for several months in the year, but filled witl: 

 cypress and jack brush. From Plaquemines tc 

 the Passes is twenty-four miles, where the riven 

 branches into three parts. These branches arc 

 called Passes, and distinguished, by the east, 

 south, and west Pass. The land in this distance: 

 is mostly clothed with jack bushes and tall weeds 

 From these branches to the sea is about twent) 

 miles, and the land has the appearance of a vastly 

 extended marsh, destitute of trees or shrubs, 

 but covered with long grass. 



The East Pass, at the distance of six miles, 

 divides into two branches. The eastern is callec 

 Pass a la Loutre, and the other Belize. On the 

 Belize is a small black house, called by the same 

 name, and near it are a number of houses, occu 

 pied by pilots. Large ships, bound up the river, 

 enter it by this Pass ; there being the greatest 

 depth of water on the bar. At the entrance oi] 

 this Pass about sixteen feet of water may be car- ; 

 ried over the bar. The bars lie without the 

 mouths of the Passes, are very narrow, and inn, 

 mediately after passing them the water deepens 

 to six'or seven fathoms. The South Pass, which 

 is directly in front of Mississippi, has been almost; 

 entirely choaked with drift wood, but has about 

 ten feet of water on the bar. The West Pass, 

 which is the longest and narrowest, and used to; 

 be the passage by which large ships entered the 

 river, had some years ago eighteen feet, but is 



