arriving at their place of destination, they encamped for the night. Just before daylight the {181} next morning, a furious and determined onset was made by the Indians, and a bloody contest ensued. Before our troops could form, there were engagements, man to man, in the tents. The tawny Indian and the hale soldier grappled for mastery. The march of the Americans had been very laborious and fatiguing; and both by day and by night the strictest watch, and the utmost readiness for action had been maintained. But flesh and blood must have repose. The soldier slept upon his arms. He saw the approach of the savage, but awaking, found it was a dream. He slept, and dreamed again;—he awoke no more:—some of our troops were found dead, and even scalped in their tents. This was a night full of horror. It was dark and rainy, and the air was rended by savage yells.

The vigilant Harrison was up, and giving orders, just as the attack commenced. Our officers and men quickly stepped to their posts. In their way they met the savage foe, and contended with him in darkness. The General ordered all his fires to be immediately extinguished; his troops were soon formed, and the contest was, for some time, maintained with unabated fury. The result is well known.

Those of our countrymen, who fell in this engagement, deserve our grateful remembrance; and those who survived it should be rewarded.

After the battle the wounded suffered exceedingly. Carried in waggons over so rough a way, their ligatures were loosened, and death daily lightened the load. In this contest the renowned 4th regiment breasted, with an immoveable aspect, the fury of the savages; and thereby saved from destruction the rest of the troops. Many of the militia, thus supported, behaved well; but some of them fled, like whipp’d curs, under the baggage waggons.

{182} Colonel Davies,[171] who fell upon this sanguinary field, possessed a high military genius. His enthusiasm was lofty; and had he survived this bloody conflict, the last war would, probably, have felt his giant energies. Other great souls fell on this trying night; but my humble records cannot do them justice.

Near the head waters of the Wabash some of the Kickapoos are settled; and here too the Shawanese have some of their hunting grounds.[172] This last idea suggests the subject of Zoology. There is no topic in nature more interesting than this. The great variety of species which this genius presents, and the dispositions peculiar to each, render this subject an inexhaustible source of instruction and entertainment. From the animal world, man may derive important lessons in relation to industry, economy and perseverance. Indeed, here are displayed all the passions and affections incident to human nature;—all that is exalted, and all that is mean:—the generous courage of the lion, the selfish cunning of the fox, the ferocity of the bull dog, and the fawning of the spaniel. Here is a fund of simile illustrative of dispositions, manners, and morals, which are exceedingly forcible.

The relations of this subject are too numerous for incidental remark. Unless the whole of it is embraced, one hardly knows where to begin, or where to leave off. That part of natural philosophy, which relates to the animal and vegetable worlds, have an intimate connexion with moral nature. The whole creation presents to the human mind the most engaging subjects of contemplation;—subjects which speak to his heart, and eloquently persuade him to love and adore his Heavenly Father. The Scriptures derive from this source moral and religious illustrations, which are truly impressive: In the 80th {183} Psalm the Deity speaks of his chosen people under the similitude of a vine brought out of Egypt; and on account of transgression, “the boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.” David, in representing the happiness, security, and comfort of a christian spirit, exclaims, “the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself;—even thine altars, O Lord of hosts!” And in speaking of the universal care of Providence, he says, “He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.” Jeremiah too, in censuring the Jews for their insensibility and impenitence, declares, “yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of _their_ coming: but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.” Lastly, how _supremely_ interesting, in view of the innocence of the lamb, is the exclamation, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world!” The Author of the Scriptures is, indeed, the great God of nature; and in his Word, he has employed that wonderful pencil, with which he has garnished the heavens.

The opossum of Indiana is said to possess peculiar qualities. This animal has ever excited the attention of naturalists, by its extraordinary means of cherishing and securing its young. Under the belly of the opossum is a bag, composed of a thick skin completely lined with soft fur, and this skin fully covers the animal’s teats. Into this bag the young of the opossum lie; and, in a time of danger, the parent closes this bag, the young hang upon her teats, and in this situation she endeavours to escape from her pursuers.

It is well known that the opossum, at its birth, is remarkably small; but the account which I received {184} from an intelligent farmer of Indiana, in relation to this particular, is almost incredible. This account, however, seems to be supported, analogically, by the testimony of naturalists. The young of the marmose, a species of opossum, is, when first born, not larger than a bean. This animal has two longitudinal folds of skin, near the thighs, in which her young are comfortably kept until they acquire strength enough to take care of themselves.

