Memorandum [By Moses Austin.] 1801 April 12 Sunday
This Day about Ten in the Morning I left St Geneveve for New
Orleans with Two flatt Boats Loaded with sheet Lead and Shott—
at the mouth of the Kaskaskea I passed Hog Island to avoid Danger
its necessary for flatts to keep under the American Shore keeping
the Island to the Eight—in the Bend of the Burnt Woods on Bois
Brule you pass an Island which you also keep on the Eight hand
keeping under the A[merican] shore some time above the Island to
avoid being Drawn in to the left by the Current—at the lower end of
the Burnt Woods you pass an Island called [undecipherable] keeping it
to the left—about Sundown I arrived at Cape five men which forms
a large Eddy below which is a good landing place for flatts on the
Spanish Shore—Monday 13 about 8 O'Clk this morning I left Cape
five men the river is very good from this place until you come to
the Grand Tower, to pass this place with safety a Pilot is necessary
or a man that understands the place Its not Improble that this has
been a grand Barrer [barrier?] and that all the River above this
place to St Louis has formed a Large Lake the whole River is Drawn
to a pass of about 1/4 of a mile there is a Rock in the River at this
place about 100 feet in Diameter and sixty in Hight between which
and the shore the water passes with uncommon Rapidity with a Bluf
of Rocks on each [side] which appear to have formed a union at
some former period what makes this place Dangerous for flatts there
is an Island immediately below the Grand Tower which forms a
strong suck to the American Shore and unless a Boat is well man.d
and immediately hawls in under the Spanish Shore they may be
Drawn in to the left of the Island which is Rendered Dangerous by
the many Planters or Sawyers which are so strongly planted in the
sands with the small end up that if a Boat strikes one of them they
seldom escape—about five in the Evening I passed what the
Americans call Devils Island it formes a strate reach in the River of about
three miles but is not Dangerous for flatts you keep under the
Spanish shore above this Island leaving the Island on the left about
Sundown I landed with the boats at Cape Gerodau its safe [to] land
with flatts about half Mile above Thornes Landing—this Day passed
Mr Scott with whisky
Tuesday 14 the Day being Stormy and one of the hands being in
the country I lay up all Day-
Wednesday—15 this Day Mr Triggs Barge Passed up the River
with whisky to the Saline for salt also a Indian Canoe with eight
Indian and a Perogue with corn for apple Creek Mr King returned
this Evening from Country but to late to continue our journey this
Day, this is a Great Rendezvouse for Indians (at this time the
Shawanah had the war Flagg flying being at War with the Messura Indians-
Cape Gerodau is beutifully situated on the Spanish side of the
Mississippia and Commands a Delitefull prospect of the River both
up and Down there is not any Fort at this place but its subject to a
Comman[d]ant who lives at the place—who judges all matters under
Twenty Dollars—Its about sixty miles below St Geneveeve or
Kaskaskea and forty above the Mouth of the Ohio—Thursday 16 left
Cape Geradau about Day light the Day prov.d windy and raney was
obliged to land about six miles below Cape Le Cruse where we lay
untill 2 O Clock at this place three Barges pass up the River from
Kentucky Cape Le Cruse or Jugg Cape is Rendered Dangerous on
act. of a Rock Barr on the American shore to which the Current
setts so strong that to avoid being Driven on to the Rocks its
necessary to keep Close under the Cape Constantly Rowing round the
Point untill you get well into the Bend. English Island is 7 miles
below Cape Le Cruse and must be pass.d under the American shore
the wind continuing to blow and the Weather Rainy I was obliged
to lay by all day—about 20 miles above the Ohio.
Friday 17. The day proving favourable I got under way about
day light & Run Down to the grand Bend when the wind together
with the Back water from the Ohio retard.d us so much that we was
oblig.d to take up for the night about 8 miles above the Ohio this
Day I pass five Barges and Canoes bound up the River some trading
others families Moving to the Spanish Country—at the lower end of
the Grand Bend you keep under the American Shore leaving an
Island to the right hand
Saturday 18 Morning Stormy with wind and rain left our
moorings about 8 o Clock. Wind to North with rain—pass.d Buffalo
Island leaving it to the right also Elk Island keeping the Middle
Channel on the American Side about 10 O Clock passed the mouth
of the Ohio—six or seven Barges and Perogue passed up the
Mississippia this Day at sun down Came to shore under the joint of an
Island about ten miles below the Iron (?) Banks
Sunday 19 got under way about Day light but was obliged to
make a landing about 10 O Clock the wind blowing a Tornado the
whole Day from the South.
