44 
VIEWS OF LOUISIANA. 
ways used for the purpose of navigating the boats, but the cor«, 
delle, and sails, are also of great importance. In the course of a 
voyage it is rare that there are not six or eight days of sailing, 
which is a great relief to the hands, as the boat is then propel¬ 
led against the current without their assistance, sometimes, thir¬ 
ty miles a day. In very light winds, the sails are hoisted and al¬ 
though not sufficient alone to cause the boat to ascend, yet af? 
ford cqnsiderable help. The boats usually employed are from 
ten to thirty tons burthen; as high as Natchez, schooners of fif¬ 
ty tons often ascend. There are, besides, between the places 
just mentioned, a kind of boats of a peculiar construction, much 
in use, and carrying often eight or ten tons: they appear to be 
formed of a single tree, but in reality out of three of the largest 
size; two are hollowed in such a manner as to form the sides, and 
a third for the bottom: they are then joined together so as to make 
a very durable and strong boat, easily managed, and the most 
Safe against hurricanes and violent winds. 
The Mississippi carries generally 15 feet water from the 
mouth of the Missouri to the Ohio, from thence to the Red ri¬ 
ver, it seems to increase in depth; at this place it has as many 
fathoms, and at New Orleans not less than forty. On the bar, 
there are usually from twelve to fourteen feet, although the wa¬ 
ter rises at the mouth of the Ohio fifty feet, and but little dim¬ 
inution is experienced before we pass Natchez; at Baton Rouge 
it is not more than 25 feet, at New Orleans only fifteen, and at 
^he mouth of the river, is scarcely perceptible. 
Tf he floods of the Mississippi usually begin in April; com¬ 
mencing with the first flood of the Missouri which is usually 
in March, on the breaking up of the ice ; this is followed by the 
Mississippi above the junction, afterwards by the Ohio, and 
other rivers. The great flood of the Missouri begins in June, 
shortly after which those of the Mississippi, in consequence at¬ 
tain their greatest height. It subsides in August. A very unu¬ 
sual occurrence took place this winter (1812) in the month of 
December, the river rose to within two or three feet of the high¬ 
est water and continued to be high until the latter end of the 
month. The oldest inhabitants had never witnessed any thing of 
the kind. 
