T ravels in North America. 3 35 



Stream all Night. The next Morning by Day-Break we had 

 pafîed a new Circuit, which the River makes, and which they 

 call the Reach of the Fiakiinims, 



We found ourfelves foon after in the mid ft of the Pafles of 

 Ofth P /r> f Mifftjfftppiy where it requires the greateft: 

 the Milfiffi I Attention to work the Ship, that it may not 

 ' be drawn into fomeone of them, from whence 

 it would be impolTible to recover it. The greateft rdrt are only 

 little Rivulets, and fome are even only feparated by Sand-Banks, 

 which are almofl level with the Water. It is the Bar of \he 

 MiJJïJpppi v/hich has fo greatly multiplied thefe PafTes ; for it is 

 eafy to conceive by the Manner in which I have faid there are 

 formed every Day new Lands, how the River, endeavouring to 

 efcape by where it linds the leaft Refiftance, makes itfelf a Paf- 

 fage, fometimeîs one Way and fometimes another ; from whence 

 it might happen, if Care was not taken, that none of thefe 

 PaïTages would be praâbicable for VefTels. The Night of the 

 24th we anchored beyond the Bar, over-againft la Balife, 



The contrary Wind keeping us ftill here, we were willing to 

 Of th in d ^^^^ {omt. Advantage of this Delay. YeSer- 

 Touloufc' or\ i^y'. ^Sth. being I began by 



-r> yr Huging a great Mais m the liland, which 



they call la Balife, on Account of a Sea- 

 Mark which they have fee up for the Direfticn of Ships. 

 I afterwards bleffed it, we named it Toulotife I/Land^ and we 

 fang the Te Deum. This Illand is fcarce more than half à 

 League in Compafs, taking in alfo another Ifland which is fe- 

 parated from it by a Gutter, where there is always Water. Oa 

 the other Hand it is very low, excepting only one Place, where 

 the Floods never come, and where there is Room enough to 

 build a Fort and fome Magazines. They might unload VefTels 

 here, which could not eafily pafs the Bar with their whole 

 Lading. 



M. de P auger founded this Place with the Lead, and found 

 ^ , o . the Bottom pretty hard, and of Clay, tho" 



a prings. ^^^^^ zomç^ out of it five or fix little Spring?, 

 but which yield little Water; this Water leaves on the Sand 

 a very fine Salt. When thé River is lowefl, that is to fay, durir g 

 the three hotteft Months of the Year, the Water is fait round 

 this Illand : In the Time of the Floods, it is quite freih, and 

 the River preferves its Frelhnefs a good League in the Sea. At 

 all other Times it is a little faltifh beyond the Bar. Therefore 

 it is entirely a Fable, which has been reported, that for tvventy 

 Leagues the Mjjfjfippi does not mix its Waters with thofe of the 

 Sea. 



