Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 8).djvu/318

 bird fixed his eyes upon me, and without a single blink supported the pangs of death with all the grandeur of fortitude. I could not endure his aspect,—I shrunk into my own insignificance, and have ever since been sensible of my inferiority.

After remaining a day or two on this side of the river, I crossed it and entered the State of Mississippi. This state is bounded by this river west; north by Tennessee; east by Georgia; and south by West-Florida. The principal rivers in this state are the Yazoo, Pearl, Big Black, Tombecbee, and Alabama. The grand chain of mountains, called the Alleghany, terminates in this state. On the {206} Tombecbee is situated Fort Stoddard.[151] The city of Natches is the only considerable settlement in this state. The aspect of the country is level, and generally very fertile; but some parts of it are sandy and unproductive. Its principal products are tobacco, cotton, indigo, and rice. Live oak of the best quality abounds here. In this state are tribes of the Creeks, Cherokees, Choctaws, and Chickasaws. These tribes are acquainted with agriculture, and with some manufactures. The Natches Indians, formerly a powerful, and, in many respects, a civilized people, were exterminated by the French in 1730.[152] The Creek Indians consist of about twenty tribes, who united for the purpose of exterminating the