Monday 20. the morning being favourable ran Down to Lance A
la Graise and Came to shore about 10 O Clock where I remained all
Day in the Evening nine flatts came down the Mississippia for New
Orleans the weather being stormy wind to the South I this Day
Dined with the Commandant of this Garrison its a Spanish
establishment and next in Consequence in this Country to St Louis
Tuesday 21—the Morning fine all the Boats stood Down the River
a little before sun this Day came to the first high lands after leaving
the Iron Banks called the . . . atka Bluff and late in the afternoon
passed a secont High Lands or Bluffs and Came to landing on the
American side of an Island
Wednesday this day 22 passed nothing uncommon the river
generally good
Thursday 23 the Morning fine got under way a little before sun
rise and about 12 O Clock came to the Thousend Islands at this
place in High Water the best Channel is the Middle one to take this
Channel a Boat ought to keep about the middle of the River as soon
as the Islands make their appearance—about 4 in the After noon we
came to the Chickasaw Bluffs. At this place there is an American
Station and Garrison on the Spanish Side is also a Garrison and
two Block Houses—with a small settlement;—of about Twelve
Houses—the Americans have the advantage of the Spaniards at this
place being an elevated situation while the Spanish side is low and
subject to overflow—after passing the American Garrison we came
to a landing on the east side of the river keeping on the American
Shore immediately after leaving the Bluffs—leaveing the Island
to the Eight
Friday 24 the morning fine stood Down the River by Day light—
we this morning pass.d the flower Island leaveing it to the Right
the flower Island is called the most Dangerous of any of the Islands
in the River at low water its the first Island below the A[merican?]
G[arrison] a Boat ought to pass this Island on the American Shore
keeping the American side some miles down the River—its vere
necessary above and below the Thousend Island for some miles to be
careful of the many sucks and out letts to be met with in this part of
the River into which a Boat is subject to be Drawn unless Great Care
is taken to keep the largest Channell of the River—about Twelve
O Clock we passed the River St. Frances at the mouth of this River
the Mississippea makes a large Bend and is a bad place in the River
even when the water is high and great Care ought to be taken to keep
a boat under full head Way the Best Channe[l] at this Place is
to leave the Island between the mouth of the River St Frances and
the Mississippia to you Right keeping as near on the sandbarr to
the left as possible we came to shore about 10 miles below the River
St Frances on the American side about Sunsett after passing what
is called the long reach
Saturday 25 the morning fine stood Down River on the American
Shore River good about ten this morning we passed Point Serpea (?)
so Called in consequence of a Battle between a number of Illinois
Barges and a Party of Indians Its a beutifull situation with about
ten acres of Cleard land—but not any buildings— 12 O Clock this
afternoon passed a Battoe in from New Orleans Loaded with goods
for Lance A La Grease the River verry crooked and a number of
Islands and sand Barrs with an uncommon quantity of Drift Wood
about Sundown came to land on Spanish shore with four Pittsburgh
Boats—
Sunday 26—the River still filed with Islands and Drift wood with
bad shore and Short Bends—about 10 O Clock passed near the shore
when the Bank gave way and a large Tree fell into the River—12
O Clock pass.d the Oas Arke River on this River there is settlements
a few miles up about 10 miles below the Oas Arke you pass the
White River both of these Rivers enter into the Massissippea on the
Spanish side
Monday 27 Cloudy and like for rain with high winds made but
bad Days Run come to shore on the American side near a place
where was the remanes of an old Fort supposed to be made by some
of the French against the Chickasaws—at this place I found Black
Berries ripe and gathered some of them this place is supposed to
be about 20 miles above the Walnutt Hills the Moschettoes was so bad
this night that all the smoke we could make was of no acct.
Tuesday 28—Morning C[l]oudy and still like for rain about 10
O Clock was boarded by two Canoes of Arkansaw Indians who had
three Barrells of flower on board taken up on the River lost by some
Kentucky Boats 8 of which these Indians informed us had been
lost in March near the flower Island and five men and two Negroes
drown.d about 12 O'clock the Winde became so high that we was
obliged to land and remane the whole Day with rain and thunder.
