LatAm Digital Edition and Gazetteer

name. Tlie religion of these idolaters is very singular, for they acknoAvledge a supreme being, who, they imagine, manifests himself to them in the figure of some animal which feeds in their fields ; and when this dies, tlvey substitute another, after having signified very great demonstrations of regret for the fate of the one whicli is lost.

AKANKIA, a river of the province and government of Louisiana. It is an arm of the Mississippi, which runs s. s. e. and enters the lake of Maurepas.

AKANSA, a settlement of Indians of the province and government of Louisiana. It has a fort built by the French, and it is near the mouth of the river of its name, where it enters the Mississippi.

Akansa, another settlement in the same province, situate also on the shore of the aforesaid river, and distinguished by the name of Petit Akansa.

Akansa (river), a river of the above province and government. It rises in the country of the Ozaques Indians, runs many leagues s. e. as far as the town of Satovis, Avhen, turning to the s. it enters by two mouths into the Mississippi, being throughout subject to large cataracts.

AKOUKA, a settlement of the province of La Guayana, in the Dutch possessions, or colony of Surinam ; situate on the shore of the river Little, just before it enters tlie Marawin.

[ALABAHA, a considerable river in E. Florida. Also said to be the name of a branch of St. Mary’s river.]

[ALABAHA, a considerable river of Georgia, which pursues a s. course to thegulph of Mexico, 100 miles w. of the head of St. Mary’s river. Its banks are low, and a trifling rain sAvells it to more than a mile in Avidth. In a freshet the current is rapid, and those Avho pass are in danger of being ^entangled in vines and briars, and droAvned ; they are also in r<'ul danger from great numbers of hungry alligators. The country for nearly iOO miles on each side of this river, that is to say, from the l)ead of St. Mary’s to Flint river, Avhicli is 90 miles w. of the Alabaha, is a continued soft, miry Avaste, affording neither water nor food for men or beasts ; and is so poor indeed, as that the common game of the Avoods are not found here. The i ountry on the of Alabaha is rather preferable to that on the e.l

[ALABAMOUS, an old French fort, in the w. part of Georgia ; situate between Coosa and Tallapoose rivers, and not far from their confluence.]

ALABAMA, an Indian village, delightfully situated on the banks of the Mississippi, on several swelling green hills, gradually ascending from the verge of the river. These Indians are the remains of the ancient Alabama nation, who inhabited the e. arm of the Great Mobile river,. Avhich still bears their name, now possessed by the Creeks, or Mnscogulges, who conquered the former.]

[Alabama River is formed by the junction of the Coosa or Coosee, or High Town river, and Tallapoosee river, at Little Tallasee, and runs in a s. w. direction, until it meets Tombigbee river from the n. w. at the great island which it there forms, 90 miles from the mouth of Mobile bay, in thegulph of Mexico. This beautiful river has a gentle current, pure waters, and excellent fish. It runs about two miles an hour, is 70 or 80 rods wide at its head, and from 15 to 18 feet deep in the driest season. The banks are about 50 feet high, and seldom, if ever, overfloAved. Travellers have gone down in large boats, in the month of May, in nine days, from Little Tallasee fo Mobile bay, Avhich is about 350 miles by water. Its banks abound Avith valuable productions in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms.

[ALABASTER, or Eleutheua, one of the Bahama or Lucayo islands, on which is a small fort and garrison. It is on the Great Bahama bank. The soil of this island and Harbour island, which lies at the n. end of it, is better tlian Providence island, and produces the greatest part of the pineapples that are exported ; the climate is very healthy. Lat. 24° 40' to 26° 30' n. Long. 76° 22' to 76° 56' W.1

[ALACHUA Savannah is a level green plain, in the country of the Indians of that name in E. Florida, situate about 75 miles w. from St. Augustine. It is about 15 miles over, and 50 in circumference ; and scarcely a tree or bush of any kind to be seen on it. It is encircled Avith high sloping hills, covered with Avaving forests, and fragrant orange groves, rising from an exuberanfly fertile soil. The ancient Alachua town stood on the borders of this savannah ; but the Indians mnoved to Cuscowilla, two miles distant, on account of the unhealthiness of the former site, occasioned by the stench of the putrid fisli and reptile.s, in the summer and autumn, driven on shore by the alligafors, and <he noxious exhulutions from the marshes of ti)e savannah. Though the horned cattle and horses bred in these meadows are large, sleek, sprightly, and faf, yet they are subject to mortal diseases; such as the water rot, or scald, occasioned by the warm Avater of the savannah ; Avhile those which, range in the high forests are clear of this (lisonler.1 °