Little Red river issues near the sources of Buffalo Fork, and runs parallel with the Arkansas for a great distance, but inclines gradually to the north-east, and joins White river about two hundred miles above its mouth. It affords a considerable body of choice land, but is subject to very sudden rises, which overflow its banks, and have retarded, to some extent, the further settlement of its valley.
Such are the principal tributaries of White river; a stream which is navigable, with keel-boats of thirty tons burden, to the foot of Buffalo Shoals, a distance of seven hundred miles from its mouth, and may be ascended with light vessels five hundred miles higher. It draws its waters from a district of country about three hundred miles in width, by seven or eight hundred in length, having on its borders and tributaries large bodies of very rich lands, mixed with much that is poor and unfit for cultivation; but, taking into view its advantageous situation for commerce, its political relation to the two Territories, in a part of each of which it lies, and the extensive bodies of farming-lands on James river, Buffalo Fork, and Black river, we may anticipate the period when a large population shall find their support on its banks—when numerous villages and towns shall decorate its shores, and the productive labor of its inhabitants swell greatly the commerce of the western country, while they themselves command an important influence in its political transactions.
One of the most interesting events connected with the history of this river, is the visit paid to it by De Soto in 1542. The place of his crossing it is not certainly known.
STEAM NAVIGATION ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
Steamboats were first introduced on the Mississippi about 1812; and, within seven years of that time, not less than fifty boats, of all classes, had been built. The following list, which I made in 1819, embraces all the steam-vessels which are known to have been put upon that stream and its tributaries, prior to that era, and is believed to give with accuracy their names and tonnage.
Fulton's first successful experiment in the application of Savary's steam-engine, as improved by Watt and Bolton, to the propulsion of vessels, dates in 1807; so that but five years elapsed before the invention was introduced, and twelve years before it was spread, on the western waters. The impracticability of navigating those waters by the force of sails, caused the invention to be hailed there with acclamation; and this explains the cause of its rapid multiplication.
| No. | Names. | Tons. | No. | Names. | Tons. | |
| 1. | Etna | 200 | 27. | St. Louis Packet | 150 | |
| 2. | Vesuvius | 280 | 28. | Ramapo | 100 | |
| 3. | Orleans | 200 | 29. | Rising States | 150 | |
| 4. | Alabama | 300 | 30. | Maid of Orleans | 100 | |
| 5. | Columbus | 400 | 31. | Hamlet | 100 | |
| 6. | Tamerlane | 200 | 32. | Perseverance | 50 | |
| 7. | James Ross | 250 | 33. | Johnson | 75 | |
| 8. | United States | 500 | 34. | Eagle | 100 | |
| 9. | Paragon | 250 | 35. | Vesta | 110 | |
| 10. | Thomas Jefferson | 200 | 36. | Harriet | 40 | |
| 11. | Ohio | 300 | 37. | Constitution | 45 | |
| 12. | General Jackson | 100 | 38. | Louisiana | 60 | |
| 13. | Maysville | 152 | 39. | Governor Shelby | 60 | |
| 14. | Exchange | 154 | 40. | Franklin | 80 | |
| 15. | Volcano | 140 | 41. | Rifleman | 60 | |
| 16. | Madison | 100 | 42. | Newport | 45 | |
| 17. | Kentucky | 60 | 43. | Expedition | 150 | |
| 18. | Hecla | 100 | 44. | General Clark | 150 | |
| 19. | Napoleon | 200 | 45. | Henderson | 150 | |
| 20. | Washington | 150 | 46. | Tornado | 250 | |
| 21. | Buffalo | 100 | 47. | Elizabeth | 175 | |
| 22. | James Monroe | 70 | 48. | Missouri Packet | 100 | |
| 23. | Cincinnati | 85 | 49. | Post-Boy (for pas'gers only) | - | |
| 24. | St. Louis | 200 | 50. | Western Engineer | 40 | |
| 25. | General Pike | 75 | Total | 7,306 | ||
| 26. | Independence | 100 |
In addition to these, there are two new boats building at Pittsburgh, one at Wheeling, one at Steubenville, one at Marietta, two at Cincinnati, one at Frankfort, two at Shippingport, one at Madison, and two at New Albany, making a total number of sixty-three. There are also several more in contemplation, so that it is probable another year will considerably augment the number. The first steamboat on the western waters was built at Pittsburgh in 1811, eight years ago. Hence it appears there has been an average increase of eight boats per annum; but by far the greatest proportion have been built within the last three years.
| 7306 tons, at 4 cents per lb. freight up from New Orleans, amounts to | $584,480 00 |
| 7306 tons, at 1 cent per lb. freight down to New Orleans | 146,120 00 |
| 10 passengers down in each boat, at $60 | 39,800 00 |
| 5 passengers up in each boat, at $100 | 31,500 00 |
| $801,900 00 |