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refumes its wonted breadth, which is never hh, 

 than one mile, and feldom more than two. Its 

 depth continually encreafes beyond the bar, which 

 is contrary to what happens in all other rivers* 

 which are commonly deeper as they approach near- 

 er the fea. 



Here, Madam, would be an opportunity to give 

 you an account of what has occafioned the failure 

 of thofe| numerous, grants, which have made fo 

 much noife in France, and upon which fo many 

 had founded the greateft hopes ; but I rather chufe 

 to refer this to our firft meeting, and content 

 myfelf, at prefent, with imparting to you fome re- 

 flections I have made on the mannner of fettling 

 in this country, if our countrymen are not entire- 

 ly difgufted at the bad fuccefs fo many repeated 

 efforts, and ufelefs expences, have been attended 

 with. 



It appears to me, that the beft place for fettle- 

 ments is not on the banks of the river, but at 

 Jeafi a quarter if not half a league back in 

 the country. I am not ignorant, that it is pof- 

 fible to guard againft the ordinary inunda- 

 tions of the river by good ditches ; but there 

 is a great inconvenience in dwelling upon a 

 foil, which affords water ever fo little below 

 the furface, and where, of courfe, there can be 

 no cellars. I am even of opinion, that it would 

 be very advantageous to leave free room to 

 the annual overflowing of the river, efpecially 

 for the foil, which is not very dry and would not 

 be ufelefs. 



The flime, which remains upon it, after the 

 waters are withdrawn, renews and fattens it j and 



one 