The Indiana planter says, that the young of the real opossum has been found, in the bag described, not larger than a grain of barley. We may here inquire, in what way the opossum is propagated? The above account of the young of the opossum is not absolutely incredible. Nature’s modes of production are astonishingly various. Aristotle says, that she abhors a vacuum; and certain it is, that she dislikes similarity. Some of her animated existences she produces through the instrumentality of one sex, some of two, some of three, and some without any sex. The snail is an hermaphrodite; and some shell-animals in the East-Indies require, in order to their production, the union of three individuals. The polypus is very prolific, and yet is destitute of sexual distinction. Upon its body appear protuberances, similar to buds upon trees, and these are the real animal in miniature. Whilst in this state, they are nourished, apparently, as buds are nourished by sap, and when they are capable of taking care of themselves, they fall off like ripe fruit.

Two other peculiarities of the opossum are its dread of water, and indifference to fire. It is said that this animal, upon being slightly stricken, pretends to be dead; and continues to appear so even when its paws are burning off; but when put into water it immediately becomes alarmed, and struggles to save itself. Naturalists say, that this animal subsists, principally, upon birds.

{185} Leaving the state of Indiana, I passed into the Illinois Territory. This territory is generally level, but I think it more diversified than Indiana. The Illinois Territory is of immense extent. It is bounded on the east, by Lake Michigan and Indiana; on the south, by the Ohio river; on the south-west and west, by the Mississippi; on the north by Lake Superior; on the north-west by the Lake of the Woods; and west-south-west, by the most northern source of the Mississippi. It constitutes the whole of the North-West Territory, excepting Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, and contains about 200,000 square miles, exclusive of the waters of Lake Superior and Michigan.

The meadows on the river Illinois are very extensive. The aspect of the river is expansive and gentle; and at its confluence with the Mississippi, it is about four hundred yards wide. The other principal rivers in this territory, are the Ouisconsin, and Fox rivers. The former runs very near Fox river, which enters Lake Winnebago. This Lake is the nearest average point of communication between the waters of the St. Lawrence, and the Gulf of Mexico. On the Illinois river, there is pit coal, salt springs, and in other parts of the territory, lead and copper mines. Between the rivers Kaskaskias, and Illinois, there is an extensive tract of rich land, which terminates in a high ridge. In this fertile vale are a number of small French villages.[173]

There is a communication, between the Illinois river and Lake Michigan, by the way of Chicago river, and two small portages.[174] The Illinois strikes the Mississippi about twenty miles above the Missouri, and its principal branch runs in the direction of Detroit.[175]

The principal towns in the Illinois Territory are Kaskaskia, Cohokia, and Goshen.[176] Shawne town {186} lies on the Ohio, and is an inconsiderable place.[177] Here are several taverns, a bake-house, and a few huts. Some of the settlements in Illinois are ancient, and very considerable.

Formerly there were about twenty tribes of Indians inhabiting the Illinois Territory; and a large proportion of the lands here still belong to them. The Winnebagoes still reside on Fox river; the Saukies on the upper part of the Ouisconsin; and the Ottiganmies near its mouth.[178]

Fort Massac is situated in Illinois, near the mouth of the Ohio.[179] Its site is elevated; but the adjacent country is frequently overflown.

The Illinois Territory possesses a fine climate, a variety of rich soils, and many peculiarities, which are calculated to render her, at some future period, a very distinguished state.

About ten miles beyond Cumberland river, on the Ohio, is the river Tennessee. This river finds its most remote sources in Virginia, passes through the state of Tennessee from east to west, and in its course enters the State of Mississippi. This is the largest source of the Ohio. It pursues its course about one thousand miles before it enters the Ohio, and at its junction with it, its width is about six hundred yards. It is navigable, for the largest vessels, to the Muscle Shoals, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles. These shoals are about twenty miles in length; but the navigation here may be easily improved.[180]

At no far distant period, a considerable part of the produce of the Ohio, and its tributaries, will, probably, find a market in West-Florida, instead of New-Orleans. This will be more particularly the case, should Pensacola become the property of the United States; and of this event there can be no doubt. It will soon become ours by purchase, or by {187} conquest. For an honest purpose Spain, or her secret ally, will not wish to own it; she will, therefore, forfeit it by transgression, or when it shall become useless to her in this respect, she will sell it. There can be no doubt, that, ere long, East-Florida, and that part of West-Florida which belongs to Spain, will become ours.[181]

Pensacola, Mobile, and other places on the coast of West-Florida will soon become places of immense trade. The great cause of the business and wealth of New-Orleans, is the union, which there takes place, between a vast inland and foreign commerce. Such a union at Pensacola, or Mobile would be much more advantageous. The planters on the Ohio and its waters, could carry their produce to these markets at much less expense; and the shipper could here freight vessels for its exportation at a lower rate.

