Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1853).djvu/23

Rh a quarter of a mile's width; yet the Spanish merchants at Pancore, or St. Louis, say they go 2,000 miles up it. It heads far westward of the Rio Norte, or North River. There is, in the villages of Kaskaskia, Cohoes and St. Vincennes, no inconsiderable quantity of plate, said to have been plundered during the last war by the Indians from the churches and private houses of Santa Fé, on the North River, and brought to these villages for sale. From the mouth of Ohio to Santa Fé is 40 days' journey, or about 1,000 miles. What is the shortest distance between the navigable waters of the Missouri and those of the North River, or how far this is navigable above Santa Fé I could never learn. From Santa Fé to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico is about 1,200 miles. The road from New Orleans to Mexico crosses this river at the post of Rio Norte, 800 miles below Santa Fé; and from this post to New Orleans is about 1,200 miles; thus making 2,000 miles between Santa Fé and New Orleans, passing down the North River, Red River and Missisipi; whereas, it is 2,230 through the Missouri and Missisipi. From the same post of Rio Norte, passing near the mines of La Sierra and Laiguana, which are between the North River and the River Salina to Sartilla, is 375 miles; and from thence, passing the mines of Charcas, Zacatecas and Potosi, to the City of Mexico, is 375 miles; in all, 1,550 miles from Santa Fé to the City of Mexico. From New Orleans to the City of Mexico is about 1,950 miles; the roads, after setting out from the Red River, near Natchitoches, keeping generally parallel with the coast, and about 200 miles from it, till it enters the City of Mexico.

The Illinois is a fine river, clear, gentle, and without rapids; insomuch that it is navigable for batteaux to its source. From thence is a portage of 2 miles only to the Chickago, which affords a batteau navigation of 16 miles to its entrance into Lake Michigan. The Illinois, about 10 miles above its mouth, is 300 yards wide.

The Kaskaskia is 100 yards wide at its entrance into the Missisipi, and preserves that breadth to the Buffalo plains, 70 miles above. So far also it is navigable for loaded batteaux, and perhaps much further. It is not rapid.