relating to the Vale of the Mississippi. 



c! Iiniinr1«!. nnrl rViat it ijraa fnrtnprl Tiv n r 



61 



wrote within its bounds, and that it was formed by a process, incal- 

 culably slower than that which formed the Delta, what would he have 

 said ? After a fire-side geological survey of the globe, Dr. Hutton 

 concluded : " We find no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an 

 end." It is due to the memory of Mr. Dunbar, thus publicly to 

 assert, that his remarks upon the Mississippi and its delta, are of the 

 highest excellence and authority. 



Respecting the delta, Mr. Dunbar farther remarks that " upon all 

 lands long subject to culture, and defended from the inundation 

 though near the margin, the appearance is almost lost." This is a 

 mistake, as there can be no sensible diminution- of sand ; the in- 

 creased firmness and adhesiveness of all soils upon long culture, is in 

 consequence of the farther decomposition and consequent loss of 

 vegetable matter. 



The second clay stratum of Natchez basin, has long since lost all 



appearances of vegetable matter ; it has been resolved, and all the 



volatile and fertilizing properties carried off by the passage of water 



through it, leaving nothing behind, but a part of the iron and alumina 



. yielded by decomposition. 



Not to mention absurdities of a higher cast, it is an idle fancy to 

 talk of the effects of the water of the Mississippi " banishing disor- 

 ders common to other countries." This delusion is found in all 

 civilized countries. Mineral waters have often been supposed to 

 effect that which is due to change of situations producing a new train 

 of associations, by the novelty of the scene, and the change of air, 

 and thus often a very powerful influence is exerted upon chronic 

 diseases. More benefit is derived from these causes than from the 

 waters, as it rarely occurs that their qualities are suited to the par- 

 ticular nature and state of the disease. 



The Mississippi may be regarded as a river almost without barriers ; 

 it cannot be controlled by its own banks or by the feeble ramparts 

 erected by man ; occasionally, it rolls through a breadth of thirty 

 miles ; roves with restless activity from side to side ; subverts en- 

 tire forests, and at its pleasure obliterates the soils which it had de- 

 posited in former ages. 



LAKES ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI. 



This river has no lakes at its mouth, but it is abundantly supplied 

 with them on each side, throughout its whole extent. These numer- 

 ous lakes are formed by bends of the river, presenting not unfrequent- 



