CHAP. XXIIL] SHIPPING COTTON AT BLUFFS. 49 



those points where the high land comes up to the 

 river s edge in other words, where there is no allu 

 vial plain between the great stream and the higher 

 country. These spots, being the only 0nes not 

 liable to inundation, and which can therefore 

 serve as inland ports when the river is full, or 

 when the largest boats can sail up and down, are of 

 great importance in the inland navigation of the 

 country. A proprietor whose farm is thus advan 

 tageously situated, usually builds a warehouse, not 

 only for storing up for embarkation the produce of 

 his own land, but large enough to take in the cotton 

 of his neighbours. A long and steeply-inclined plane 

 is cut in the high bank, down which one heavy bale 

 after another is made to slide. The negroes show 

 great dexterity in guiding these heavy packages ; but 

 occasionally they turn over and over before reaching 

 the deck of the boat, and sometimes, though rarely, 

 run off the course and plunge into the river, where 

 they float till recovered. Had I not been engaged 

 in geological inquiries, I should probably have had 

 my patience severely tried by such repeated stoppings 

 at every river cliff; but it so happened that the 

 captain always wanted to tarry at the precise points 

 where alone any sections of the cretaceous and ter 

 tiary strata were visible, and was often obliged to 

 wait long enough to enable me to make a tolerably 

 extensive collection of the most characteristic fossils. 

 In the present instance and I shall have by-and-by 

 to mention other similar ones Captain Bragdon 

 was not only courteous, but perfectly understood, 

 and entered into my pursuits, and had himself col- 



VOL. II. D 



