Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 8).djvu/321

 *tures, they are employed with all the simplicity of truth, and the sublimity of inspiration.

The sight of the bulrushes, connected with several other circumstances, forcibly reminded me of the River Nile, and the story of that forsaken babe, who, by the might of Heaven, conducted Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land, in type of that Great Leader, who is now calling man from the thraldom of iniquity to the liberty of the heavenly Canaan. On the Mississippi there are arks, and alligators, which resemble the crocodile; and the general appearance of this river is similar to that of the Nile.

Not far from the Iron Banks, before mentioned, are the Chalk Banks; and a little below the latter is the Bayau de She.

The St. Francis is the principal river in the Missouri Territory, excepting the river of this name; and it enters the Mississippi just below Tennessee. It is navigable about three hundred miles, and at its mouth is two hundred yards wide. White River runs in the same direction, and enters the Mississippi about eighty miles below. Its width is about one hundred and fifty yards.

Whilst in the state of Mississippi, I crossed a high, broken, and fertile ground, constituting about two hundred acres.

{209} After passing over hundreds of miles of country perfectly level, such an appearance was highly gratifying. On this rise of ground were a few scattering trees, the kinds of some of which I had never before seen. Here grew the China tree, of a beautiful appearance, and bearing fruit of an inviting aspect, but of an unpleasant taste.[154] I stopped a moment to receive instruction—moral beauty only can be depended upon.