VIEWS OF LOUISIANA. 
A7S 
parts of the world, it must be acknowledged that but few i'ui4 
possibilities present the mselves in the improvement of this 
country. Time, and a numerous population, are doubtless, re* 
quisite, but the advantages which offer themselves, will render 
it no less certain The soil of Louisiana is the most fertile in 
the world, the climate delightful during nine months of the 
year, and bad the remainder, only from being irreclaimed; its 
productions are of the most valuable kind, and its geographical 
position, superior, perhaps to that of any part of America* 
These considerations will combine to raise the lands of Louisi¬ 
ana to their highest value, sooner than in other sections of the 
union, where the lands being more than sufficient to support ten 
times the present population, and the productions every where 
much alike, it is not likely that the inhabitants will soon be com¬ 
pelled to resort to the thousand arts, by which every acre in the 
populous parts of the -old world is forced to bring something. 
In Louisiana, the value of its productions, the amazing fertility 
of its soil, with its other advantages, will cause these arts to be 
resorted to much sooner. Still many years must pass away be¬ 
fore we can expect to become sufficiently acquainted with this 
country, or before the different means can be discovered of redu¬ 
cing it to subjection; this must be the result of long experience 
and observation. It will be reduced to a science, all the inventions 
of the old world for similar purposes will be put in requisition, 
and new ones adapted to the peculiarities of the country will be 
fallen upon. But it is the gift of man to subdue and govern the 
earth, and when we have seen him not only place it under his 
subjection, but even raise for himself a dominion out of the ele¬ 
ment of storms, where shall we set bounds to Lis labors and in¬ 
genuity? 
The most considerable work of art yet constructed for the 
purpose of rendering this country haoitable, is the embankment 
of the river, usually called the levee. We should oe much de¬ 
ceived if we were to form an idea of this from the dykes of Hol¬ 
land or the embankments of the Nile. The le vees are common¬ 
ly constructed in the following manner. At the distance of thir¬ 
ty or forty yards from the natural bank, a mound of earth is rais¬ 
ed', varying from four to six feet high, and usually from six to 
