come to perfection in the counties of Wilkinson and Warren, which occupy the extremes of the section. The three species of soil, (Mississippi bottom, bluff, and pine woods,) are to be found in Claiborne and Jefferson counties; in Adams there is little or no pine woods, as the pine ridge, though producing the pine tree, has a soil very different from that found in pine land generally. Wilkinson possesses, towards the Mississippi, a soil extremely similar to that of Adams; but in the interior, pine occurs. Franklin being detached from the Mississippi, affords less fertile soil in proportion to its extent than any of the preceding counties, having more pine woods than either. But, taken altogether, the whole of this section is amongst the most valuable and productive in the United States, in proportion to its extent; and few spots in the world will admit a greater variety of vegetable productions.

The climate, in point of salubrity, is very favourable; the surface is dry and waving, little or no marshy land exists, and the spring and well-water excellent. In short, the inhabitants are found to enjoy as much health as upon any spot on earth, in the same parallel of latitude. The seasons are agreeable, particularly autumn and winter; and there is no place can be found, where from September to April the weather is more uniformly pleasant. The undulating face of the country prevents the roads from becoming uncommonly difficult to pass after heavy rains; therefore travelling is easy, and seldom long interrupted by floods. Spring is, indeed, in all places near the Mississippi, south of the 35th degree of N. lat. less agreeable than winter. The latter has the mildness of a northern autumn; the former, to too much of the heat of a southern summer, adds the inconvenience of frequent and heavy rains. In the northern and eastern states, there is no season answering correctly to the winter of Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. The air in the

months of November, December, January, February, and March, in the latter places, is generally mild summer and the early part of autumn, are the seasons when health becomes precarious.

The south-east section of the state of Mississippi contains the only sea-coast embraced by the state. Except a very small extent east of Pearl river, this sea-coast is high, dry land; the pine forests extending to the gulf of Mexico. Three beautiful bays indent the shore, St. Louis, Biloxi, and Pascagoula; the latter only can ever be of any great consequence in a commercial point of view. The islands of Malheureux, Marianne, and Cat-island,

are within the bounds of this state; but they are in them. selves of no great consequence, being mere banks of sand, decorated with sea myrtle and a few pine trees. The chain of islands extending from the Rigolets, or mouths of Pearl river, to Mobile bay, produces a very safe and commodious navigation between New Orleans and Mobile, for vessels not exceeding eight feet draught. This commerce, though passing in front of the state, will be of little benefit to its inhabitants, except those residing upon Pearl and Pascagoula rivers.

The country included in the south-east section is yet but thinly populated; and from the general aspect of the whole region, it may be safely concluded, that the comparative numbers in the two sections will remain nearly as they are at present. In addition to a great superiority of soil, the north-west section possesses many other advan tages, that can never be extended to that of the southeast,

Particular topography of the state. The parallel of 35° N. lat. which is the dividing line between the state of Tennessee and this state, crosses the Mississippi a little below the mouth of Wolf river, 376 miles below St. Louis, and 813 above New Orleans; one mile further down is Fort Pickering, where there are about a dozen houses: the bank on which they stand is from sixty to 100 feet high, sloping in places, but perpendicular at the points. The inhabitants raise Indian corn and cotton, and the spot on which they reside, from its elevated and airy situation, will probably become the site of a considerable town. Between this place and the mouth of the Yazoo, a distance of 340 miles, are only a few detached settlements; the greater part of the way being a perfect wilderness. Ten miles below the mouth of Yazoo river, are the Walnuthills; the situation is pleasant, the land high and fertile. Here are fine cotton p antations, and the ruins of Fort M'Henry. Twenty-four miles below the Walnut-hills, is the settlement of Palmyra, settled by emigrants from New England; and thirty-three miles below the mouth of Big Black river. There are several settlements on this river, extending forty miles up; but the inhabitants are subject to bilious complaints, owing to the inundations caused by the back current of the Mississippi setting up twenty miles. One mile further down is the Grand gulf, which excites great terror in the breasts of inexperienced boatmen, but is little regarded by old navigators; being

nothing more than a large eddy, into which, if a boat be drawn, it is very difficult to regain the current of the

river.

Eleven miles below is the mouth of Bayou Pierre; the settlements bordering on this stream are rendered unhealthy by the Mississippi's damming up its waters in times of floods.

The traveller here finds himself in the proper region of the paroquets; indeed the woods appear alive with birds of various sorts. Pigeons at certain seasons are seen in darkening clouds, and wild turkeys in frequent flocks: water-fowls are numerous in winter. About thirty miles up the bayou Pierre, by its winding, stands

Port Gibson, the chief town of Claiborne county; it is a pretty thriving place, containing about eighty houses, and has an academy under good regulations: the country around it is hilly, with rich and extensive plantations. Two miles below the mouth of Bayou Pierre, is Bruinsburgh, a hamlet of four or five houses.

