355 



of a circle of nearly ISO . Through or across the 

 eastern portion of this segment of land, the Missis- 

 sippi river runs ; but which, in its course from New 

 Orleans to near Fort St. Philip, does not embrace one 

 quarter of this alluvial district or projecting segment. 

 Now with all the gain of this river by alluvial depo- 

 sites, and the extension of lands which it has for ages 

 been pushing forward into the sea, the extreme point 

 of land at the Balize does not, it is believed, extend 

 so iar, due south, into the gulf of Mexico, as the land 

 at the mouth of the river Lafourche, or the land oppo- 

 site the east end of the island Grand Caillou. 



1 have admitted that the strip of land beyond the 

 mouth of Bastien bay, to that of Black Lake has been 

 formed by alluvial deposites from the Mississippi 

 river. 1 now beg leave to ask by what means was the 

 projection of land formed between the east end of 

 Grand Isle, and the entrance of Atchafalaya bay ? 



The Mississippi river does not approach the mouth 

 of the river Lafourche, in any direction, within almost 

 fifty miles, and at no point below New Orleans, not 

 within seventy miles of the land opposite the east end 

 of Isle Grand Caillou. 



It may be, and doubtless is attributed to one, or all 

 of the following causes. 



In the first place, it may be said that during the in- 

 undation of the Mississippi at some remote period, its 

 current, from the pressure above, was urged into the 

 channel of the river Lafourche, overflowing the coun- 

 try to the right and left, and depositing its alluvion 



