.384 



sissippi once discharged itself at that point, it follows, 

 since it is sufficiently evident that the sea has not di- 

 minished in height, that the Mississippi must, in every 

 inch of that distance have urged its way through or in 

 opposition to the ocean or bay of Mexico, through 

 which distance, being upon the level with the waters 

 in the gulf, there is not the least possible descent. 

 This is not all : the tides it is well known, do actually 

 rise so as to check the current in the Atchafalaya 

 river, as far up as the great raft* which lies west of, 

 and is on the same parrallel of latitude, as New Or- 

 leans. If is equally well known that the tides like- 

 wise rise in Lake Borgne, Lake Ponchartrain, and 

 even in the river Iberville, all of which are on the 

 east, and north of New Orleans.! 



This being the case, will any one pretend that the 

 tides, but for the current of the Mississippi, would not 

 rise above New Orleans? I presume not. Conse- 

 quently, in addition to the diminished slope in the in- 

 clined plane, or want of descent, the resistance of the 

 waters of the bay of Mexico in their natural state and 

 elevation, and against which this river has to force its 

 way ; is also the resistance of the tides through an ex- 

 tent of more than ninety miles. 



It will, doubtless, be said that the force of the cur- 

 rent of the Mississippi is such, that the tides do not 

 exercise any power or influence over it, so far at least, 

 as to occasion any difference in its velocity ; and this, 



* Darby's Louisiana, page 73. f Do. Do. page 131. 