The next object worthy of the traveller's notice, is Cole's creek, twenty miles from Bruinsburgh; this is a handsome, transparent, sandy-bottomed stream, except when disturbed by heavy rains, when it swells to a frightful torrent, impassable at times for several days. Fifteen miles from the Mississippi it divides into the North and South forks. Between these branches is situated the town of

Greenville, the capital of Jefferson county. It is very handsomely built on a dry sandy plain, on what is called the middle branch of Cole's creek, and consists of one wide, straight street, half a mile long, and intersected by two cross ones; the number of buildings is about eighty; the surrounding country rich and well cultivated; roads bad, and travelling often interrupted by the swelling of the several branches of Cole's creek. It has a courthouse, church, post-office, and several stores and taverns. Water of a good quality is procured by digging about thirty feet. A few miles south-west of Greenville, is the little village of Union-town, of eight or ten houses. A few miles further, in the direction of Natchez, is the village of Sulzerstown, of fifteen or twenty houses. The country continues hilly, plantations large, and the produce chiefly Ten miles below Cole's creek is Fairchild's creek, a handsome stream, subject to sudden swells, and heading near Washington, in Adams county. Fourteen miles further brings us to

Natchez the chief town of said county, situated 322 miles by water, and 156 by land, above New Orleans, in

N. lat. 31° 33'. The greater part of the town stands on a bluff, upwards of 150 feet above the surface of the river. The houses have an air of neatness, though few are distinguished for elegance or size. To enable the inhabitants to enjoy the evening air, almost every house has a piazza and balcony. The soil of the adjoining country is rich, and vegetation of most kinds attains to uncommon luxuriance; the gardens are ornamented with orange trees, figs, plums, peaches, and grape vines. The num ber of houses is about 350; and the inhabitants are distinguished for their wealth, luxury, and hospitality. This remark is only applicable to the merchants and rich planters; for there are great numbers of poor dissipated wretches, of all nations, and of all colours. Two weekly newspapers are printed here, and learning begins to receive attention.

Cotton is the grand staple of Natchez settlement; the income of the first planters is princely; from 5,000 to 30,000 dollars per annum. Some have so many as 300 acres in a single field, solely devoted to cotton; they commence planting it about the middle of February; Indian corn is planted from March to July, according to the convenience of the cultivator. The sugar-cane is sometimes planted as high as Natchez; but not with the same success as is experienced at Baton Rouge, 280 miles further down the river. There is no doubt, however, but that it will nevetually succeed; at least to a degree equal to the demand for home consumption.

Labour is almost exclusively performed by slaves. A good negro, from twenty to thirty years of age, will command from 800 to 1,200 dollars. A prime slave will attend about three acres of cotton, which will yield an annual clear profit of from 230 to 260 dollars; the profit of the full grown male slaves will average about 200 dollars, after deducting the expense of food and clothing.

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Sea vessels come up the Mississippi as far as Natchez but the voyage is very tedious, and of late years not often attempted. The market of Natchez is well supplied with fish; most of flour and grain is purchased from the Kentucky boats. The country for the space of twenty miles in the rear of the town is settled, but not thickly, by reason of the extensiveness of the plantations, which generally contain from 400 to 1,000 and upwards of acres. Land is very high in the settlements along the Mississippi, from Yazoo river to the south boundary line, below Fort Adams; say from forty to fifty dollars an acre for whole farms.

Natchez is much resorted to by the Choctaw Indians, whose possessions are within one day's ride to the east. Great numbers of squaws, boys, and girls, are employed by the planters to assist in gathers the cotton crop.

*

From Natchez to the boundary of the state of Louisiana, about eighty miles, the surface and scenery remain unchanged, excepting the sugar plantations, which begin to shew themselves about the Homochitto river. The first stream you pass, after leaving Natchez, is Catharine creek, already noticed, about forty yards wide, and boatable several miles during high water. About twenty miles up this creek, and six miles east from Natchez, is situated the town of

Washington, which was for seventeen years the seat of government. This town contains at the present time perhaps 1,000 inhabitants; it stands in a healthy, pleasant situation, amid the most wealthy and best peopled settlements in the state. Washington has many allurements, as a summer residence, over any town near the Mississippi river, south of Tennessee; it is placed in a well cultivated neighbourhood, the water is excellent, the adjacent country agreeably diversified with hill and dale, and no stagnant waters in its vicinity. The state of society is much the same as at Natchez; there is much in both places of that urbanity which marks the people of the southern states; and strangers meet an unreserve, found in every place where men have much intercourse with each other.

One mile below Catharine creek, are the White cliffs, composed of fine white clay, and strongly resembling chalk. Forty miles further is the entrance of Homochitto, a beautiful little river, sixty yards wide, having its branches interwoven with those of the Amite. This river may at present be considered as the northern boundary of the sugar region, though it will probably arrive to perfection as far north as the Arkansas, 380 miles higher up the river. Most kinds of tropical fruits flourish about the Homochitto; such as the sweet orange, guinea corn, Indian kail, pomegranate, ginger, &c. The country is settled on both sides the river, nearly to the Choctaw boundary. Six miles below the Homochitto is Buffalo creek, before mentioned, a deep, still stream, about forty yards wide, and thirty miles long. Loftus' heights, two miles below this creek, stands about 150 feet above the level of the Mississippi; Fort Adams is situated on this high bluff, and is now going to decay. There is a small village of twenty

Female Indians.