ning from north to south, is the Mobile. At the distance of thirty-five or forty-five miles from its outlet into Mobile Bay, it divides into two branches, the Alabama and Tombigbee. The former, by far the largest, rises in Georgia, in the country inhabited by the Cherokee Indians, near the line which separates that state from Tennessee, near the 35th degree of latitude, and runs in a south-westwardly direction to its junction with the Tombigbee. The Alabama is a fine stream between 300 and 400 yards in width; the current clear, and running at the rate of two miles an hour. Its two great branches, which are known by the names of Tallapoose and Coose, unite at the distance of about 415 miles from the outlet of the Mobile. The former, the eastern branch, traverses the country belonging to the Creeks, till it reaches within twenty miles of its junction; the latter, the western branch, under different names, Connesaughah, Estenoree, &c. runs, by computation, 150 miles through the Cherokee country, in the north-western parts of the state of Georgia, and proceeds afterwards through the Creek country to within twenty miles of its junction. The Tombigbee rises to the west of the Mussel Shoals, within a few miles of the Tennessee river, and runs in a southerly direction, but with many windings, 310 miles to its junction with the Alabama. Below the 32d degree the Tugaloo branch falls in from the north-west, higher up the Tuckaloosa, or Black Warrior river, from the north-east; and a little below the 33d degree the Oaknoxabee from the west. The two great branches,

the Tombigbee and Alabama, join a few miles above Fort Stoddart, but they again divide below that place, forming the Mobile and Eastern Tensaw, and afterwards subdividing, enter the bay by four channels. Mobile Bay is described by Captain Robertson in his observations on the country of Florida, as forming a noble and spacious harbour thirty miles long, and six miles broad, affording very good anchorage, and capable of containing the whole British navy. The aver age depth of the bay on the western side is three fathoms, as far as Fort Condé of the Mobile, where it diminishes to two. In a late description of this bay it is stated, that on the bar, at Dauphin Island, there are never less than eighteen feet water, and, in the inside, from four to five fathoms; but the depth gradually diminishes in ascending the bay; so that a vessel drawing thirteen or fourteen feet water can go no higher than Dog river, about three leagues below Mobile; and those that draw twelve feet, in ordinary tides, cannot approach the town nearer than about a league. † The river Mobile has from four to five feet water to the junction of the Alabama and Tombigbee, a distance of forty-five miles. The Alabama branch is always navigable for vessels drawing six feet water to Fort Claiborne, sixty miles; and there is from four to five feet water 150 miles higher up to the mouth of the

In a letter of Color.el Parmentier, it is described to be twentyseven miles in length, and nearly of the same breadth.

+ Boston Centinel.

Cawhaba, which falls in on the western side, and thence to the junction of the Coose and Tallapoose, 160 miles, there is three feet of water in the shallowest places, affording a good navigation, except along two ripples, which skilful watermen pass safely by directing the boat with poles. The Tallapoose is boatable to the Great Falls, thirty or forty miles from its junction with the Coose, above which these branches approach very near to each other. On the interjacent land, and in a commanding situation, is situated Fort Jackson. The Coose is boatable to the falls, a distance of fifteen or sixteen miles, above which there are fifty miles of rocky shoals to Fort Williams, where the river is again navigable to one of its head streams, called the Connesaughah, and up this stream for more than 100 miles. This branch affords a communication with the Tennessee river, by the Amoy, from which it is but eight or ten miles distant. It is believed that the Great Falls between Fort Williams and Fort Jackson might be rendered navigable at no great expence. During the late war with the Creeks, some boats loaded with provisions for the troops descended in safety, but others were lost among the rocks. The time required to ascend the Alabama depends on the state of the river. The passage from Mobile to Fort Jackson, a distance of 420 miles, is from a month to six weeks. We have seen an account of a barge, with five hands, carrying 125 barrels of flour, which ascended in thirty days, and this was considered as a speedy passage. The Tombigbee branch is navigable for sloops to Fort St

Stephen's, and for smaller vessels to within fifty miles of Bear creek, a navigable branch of the Tennessee. Perdido river, which forms the boundary between this territory and West Florida, runs a course of seventy miles nearly south to the Gulf of Mexico, forming a lagoon at its outlet, which is about four leagues southwest by west from Pensacola. * Some branches of the Escambia river, which runs into Pensacola Bay, extend above the source of the Perdido, within the limits of this territory. Some of the branches of the Chatahouche river, which forms the eastern boundary from the latitude of 321 degrees to the 31st, or Florida line, stretch towards those of the Alabama. Chatahouche, which flows into the Mexican Gulf, and has the name of Apalachicola in its passage through the Floridas, is navigable 400 miles. The Tennessee river flows along the northern extremity of this territory 240 miles, within which space are included the Mussel Shoals, which are seven miles in length, and three in breadth. In low water these rocks obstruct the navigation; but when the river rises, boats of thirty tons ascend and descend without danger.

The

Extent of Navigable Waters.-Tennessee is navigable 230 miles; Tombigbee, and eastern branches, Tensaw, Mobile, Fish river, &c. 750; Alabama and branches, including Cahawba, Coose, Tallapoose, Kio

Roberts's Florida, p. 8, in which it is mentioned, that this river was so named because a Spanish ship was cast away in it, and her crew lost.

wee, &c. 800; Perdido, Conecah, Escambia, Yellowwater, Choctaw, and Pea rivers, and Gulf coast, 370; Chatahouche and western branches, 550. In all 2700.*

Islands. The islands formed by the different channels of the Mobile river are numerous, and some of them of considerable size. 1. The isle of Mobile, formed by the Spanish, or eastern, and the Mobile, or western branch, is stated to be thirty-five miles long, and eight broad, containing a considerable portion of arable land, well adapted to the culture of rice. The islands on the coast are Dauphin Island, Horn Island, Petit Bois, and some others of smaller size, none of which merit particular description.

Minerals.-Iron ore is found near the head of Coney creek, and on Shoal creek, where there are fine sites for mills and machinery; blue grindstone grit, as it is called, about sixty miles above Fort Claiborne; coal in great quantity near the same place; also on the Cahawba, Tombigbee, and Black Warrior rivers.

Forest Trees.-In the low country near the coast the sandy surface is covered with pine, the swamps with cypress, the margin of the rivers with lofty cane, here and there intermixed with the sour orange tree. The high broken lands, which extend to the distance of sixty miles north from the union of the Alabama and Tombigbee, produce oak, hickery, red and white cedar, and poplar. The undulating surface, which commences about sixty miles above the confluence of the Coose and Tallapoose, and is inhabited by the

Western Gazetteer, p. 241.