[077] The name Pain Court (Short of Bread), and the similar appellations of Carondelet (Vide Poche—Empty Pocket), and of Ste. Geneviève (Misère—Poverty), are said to have originated in the good-natured raillery between the French of the several settlements. They probably point also to the want often experienced by a trading people who neglected agriculture. For further facts relative to the early history of St. Louis, see Croghan's Journals, in our volume i, note 134, and André Michaux's Travels, in our volume iii, note 138.—Ed.

[078] The lack of a good harbor at St. Louis has occasioned vast trouble and expense. The encroachment of the river on the Illinois side caused sand-bars to form along the city water front, and for many years it seemed likely that the town would eventually be left high and dry. Efforts at improvement were begun in 1833, ox-teams and plows being used to loosen the sand for high water to remove. Both city and federal governments have since made many improvements, the river at that point requiring almost continuous care.—Ed.

[079] George Rapp, the founder of the Harmonites, was born in Würtemberg in 1770. The sect endeavored to revive the practices of the primitive Christian church, communism and celibacy being among its tenets. After founding Harmony, Pennsylvania, in 1803, and New Harmony, Indiana, in 1815, the community settled at Harmony, Pennsylvania, where Rapp died in 1847.—Ed.

[080] C. parviflorum.—James.

[081] Hamamelis virginica, and quercus nigra.—James.

[082] Bradbury's Travels are reprinted as volume v of our series. See preface of that volume for biographical sketch.—Ed.

[083] What we have called base in the following statement is in reality the length of a line passing over the top of the mound, from the termination of the base each side.

The numbers refer to a draft. The heights are estimated, with the exception of two.

No. 2. A square with a hollow way, gradually sloping to the top;or, in other words, a hollow square open behind.
Base50feet.
Height5
Distance N. from the Spanish bastion259
No. 3. An oblong square.
Longitudinal base114
Transverse base50
Length at top80
Perpendicular height4
Distance from No. 2. N.115
No. 4. An oblong square.
Longitudinal base84
Longitudinal top45
Perpendicular height4
Distance N.251
Nos. 2. 3. and 4. are each about 33 ordinary steps from the edgeof the second bank of the river.
No. 5. An oblong square.
Longitudinal base81feet.
Longitudinal top35
Perpendicular height4
Distance W.155
No. 6. Different in form from the others. It is called theFalling Garden, and consists of three stages, all of equallength, and of the same parallelogramic form: the superior stage,like the five succeeding mounds, is bounded on the east by theedge of the second bank of the river: the second and third stagesare in succession on the declivity of the bank, each beinghorizontal; and are connected with each other, and with the first,by an abruptly oblique descent.
Longitudinal base114feet.
Longitudinal top88
Transverse base of first stage30
Transverse height of first stage5
Declivity to the second stage34
Transverse surface of second stage51
Declivity to the third stage30
Transverse surface of third stage87
Declivity to the natural slope19
No. 7. Like the three succeeding ones, conical.
Distance northward95
Base83
Top34
Height4½
No. 8. Distance about N.94
Base98
Top31
Height5
No. 9. Distance about N.70
Base114
Top56
Height16
No. 10. Distance about N.74
Base91
Top34
Height8 or 10
No. 11. Nearly square, with a large area on the top (a brick house is erected at the S.W. corner). The eastern side appears to range with the preceding mounds.
Distance158feet.
Base179
Top107
Height W. side, say5
Height S.11
Height E.15 or 20
No. 12. Nearly square, westerly a little N. from No. 7. and distant from it30feet.
Base129
Top50
Height10
No. 13. A parallelogram, placed transversely with respect to the group.
Distance30feet.
Distance from No. 5. N. 10 W.350
Longitudinal base214
Longitudinal top134
Transverse base188
Transverse top97
Height12
No. 14. A convex mound, W.55
Base95
Height5 or 6
No. 15. Together with the three succeeding ones, more or less square.
Distance N.W.117feet.
Base70
Height4
No. 16. Distance N. 10 E.103
Base124
No. 17. Distance N.78
Base82
No. 18. Distance, N.N.E.118
Base77
The mounds from 14. to 18. inclusive, are so arranged as to describe a curve, which, when continued, terminates at the larger mounds, Nos. 15. and 19. No. 19. A large quadrangular mound, placed transversely, and with No. 13., ranging in a line nearly parallel to the principal series (from 2. to 11.)
Distance N.N.W. from No. 13.484feet.
Distance E.N.E. from No. 18.70
Base187
Top68
(By measurement) Height23
No. 20. A small barrow, perhaps two feet high, and of proportionably rather large base, say 15 or 20 feet.
No. 21. A mound similar to the preceding, same height. West of No. 16., base 25 feet.
No. 22. Quadrangular.
Distance West from No. 16.319feet.
Base73
No. 23. A mound of considerable regularity; but, owing to the thickness of the bushes, we cannot at present satisfy ourselves of its being artificial, though from its corresponding with No. 25. we suppose it to be so.
No. 24. Appears to be an irregular mound 10 or 12 feet high, and 145 feet base.
No. 25. Distant N. 10 E. 114 feet; and following this course 132 feet, we arrive at an elevation on its margin, as is also the case with No. 24., and which we have numbered 26.
No. 26. Of which the base is 89 feet, and height 10 or 12.—It is distant W.N.W. from No. 26., 538 feet.
No. 27. Is the largest mound, of an elongated-oval form, with a large step on the eastern side.
Distance N. from No. 26.1463feet.
Longitudinal base319
Longitudinal top136
Transverse base158
Transverse top11
Step transversely79
Height by measurement34

At the distance of a mile to the westward, is said to be another large mound. —James.