Dear
Brother,
After a Journey of one hundred days on the water, we arived at the Salinas Landing at
Mount Prairie, a settlement on the Borders of the Red River, On the third of May we got
into Red River, and weare two months a navigating that River and at this time we are by
the best calculation by water 1300 miles from the mouth of the same, and about 400 by
land. The shore of the Red River is a mistery and the Country adjoining and at this time I
am not able to geave you any satisfaction respecting of it, I have not been further than
thirty miles from the River since I arrived here. The land I cannot be a judge of it, and
as for water, I have not seen one good spring as yet, but I hear that further up the
Country there is good water. I purpose about the 15th of Septbr. to set out in order to
see the Upper Country. I hear that up near the mountains, there is good land and water,
also good rainge booth for winter and summer, with plenty of Buffelow, Bear, and Deer.
There is Buffelow within twelve miles of this place. There is as good looking Corn in the
Prairies here, as I heave almost seen, in any part of the Country, and that is most
extraordinary, is that wheate and cottoen booth grows to perfection here, and everything
that is raised int the States may be raised here with advantage, excepting round potatoe,
and I fear the will not do well. They sweet potatoe succeds well, also all kinds of garden
vegetables. I have not in my power to right fully or satisfactorily tell you as I have
seen but little of the Country. The year 1818 was a very dry season in this country and
very small crops of corn and a large numer of people here corn was very poor, and scearce
it hath sold as high as $3.pr.bushel, but people hath now got reliefe as there is corn
here nerely fit to grind. There is corn here planted in the wheat stubble, that is now a
shooting and Tasseling, and from appearance will make good corn and I believe corn will be
sold at 50 cts.from they heape this faul.
There is no land office opened in this Territory as yet, they have survey'd 2 Townships on
the west side of the Arkinsaw River, and is expected to be sold inthe course of the next
season. From the lengthe of time that we ware on the River, and the extreme warm weather
that we had in the months of May and June, all my family has had and now hath the ague and
fevour, allso all Mr. Tollett's family, and when we shall git clear of it is uncertain.
All the people that hath come here by water, also all those that lives on the River, is in
the same way, it is a thing that hath not been common in this country. The oldest settlers
hath not been here more than six years this faul, cattle and hoogs does well but horses
does not do so well, I suppose for want of grain.
I should be glad to hear from you but there is no possible chance as there is no post
office yet established here yet, nor perhaps wil be before the next session of Congress,
without you could meet with a private conveyance you can direct to Mount Prairie in the
Arkinsaw District, if you or any of my old neighbors wishes to move you could do well to
come see the country first. There is lands of the first Quallity in this Country and on
the River. I have seen the soile 40 feet deep without any alteration in the prairies where
they have been diging for water, there is no perceivable change in the twelve feet as a
great fault as I find with the country is the lack of good springs and the land is two
level. Pleas communicate this inforrmation to all my friends and well wishers as at this
time I have not had the opertunity of righting to any of them. I you have an opertunity of
collecting of any money for me, there is no notes current here only the paper of the
United States or of Orlienes Bank specie is the only currance in this country. Please let
Mr. Clifford know of this circumstance.
About four days after we landed, old Daddy Ceasor departed life without any sickness or
even a struggle. My family all desires to be remembered to you and yours and to all
enquiring friends. I have not heard from you since in January last, I wrote two or three
letters on my journey to you, but did not expect an answer as yet. I would be glad to hear
how Mr. H Hance and the Hoggs hath settled their dispute. There hath been 23 sick people
out of 26 in my family, myself, old Sarah and one of the little Negroe boys is all that
hath escaped, a good many of them is got over the worst, and Ihope the reast will soon be
well. Please Dear Brother to remember me to Mr. Brown and family, all my well wishes, and
please except of the sincere respects of your friend and Brother, Adieu, adieu.
(Mr. Michael Brown) C.S. Brown
-------------------------------------------
Hampstead
County, Arkansas Territory
April 6th, 1820
Dear Brother
and Sister;
It is with pleasure I set down to write to you to give you some information of this
country. I have just returned from a tour of hunting. I had Rowland and Aaron with me. We
had five more in company we killed 70 Buffalo, 30 Bear and 50 Deer, all in the best order.
Rowland has not yet returned. He hath stayed with some gentlemen to catch wild horses.
There is a great number of the first rate in that part of the country. It is land covered
with stock. We saw more than ten thousand Buffalo in one day and had more than three
thousand in view at one time. The praries are very large. Your eye cannot see the timber
on each side when you are in the middle, and the land is vastly rich. The land on the
watercourses is covered with timber and the richest lands I ever saw. The bottoms on Red
River are from five to fifteen miles wide, and the length of them, I cannot tell, but say
forty or fifty miles. Grain of all kinds grows to perfection in this part of the country,
and cotton more than commonly fine. Wheat also grows well, and that is uncommon for cotton
and wheat to succeed in the same climate.
On the fourth of July last, we landed at the Saline Landing and was on the water from 28th
of March. My family in a few days was everyone sick, only two besides myself, and some of
them never go over it until the winter. But at this time they are all well, thanks to the
giver of all good and hoping you are equal partakers of this bounty.
I flet much surprise and also disappointment in your not coming to Tennessee before I left
there. I have not had a single letter from one friend since I left Tennessee, but hath
heard verbally that there is two small negroes in Tennessee for me, Viz a boy of ten years
and a girl of twelve. How they came there I cannot hear, nor in whose hands they are, I
have not heard. I shall be glad to hear from you by letter. You can now send mail, as
there is a post office established as is written in above this. When you write, direct to
Hampstead County, Arkansas Territory and I shall in all probability receive it. Prey write
soon, write long and often as I am anxious to hear from your country...C.S. Brown |