Tobacco might be also produced, but has happily been superseded by more useful vegetables.

The hill at Baton Rouge is the first eminence that appears on the banks of the Mississippi, above its mouth. The elevation at Baton Rouge has been most egregiously exaggerated. The distance from high water mark in the river to the level upon which the town and fort stand, does not exceed, if it amounts to, twenty-five feet.

The same hills that compose the bluffs on the Mississippi, below the mouth of Ohio, are only cut by the various streams; and form the western abutment of a vast expanse reaching from Georgia to the Mississippi. Baton Rouge may be said to occupy the southwestern part of this area.

The western border of both these sections is formed by the left shore of the Mississippi. In soil, timber, and cultivated vegetables, this part has in every respect a perfect semblance to other settlements on the alluvion of the former river, therefore particular description is rendered useless.

New Feliciana.-Bounded north by the state of Mississippi; S. W. by the Mississippi river; south by East Baton Rouge; and S. E. by Amite river.

This parish is certainly one of the most favoured spots in Louisiana. The land is generally good;

some is of the first rate, and but little sterile. The water and timber excellent. The natural productions have been noticed in our general view of West Florida. Cotton, maize, beef, and pork, the principal staples. Unlike those on the alluvial borders of the rivers, the settlements in this parish are scattered over the country as in the state of Mississippi. The farms are many of them of large extent. Though some other

articles are often produced and sent to market, cotton may be viewed as the great staple; it is made here of excellent quality. Few places in southern Louisiana present more desirable objects to allure to settle met, than the country between the Mississippi and Amite rivers.

East Baton Rouge.-Bounded North by Feliciana; East by Amite river; S. E. by Bayou Iberville; and S. W. by the Mississippi river.

Every object demanding attention in the commerce, agriculture, or natural production of this parish, has been anticipated in my general sketch of West Florida, and in the description of Feliciana. Those two last parishes have an entire sameness in their appearance and improvements.

St. Francisville, below the mouth of Bayou Sara in the former, and Baton Rouge in the latter, are the seats of justice and of the post offices in their respective parishes. Baton Rouge is considerably the most extensive, but is yet of no great size, containing perhaps three hundred inhabitants.

St. Helena.-Bounded north by the Mississippi territory; east by Tangipao river; south by lake Pontchartrain, pass of Manchac, and lake Maurepas; S. W. and West by Amite river.

Springfield, on a branch of Tickfah river, is the only town in this parish; it would not deserve notice from any other cause, than being a resting place on the road from Madisonville to Natchez.

St. Tammany.-Bounded north by the state of Mississippi; east by Pearl river; south by lake Pontchartrain; and west by Tangipao river.

For the natural products of those two parishes, we refer to our general notice of West Florida.

Staples are cotton, neat cattle, beef, pork, hides, tallow, cheese, lumber, tar, pitch, and lime. Many other articles might indeed be enumerated, which are brought to New Orleans market; poultry of all kinds particularly.

Madisonville, opposite to New-Orleans, is remarkable, from standing on the best harbour for vessels in lake Pontchartrain. It is here also, that most persons are put on shore, when travelling from New-Orleans to Natchez by the route of the latter lake.

STATISTICS

OF THE

STATE OF LOUISIANA.

CHAP. IV.

ATTACAPAS AND OPELOUSAS; PRAIRIES; HILLS; FACILITY OF INLAND NAVIGATION.

ATTACAPAS and Opelousas are so intimately blended, and so similar in their general topographical features, that I have considered it more suitable to precede their individual political subdivisions by a general description. The region included in these two places is so singular, having characteristics very different from other parts of the state of Louisiana, that I have been more diffuse in a general view, than on most of the remaining parishes.

Viewing a map of Opelousas and Attacapas, the most remarkable features in their geography are those prairies, naturally divided into seven grand divisions. The prairies Grand Chevreuil; Attacapas prairie between the Teche and Vermilion rivers; the large prairie of Opelousas between the Vermilion and Mermentau rivers; the Grand prairie which, commencing about eight miles north of Opelousas church, winds between the waters of the Teche and Courtableau ten miles north westwardly, then gradually turns to

N

the south between Bayou Cane and Bayou Mellet, and terminates above their junction; being thirty miles long. Next follow prairie Mamou, Calcasiu, and finally the prairie between the Calcasiu and Sabine rivers.

Prairie Grand Chevreuil-commences between the overflown lands of the Atchafalaya and the Teche rivers, and following the direction of the latter river, its northern extremity terminates eight miles east of Opelousas. This prairie being the high bank of the Teche river, seldom exceeds two miles in width, not often so much. That part of the prairie bordering on the Teche, is composed of a high rich margin of loam, extremely well adapted to the culture of cotton, tobacco, rice, Indian corn, and towards the lower extremity, the sugar cane. From the banks of the Teche, the prairie has an inclination towards the woods, that gives current to the waters which uniformly flow from the river. The Teche, like the Mississippi, has its bed apparently cn a comparative ridge. After the prairie commences, the inclination of the plane continues, and depresses the surface so considerably, that in many places the overflow of the Atchafalaya enters the prairie, and in high freshes causes serious inconveniences to the crops. In the spring season of 1811, the water in many places, as at Mr. Durald's, penetrated the prairie within a mile of the Teche. Immediately on entering the woods on the N. E. side of the prairie, the mark of overflow is perceived on the trees. Timber along the rich margin of the Teche is generally composed of several species of hickory; sycamore, sweet gum, black oak, red oak, willow oak, red elm, mucilaginous elm, linden, laurel magnolia, sassafras, and below 30° 15' N. lat. some live oak. The muscadine grape vine, and smilax are found entwined round those large forest trees. The cane, though not