5S Miscelianeoiis Geological- Topics 



autumn, which, under favorable circumstances of dry weather, would 

 sometimes destroy, for the moment, the vegetation of immense re- 

 gions, burning every tree to the top and leaving none alive. This 

 mode of removing the cane must have been continued and extended 

 with the increase of Indian papulation, by which means the water, 

 under the given circumstances, escaped more readily. No matter 

 how extensive a country of cane and wood was destroyed by fire f 

 the cane during the following year would spring forth again, and in 

 two or three months, stand as thick and as luxuriant as before. Hav- 

 ing the exclusive possession of the land, it precluded the possibility of 

 the coming forth of trees, but being unable long to withstand the ac- 

 tion of the sun's rays, it would ere long die, and leave the land free 

 for grass and trees to take possession and contend for the- mastery. 



It was now that the waters of the lakes found the fractured points 

 in the hills and the mountains, and began to press hard upon them ; 

 hurricanes, assisted by fire began to form the prairies, and continued 

 to extend their bounds. And now during the spring se'ason, on the 

 surface of the ravines, the water began to show itself, and make its 

 way slowly, through the thick cane-brake, until taking advantage of 

 the paths, made along the ravine by the beasts of the forest, it at 

 length excavated a distinct channel. This channel probably existed 

 in a very inconsiderable degree, at the time when the white man ap- 

 peared. Under his subduing hand, forests and cane-brakes disap- 

 peared, and even prairies lost their names and became forests and 

 fields. 



ABORIGINAL. BURNING. 



I suppose that during the second century, of the Christian Era, 

 the Indians passed out of Asia into America, and that about the 

 fifth and sixth century, they had considerably increased and spread 

 over North and South America, where they continued to kindle 

 their autumnal fires. About this time, the waters of the lakes had 

 probably made a considerable breach through the ridges and moun- 

 tains, which formed natural dams, running across the ravines, and 

 then the water began to show itself on the surface of the vale, when 

 inroads were soon made upon the cane and trees, and thus a channel 

 was formed. In 1750, the French settlements began on the banks 

 of the river, above New Orleans ; for the term of twenty years they 

 cultivated the land and " rarely" says Mr. Dunbar, "had they ever 

 seen the Mississippi surmount the level of its banks, and the embank- 



