NORTH AMERICA. 
with civility, entreating me to refide with him ; but 
being impatient to get to the river, and pleading 
the neceffity of profecuting my travels with alacrity, 
on account of the feafon being fo far advanced, I 
was permitted to proceed, and fet off next morn- 
ing. Still afcending the Amite about twenty miles 
farther, arrived at the forks, where the Iberville 
comes in on the left hand, afcending which a little 
way, we foon came to the landing, where are ware- 
houses for depofiting merchandize, this being the ex- 
tremity of navigation up this canal, and here fmall 
veffels load and unload. From this place to Man- 
chac, on the banks of the Miffirlippi, juft above the 
mouth of the canal, is nine miles by land ; the 
road ilraight, fpacious, and perfectly level, under 
the fhadow of a grand fore ft ; the trees of the fir ft 
order in magnitude and beauty, as Magnolia gran- 
diflora, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus, juglans 
nigra, Fraxinus excellior, Morus rubra, Laurus 
faffafras, Laurus Borbonia^ Tilea, Liquidambar 
Ityraciflua, &c. 
At evening arrived at Manchac, when I directed 
my fteps to the banks of the Miffiffippi, where I flood 
for a time as it were fafcinated by the magnificence 
of the great fire * of rivers. 
The depth of the river here, even in this feafon, 
at its lowefl ebb, is aftonifhing, not lefs than forty 
fathoms ; and the width about a mile or fomewhat 
lefs : but it is not expanfion cf fur face alone that 
ftrikes us with ideas of magnificence ; the altitude 
and theatrical afcents of its penlile banks, the Hea- 
dy courfe of the mighty flood, the trees, high fo- 
refts, even every particular object, as well as focie- 
r 
* Which 3.3 the meaning of the word MifTiffippL * 
ties, 