Boats on the Ohio, instead of passing into the Mississippi, may ascend the Tennessee as far as the Muscle Shoals, or within fifty miles of them, and then entering the Tombecbee by a canal, which may easily be made, pass down to Mobile. The current of the Tennessee to the Muscle Shoals is gentle, and boats may be pushed up the stream without much expense. Coosee river, a branch of the Alabama, also approaches very near to the Tennessee; and from the Alabama to the river Perdido, near Pensacola, the distance is very small.

If these ideas are correct, the trade of New-Orleans, both foreign and domestic, will not increase so rapidly as might otherwise be expected. It is well known, that the expense attending the navigation of vessels up the Mississippi to New-Orleans, and in passing from thence to the mouth of the river, is frequently great. Vessels are sometimes from thirty to sixty days in ascending this river to the city; and in descending it the detention, both on the {188} river and at the pilot-ground, near its entrance into the Gulf of Mexico, is often considerable. Besides, the danger attending this navigation is far from being small.

Should the produce of that part of the Western Country, which lies on the Ohio, pass into the Tombecbee and Alabama rivers, Mobile will rapidly increase; and should the United States acquire a right to Pensacola, it will probably become, in time, one of the greatest commercial places in the world. No maritime city will, in this event, possess a back country so extensive, rich, and populous; and none more completely combine the energies of inland, and foreign commerce. The harbour of Pensacola is one of the best in the world.

Before I leave the Ohio, it may be well for me to introduce a general idea of the courses of this river. Its minor sinuosities are too numerous to mention. From Pittsburg, this river proceeds in a north-west course about thirty miles;—west-south-west, five hundred miles;—south-west, one hundred and seventy miles;—west, two hundred and eighty miles;—south-west, one hundred and eighty miles;—and the residue of the distance, west-south-west.

The Ohio is a wonderful river. Its utility, and beauty are highly conspicuous. Its banks, where not cultivated, are covered with a thick growth of trees, and bushes, which, bending over the water, yield a prospect at once serene and rich. Some of the banks, especially on the upper parts of the river, are covered with lofty forests of sycamores.

The fish in this river are of various kinds; among which is the catfish, weighing from five to one hundred pounds. The fish in the western waters are generally very fat.

Whilst on the Ohio, and near the mouth of the Cumberland, I witnessed a deer hunt, if it may so {189} be called, which excited no little sensibility. Several keels were passing silently down the current. It was noon day, and the river was full, expansive, and calm. The men on board of the boats espied, a mile ahead, several deer swimming across the river. One of the deer had proceeded nearly half way across, when the skiffs belonging to two of the keels were manned, and went in pursuit of him. Each skiff contained two oars-men, and one in the bows with a boat hook. The rival skiffs ploughed through the silver stream. The deer retreated towards the wood; but one of the boats outsped him. He was now between two enemies. The scene was interesting: I almost prayed for his rescue. For twenty minutes the fate of this guileless animal was doubtful. The calm which prevailed seemed to listen to the dashing oar, the successless blow, and the almost breathless efforts of the poor deer. At length all was silent; the boats were on their return;—no deer was seen in the river. The tired, yet sprightly oar, told the tale of death; and nature, for a moment, seemed to darken on the scene.

The deer was a buck, two years old, remarkably large, and elegantly proportioned. When I beheld this bleeding victim, and heard the boatmen’s song of triumph, my heart involuntarily exclaimed, if men must butcher, for Heaven’s sake, let them not do it in mirth!

Viewing the Mississippi from the banks of the Ohio, its appearance is narrow, and confined; but it is, generally, much wider, and in many places expansive and elegant.

All the sources of the Mississippi, above the Ohio, are not yet known. The Missouri, however, is, no doubt, its largest tributary, and perhaps its main branch. The principal source of the Mississippi above the Missouri appears to proceed from Bear lake.

{190} The river Missouri is several thousand miles in length, and runs in a direction north of west. This part of the country has been explored by order of the American Government; but so vast is it, that many years must elapse, and much population be introduced into it, before information, to be fully depended upon, can be obtained respecting it. We have, by the efforts of Lewis and Clark,[182] and other hardy spirits, obtained some general ideas respecting the vast tract of country, between the mouth of the Missouri and the Pacific Ocean, which will assist us in making more particular discoveries; but at present, caution should be exercised in relation to every record which is made upon this subject. The American people are considerably interested in it, and, of course, will be disposed to believe every assertion in favour of the country. Our government, it appears, are preparing for several expeditions into the interior of the Louisiana purchase. It certainly is well to be engaged, during the present season of tranquillity, in ascertaining our boundaries; in order that our resources may be known, and that, having the whole state of the nation before us, we may know what policy to pursue towards its respective parts, how to guard against evils which may be apprehended, and to promote interests which may present themselves to our view.

