About noon, 5 of the men went out of the fort to Byrne's deserted house, on the bluff, about a quarter of a mile below the fort, to bring in a grindstone. In consequence of back water from the Mississippi, they went in a canoe; and on their return were fired on by a party supposed to be 50 Indians, who were under shelter of some brush that grew along at the foot of the bluff, near Byrne's house, and about 15 rods distant from the canoe at the time. Three of the whites were killed, and one mortally wounded; and as the back water, where the canoe was, was only about knee deep, the Indians ran out and tomahawked their victims.

The people in the fort ran out as quick as possible, and fired across the back water at the Indians, but as they were nearly a quarter of a mile off, it was of course without effect. Captain Craig, with a party of 'some 25 men, hastened in pursuit of the Indians, and ran across a point of the back water, a few inches deep; while another party, of whom I was one, of about 25, ran to the right of the water, with a view of intercepting the Indians, who seemed to be making toward the bluff, or high plain, west and northwest of the fort. The party with which I had started and Captain Craig's soon united.

Immediately on the bluff was the cultivated field and deserted residence of Benjamin Allen, the field about 40 rods across, beyond which was pretty thick timber. Here the Indians made a stand, and here the fight commenced. Both parties treed, and as the firing waxed warm, the Indians slowly retired as the whites advanced. After this fighting had been going on perhaps some 10 minutes, the whites were reinforced by Captain David Musick, of Cape au Gris, with about 20 men. Captain Musick had been on a scout toward the head of Cuivre River, and had returned, though unknown at Fort Howard, to the crossing of Cuivre River, about a mile from the fort, and about a mile and a half from the scene of conflict; and had stopped with his men to graze their horses, when, hearing the firing, they instantly remounted and dashed toward the place of battle, and dismounting in the edge of the timber on the bluff, and hitching their horses, they rushed through a part of the Indian line, and shortly after the enemy fled, a part bearing to the right of the Sink Hole toward Bob's Creek, but the most of them taking refuge in the Sink Hole, which was close by where the main fighting had taken place. About the time the Indians were retreating, Captain Craig exposed himself about 4 feet beyond his tree, and was shot through the body, and fell dead; James Putney was killed before Captain Craig, and perhaps one or two others. Before the Indians retired to the Sink Hole, the fighting had become animated; the loading was done quick, and shots rapidly exchanged, and when one of our party was killed or wounded, it was announced aloud.

This Sink Hole was about 60 feet in length, and about 12 to 15 feet wide, and 10 or 12 feet deep. Near the bottom, on the southeast side, was a shelving rock, under which perhaps some 50 or 60 persons might have sheltered themselves. At the northeast end of the Sink Hole, the descent was quite gradual, the other end much more abrupt, and the southeast side was nearly perpendicular, and the other side about like the steep roof of a house. On the southeast side, the Indians, as a further protection in case the whites should rush up, dug under the shelving rock with their knives. On the sides and in the bottom of the Sink Hole were some bushes, which also served as something of a screen for the Indians.

Captain Musick and his men took post on the northeast side of the Sink Hole,

and the others occupied other positions surrounding the enemy. As the trees approached close to the Sink Hole, these served in part to protect our party. Finding we could not get a good opportunity to dislodge the enemy, as they were best protected, those of our men who had families at the fort gradually went there, not knowing but a large body of Indians might seize the favorable occasion to attack the fort while the men were mostly away, engaged in the exciting contest.

The Indians in the Sink Hole had a drum, made of a skin stretched over a section of hollow tree, on which they beat quite constantly; and some Indian would shake a rattle, called she-shu-qui, probably a dried bladder with pebbles within; and even, for a moment, would venture to thrust his head in view, with his hand elevated, shaking his rattle, and calling out peash! peash! which was understood to be a sort of defiance, or, as Black Hawk, who was one of the party, says, in his account of that affair, a kind of bravado to come and fight them in the Sink Hole. When the Indians would creep up and shoot over the rim of the Sink Hole, they would instantly disappear, and while they sometimes fired effectual shots, they in turn became occasionally the victims of our rifles. From about 1 to 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the firing was inconstant, our men generally reserving their fire till an Indian would show his head, and all of us were studying how he could more effectually attack and dislodge the enemy.

At length Lieutenant Spears suggested that a pair of cart wheels, axle and tongue, which were seen at Allen's place, near at hand, be obtained, and a moving battery constructed. This idea was entertained favorably, and an hour or more consumed in its construction. Some oak floor puncheons, from 7 to 8 feet in length, were made fast to the axle in an upright position, and port-holes made through them. Finally, the battery was ready for trial, and was sufficiently large to protect some half a dozen or more men. It was moved forward slowly, and seemed to attract the particular attention of the Indians, who had evidently heard the knocking and pounding connected with its manufacture, and who now frequently popped up their heads to make momentary discoveries; and it was at length moved up to within less than 10 paces of the brink of the Sink Hole, on the southeast side. The upright plank did not reach the ground within some 18 inches, our men calculating to shoot beneath the lower end of the plank at the Indians; but the latter, from their position, had the decided advantage of this neglected aperture; for the Indians, shooting beneath the battery at an upward angle, would get shots at the whites before the latter could see them. The Indians also watched the port-holes, and directed some of their shots to them. Lieutenant Spears was shot dead, through the forehead, and his death was much lamented, as he had proved himself the most active and intrepid officer engaged. John Patterson was wounded in the thigh, and some others wounded behind the battery. Having failed in the object for which it was designed, the battery was abandoned after sundown.