Wednesday 29 Morning fine stood Down the River a little before
Sunrise about 12 O clock pass.d a Strate in the River of about 1/4 Mile
on each side of which while our Boats was passing the Banks gave
way and with them a number of large Trees—pass.d an Indian
Hunting Party.
Thursday 30 Cloudy like for rain, about 10 O Clock a Barrell
flower seen on the Spanish Shore Two men from Mr Clarks Boat
of Pits Burgh took it in—it was Branded with Frankford S. Tine (?)
by which I suppose it to belong to some of the Kentucky boats lost
in March there was seen on the shores in Sundry places a number
of Barrells but the Wind together with the state of the River
prevented us from Landing about 4 O Clock in the afternoon we pass.d
what is called the Little Gulf as also the mouth of the Yazoo this
place is about four Miles or five above Walnutt Hills—at which
place we arrived at Night.
Friday May 1 This Morning we pass'd the Walnutt Hills, its
appearance from the River is truly Delightfull rising like an
Amphitheatre one hill above an Other on the Commanding Higth stand [s]
the Fort which is Well built and Capable of being made a strong
Fortres there is about twelve Houses some of them have a good
appearance, the whole face of the Hill is under improvement, and the
Corn at this time about up to your knees—there is not a Doubt but
this place will sooner or later make a large town its said to be One
Hundred and Twenty Miles from Natcha after leaveing the
Chickasaw Bluffs you see no Highlands until you come to the Walnutt Hills
which I suppose to be not less than 400 Miles the River being high
it was but seldom we could bring our Boat to Dry land the whole
country being under water for Miles back in the woods and
notwithstanding the lands on this River from the Mouth of the Messura to
this place are equal to any in the world in point of soil, yet there low
situation will render it impossible to settle them untill some way is
found to Bank out the overflowing of the Mississippea (that is
below the Ohio) from the Ohio up the Country is generally high and its
only in places that it overflows its Banks—10 O Clock pass'd a large
sand Barr with near a mile of Driftwood on which we see Men
examining the Drift and Bends of the River for flower lost from the
Kentucky Boats 18 of which we were informed had been lost above
Walnutt Hills in March and Early in April—25 Miles below
Walnutt Hills is a new settlement on the American side of the River of
three families—Called the Three Islands the afternoon being stormy
with Wind Rain and thunder we put in to Shore about 4 O Clock.
Saturday May 2. Morning Cloudy with Rain and Wind Did not
stand Down the River untill 10 O Clock and about 12 O Clock come
to and passed the Grand Gulf this is a Dangerous passage for
strangers the River is Drawn into a narrow pass at a point which forms
a Rock Bluff with two Counter Currents on each side of the River
leaveing a small Channel between the two. about the middle of the
River its necessary for Boats to put under good headway to pass this
place and to steer the Boat to the Bluff which will bring you in to
the Middle Current the Other two Running up the River with great
valocity and If your Boat is Drown into the left hand Current there
is Danger of being Dashed against the Rocks 3 weeks before I passed
the Grand Gulf a Boat from Kentucky with flower was Dashed
against the Rocks the Cargo and 3 men lost the River in Other
respects is not bad about this place 4 O Clock the winde became so
high that we could not keep the River made a landing at a landing
place where stood a small Hous on the Bank of the River at this
Hous we found an old man liveing by himself he informed me he
had been a livin[g] 40 years in the Natche Settlement he appeard
to live by the Charity of the Boats
Sunday Morning 3 O Clock—the Moon being up and the Morning
fine we for the first time venturd to stand Down the River by Moon
light and about Day light passed the River Called Byo Peear on
which is a large settlement from this place to Natche the settlements
are forming on the River the Land is Low but not often over flow'd—
from the Grand Gulf you pass but few Islands 10 O Clock was
Boarded by a French Boat from Arkansa Loaded with Beever for
New Orleans—11 O Clock passed Coles Creek 21 Miles above Natche
the Bend at Coles Creek is a Bad bend in high water a Boat to go
safe aught to keep under the willers untill the turn of the Bend