The principal town in the Missouri Territory is St. Louis. This town is very pleasantly situated, about fifteen miles below the river Missouri, and contains two or three hundred houses. St. Genevieve is situated about seventy miles below St. Louis.[183] Near this place are inexhaustible lead mines. St. Louis is rapidly increasing, and is the centre of the fur trade, west of the Mississippi. It is probable that the country west of the river Missouri is elevated and broken, and contains a great variety of ores. It is probably too, a very rich fur country.

{191} How far the Louisiana purchase will ultimately prove beneficial to our country, time alone can determine. It was certainly of consequence to us to possess the right of deposit at New-Orleans; and this, it is presumed, might have been acquired without a purchase of the soil. We were rich enough in territory, and in every other physical means of rendering ourselves a great and a happy people. I am aware, however, that wealth is beneficial, if it does not corrupt. In the hands of the virtuous, it is a means of doing good.

I am also sensible that there was a powerful motive for the purchase of the soil, in relation to a change of government in the city of New-Orleans. To this place the people of the west would, as a matter of course, resort for a market. In relation to this particular, lies the principal motive, and the principal objection with respect to the purchase; and whether it shall prove beneficial or otherwise, depends upon ourselves. If the manners of this city shall not be improved by our own population, who may emigrate thither, where will be the moral advantage of the purchase? Indeed will not our citizens, by its being their own territory, more readily imbibe, and more freely communicate the corrupt practices of this place? But, if by the praiseworthy conduct of our citizens residing in New-Orleans, immorality shall be checked, and good principles introduced, then, indeed, it will prove a purchase, not only for our country, but for mankind. Should this be the case, those demoralizing effects, which could not but have been apprehended from the intercourse between our citizens and the mixed multitudes of Louisiana, will not only be removed, but in the place of these exotic weeds will flourish our own indiginous plants. There were, no doubt, other motives for the purchase, but whether they ought {192} to have operated under such a political system as ours is questionable.

The United States resemble, in many particulars of their history, the Jewish nation; and it is not improper to say that we are a peculiar people. We seem to be treading in every direction, upon the heels of the savages: they are receding, and we are following them.—Happy shall we be if we eye the hand which leads us, and the stretched out arm which supports us!—happy will it be for us, if instead of corrupting those whose places we occupy, we do them good, and teach them to be virtuous!

When we behold the United States every day extending their boundaries, and increasing their resources—when we see the moral and physical energies of a single constituent part of the Union, in possession of more real force than many of the states of Europe, we are astonished at our own power, and our own responsibility. Millions are yet to be influenced by our example. It is impossible that so much power, and so much enterprise should remain inactive. Our western boundary will, ultimately, be the Pacific Ocean; our northern, the North Pole; our southern, the Isthmus of Darien; and on the ocean we shall have no competitor. May our justice ever direct our power, and may we be the patron and protector of oppressed nations.

Before I proceed from the Ohio towards New-Orleans, it may be observed that what is generally understood by the Western States and Territories, is all that part of the territory of the United States, which lies west of the Alleghany mountains, and east of the Mississippi river.

I have expressed a few general ideas upon this vast and excellent tract of country. Much more might be offered; but it would be both useless, and improper to retail the records of geographers. {193} However few may be my statements upon this subject, they shall be dictated, exclusively, by my own observations.

I may add, that the timber of the west is much more various than that of the east, and equally useful. The sugar maple tree is here so numerous, that they would probably supply the whole United States with sugar. The Spanish oak is peculiar to the west. Here too, are the lynn tree, gum tree, sugar tree, iron-wood, aspen, crabapple, bark-spice, leather-wood, &c. &c. The sugar tree produces a sweet pod, like that of a pea, and furnishes very nutritious food for swine.

The weather in the west is milder than on the Atlantic coast; but it is also more changeable. Rheumatism, pleurisies, consumptions, bilious complaints, &c. cannot but prevail here. The exhalations from the earth, and rivers is great, and the general aspect of the people, situated near these rivers, is pale, emaciated, and feeble; but in these respects the country, in time, will be less disagreeable.