Vll APPENDIX. 



survey began, which ended in sustaining the grounds then as- 

 sumed, and announcing the practicability of the total reclamation 

 of the alluvion by levees. 



In illustration of the sentiments of those times, I quote from 

 an essay written by myself in 1849, entitled the "Physics of the 

 Mississippi River," deduced from twelve years' observations and 

 studies. 



" State of Levees and their Servitudes. — 24. (a) The levees 

 of Louisiana may be regarded as in full operation for fifty years, 

 for a distance of one hundred miles from Bayou Lafourche down 

 belovi^ the city. These levees have an average height no greater 

 than those now being erected in the upper portion of the State ; 

 and the highest water-marks known, whether within the levee 

 districts or not, are no higher than many points of the land ; and 

 some of the best river plantations present long reaches without 

 levees. 



"(6) The river, therefore, has' not raised its bed, nor reached 



point of elevation, in recent years, greater than its level when 

 it depositea its high grounds. 



" (c) To maintain levees in future, therefore, we shall have to 

 raise them no higher than in the past. 



" 25. (ffl) The location of levees below Baton Rouge was chiefly 

 made before those further above, and consequently were placed 

 too near the bank to admit of the new abrasions, arising from cut- 

 offs, from extended levees, and from the never-ceasing steamboat 

 waves. 



" (6) For this reason they are now being destroyed by caving 

 banks and by lashing waves of steamers and winds. 



" (c) A period has arrived when these new elements have cut 

 away the small battures ; and the high waters, which the geology 

 of this alluvion shows to have been frequent, geologically speak- 

 ing, in past ages, are recurring, and our levees are wholly un- 

 equal to the task of restraining the waters." * * * * 



At the beginning of the late war of secession, the levees were 

 extended nearly to the head of the Delta, leaving only intervals 

 near and above the inlet rivers, the Red, Aikansas, and St. 

 Francis, amounting in all to less than forty miles. And while 

 many of these levees were very frail and liable to frequent 

 crevasses, many others, and especially those which closed the 

 great outlets, were substantial dikes. 



During the war many of the great levees were cut as a military 

 necessity, and many others broke of themselves, and from neglect 

 the cuts widened, until most of the country was remitted to deso- 

 lation. 



The State of Louisiana undertook to restore her levees, and 

 has expended some twelve millions of dollars since the war in the 

 attempt. But the States of Arkansas and Mississippi have done 

 very little in the work of restoration. 



(16) 



