Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 V13.djvu/158

 *netic iron-sand, which at St. Domingo and in India is found occasionally mixed with gold and silver.[128]

Du Pratz, after animadverting on the visionary reports of the wealth of this territory, himself adds; "I found, upon the river of the Arkansas, a rivulet that rolled down with its water, gold-dust." "And as for silver mines, there is no doubt but that they might be found there, as well as in New Mexico, on which this province bordered."[129]

Near to these hills reported to afford silver, I observed two low aboriginal mounds, though the situation did not appear favourable to the residence of the natives.

23d.] Mr. D. remained nearly the whole day at J. Piat's,[130] where a second family also resides, as well as a third on the opposite side of the river, and several others in the vicinity. About a quarter of a mile above Piat's I amused myself in sketching a view of the romantic hills that border the river, and which are not less than 5 to 800 feet high, with the strata inclined about 45° to the south-east.

In the afternoon I crossed the river, and ascended to