Page:Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison Vol. 1.djvu/137

Rh me that the Subdivisions might more properly be called Counties. The District of St. Genevieve in the District of Louisiana would sound rather awkwardly.

There is but one person in Louisiana that I will venture to recommend to you for the Appointment of Military Commandant—it is Mr. Piere Delossus de Luziere an old gentleman of the greatest respectability and of considerable talents—there can be but one objection to him which is that he was a friend to the former Despotic Government of France. I believe however that he is now in Sentiment an American Republican. His Manners His Talents & his destitute Condition have interested me much in his favour & I think I can venture to answer for his good Conduct. He is & has been for a considerable time Commandant of the District of New Bourbon.

I propose to be in Louisiana by the 1st October & as I also intend to visit all the Districts it will be in my power to give you a more perfect account of the Country than I can possibly do at this time.

I have the Honour to be with the most perfect Respect your faithful Sevt.

Thomas Jefferson

President of the United States

[Indorsed:] Harrison Govr. W. H. Vincennes June 24.04.

recd. July 2

No. 1 Plan

At about three hundred miles from the village of the great Ozages in a west direction, after having passed many branches of the River Arkensas, is found a low ground, surrounded with Hills of an immense extent, having a diameter of about fifteen Leagues. The soil is a black sand, very fine, & so hard, that Horses hardly leave their tracks upon it; in warm and dry Weather, there is exhaled from that swamp, vapours, which being afterwards condensed, fall again upon the black sand and cover it with a bed of Salt very white and very fine of the thickness of about half an inch. The rains distroy this kind of Phenomenon.