"Travels in North America. 333 



is eafy to keep up a certain Commerce between the Capital and 

 la Maubile, Biloxi, and all the other Polls which we pofTefs near 

 the Sea. The fécond is, that below this City, the River makes 

 a great Turn, which they have called le Detour aux Anglais, (the 

 Englijh Reach) y which may caufe a Retardment, which they 

 judge very advantageous to prevent a Surprife. Thefe Rea- 

 fons are fpecious, but they don't appear to me to be folid ; for 

 in the firft Place, thofe who have reafoned in this Manner, have 

 fuppofed that the Entrance of the River could receive none but 

 fmall VelTeis ; therefore in this Cafe, what is there to be feared 

 from a Surprife, if the Town is ever fo little fortified, as I 

 fuppofe in my Turn it will be foon ? Will they come to attack 

 it with Boats, or with VelTels which cannot carry Guns ? On the 

 other Hand, in whatever Place the City is iituated, muft not 

 the Mouth of the River be defended by good Batteries, and by a 

 Fort, which will at leaft give Time to receive Intelligence, and 

 to keep themfelves ready to receive the Enemy ? In the fécond 

 Place, what NecelTity is there for this Communication, which 

 cannot be carried on but by Boats, and with Poils, which they 

 cannot fuccour if they were attacked ; and from which con- 

 fequently they can receive but weak Succours, which for the 

 moll Part are good for nothing : I add, that when a Veifei 

 mull go up the Englifp Reach, they mull change their V/ind every 

 Moment, which may detain them whole Weeks to make feven 

 or eight Leagues. 



A little below Ne-xv Orleans, the Land begins to have but little 



Little Detth of -^^P^^^ ^^"^^^ ^^^^ ^W'JPpph and this 



tho Countrv beloL ^^^^ diminilhmg quite to the Sea. It is a 



New Orleans. ^^^"^ ^/^^^ ^^'^^^ /^^.^ ^''r 

 antient ; lor ii we dig ever io little in it, we 



find Water; and the Number of Shoals and little Illands, 



which we have feen formed within twenty years pail in all the 



Mouths of the River, leave no Room to doubt that this Slip of 



Land was formed in the fame Manner. It appears certain, that 



when M. de la Sale came down the Mijfijfippi quite to the 



Sea, the Mouth of this River was not the fame as it is at pre* 



fent. 



The more we approach the Sea, the more what I fay appeiirs 

 ^ , ; evident : The Bar has fcarce any Water in 



ha^e Zftened in S^^^^^^ . ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^i"^^ Outlets, 



.f^^/r /^^ which the River has opened for itfelf, and 



the Mouth of the i • i r r ^ 111 



j^.^^ which are 10 much encrealed only by the 



^'^^^^ Means of the Trees, which are brought down 



with the Current, one of which being flopt by its Branches, of 



by its Roots, in a Place where there is little Depth, flops à 



thoufand others. I have feen Heaps of thefe 200 Leaguei^ 



from 