Our hope all along had been, that the Indians would emerge from their covert, and attempt to retreat to where we supposed their canoes were left, some 3 or 4 miles distant, in which case we were firmly determined to rush upon them, and endeavor to cut them totally off. The men generally evinced the greatest bravery during the whole engagement. Night now coming on, we heard the reports of half a dozen or so of guns in the direction of the fort, by a few Indians who rushed out from the woods skirting Bob's Creek, not more than 40 rods from the north end of the fort. This movement on the part of the few Indians

who had escaped when the others took refuge in the Sink Hole, was evidently designed to divert the attention of the whites, and alarm them for the safety of the fort, and thus effectually relieve the Indians in the Sink Hole. This was the result, for Captain Musick and men retired to the fort, carrying the dead and wounded, and made every preparation to repel a night attack. As the Mississippi was quite high, with much back water over the low grounds, the approach of the enemy was thus facilitated, and it was feared a large Indian force was at hand. The people were always more apprehensive of danger at a time when the river was swollen, than when at its ordinary stage.

The men in the fort were mostly up all night, ready for resistance, if necessary. There was no physician at the fort, and much effort was made to set some broken bones. There was a well in the fort, and provisions and ammunition sufficient to sustain a pretty formidable attack. The women were greatly alarmed, pressing their infants to their bosoms, fearing they might not be permitted to behold another morning's light; but the night passed away without seeing or hearing an Indian. The next morning a party went to the Sink Hole, and found the Indians gone, who had carried off all their dead and wounded, except 5 dead bodies left on the northwest bank of the Sink Hole; and by the signs of blood within the Sink Hole, it was judged that well nigh 30 of the enemy must have been killed and wounded. Lieutenant Drakeford Gray's report of the affair, made 8 of our party killed, one missing, and 5 wounded-making a total of 14; I had thought the number was nearer 20. Our dead were buried near the fort, when Captain Musick and his men went over to Cape au Gris, where they belonged, and of which garrison Captain Musick had the command. We that day sent out scouts, while I proceeded to St. Charles to procure medical and surgical assistance, and sent forward Drs. Hubbard and Wilson.

THE State of Arkansas is situated between 33° and 36° 30' N. latitude; and between 89° 45′ and 94° 40′ W. longitude. It is bounded on the north by Missouri, on the east by Mississippi and Tennessee, on the south by Louisiana and Texas, and on the west by Texas and the Indian Territory. Its extreme length, from north to south, is 240 miles, and its greatest width, from east to west, about 225 miles.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The eastern part of the State, for 100 miles back from the Mississippi, is flat and swampy. The north-western part is occupied by the Ozark Mountains, a low range extending into the State from Missouri, and never rising above a height of 2000 feet. The Black Hills lie in the north, and the Washita Hills in the west are the remaining elevations. The greater part of the State is rolling

The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary, and receives the waters of the Arkansas and St. Francis rivers. The principal towns on its banks are Oceola, Mound City, Helena, and Napoleon. The Arkansas River enters the State at Fort Smith on the western boundary, and flows southwest across it into the Mississippi at Napoleon. It divides the State into two unequal parts, and receives the waters of the White River on the north, and some small streams from both sides. The principal towns on its banks are Van Buren, Little Rock, and Napoleon.

The Red River flows through the southwest part of the State, and the Washita (already described), with its branches, the Saline and Bœuf, drain the south central counties. The White River is the principal branch of the Arkansas, and empties into it a few miles above the junction of the latter stream with the Mississippi. It rises in a number of branches in Southern Missouri, and flows south through the eastern part of Arkansas. It now flows into the Mississippi by a new channel near the mouth of the Arkansas, being in reality a tributary of both streams. Its entire length is about 800 miles, for 500 of which it is The St. Francis River rises in Southeast navigable for steamers. Missouri, and flows into the Mississippi just above Helena. It is 400 miles long, and is navigable for 200 miles, beyond the limits of Arkansas. The Red River is navigable throughout its course in this State. The Washita is navigable to Camden, and its tributaries, the Saline and Bœuf, are each navigable for a considerable distance.

MINERALS.

The principal minerals of Arkansas are coal, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, gypsum, marble, and salt. The coal fields are very extensive, and extend along both sides of the Arkansas, from about 40 miles above Little Rock to beyond Fort Smith. The deposits of manganese are enormous, and it contains, according to Professor De Bow, more zinc than any other State except New Jersey. The lead ore is very rich in silver, and gold has been discovered in White county. There is a large quarry of oil stone near the Hot Springs, which surpasses any similar formation in the world, and is inexhaustible. In Pike county, on the Little Missouri River, there is a mountain of pure white alabaster. The Hot Springs, about 60 miles southwest of Little Rock, are famous for their medicinal qualities. They are especially beneficial in rheumatic and syphilitic cases. They are about 100 in number, and have an average temperature of about 145 degrees.

CLIMATE.

In the northern and western parts of the State the climate is severe, resembling that of Iowa and Wisconsin. The southern and eastern sections have a climate like Louisiana and Mississippi.

SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.

As a general rule the soil is good. The best lands are in the eastern part of the State, and need a better system of drainage.