APPENDIX. 
which have been built, and occupied by the United States 5 
troops: they are now vacant. Bouge Chitto is next in size to 
Amite river, with the waters of which its higher branches in¬ 
terlock; it rises west of north from Madisonvillc, which place 
it approches in its course, but turns to the east and enters Pearl 
river; between which, and the river Tchefonta several small 
creeks and bayous rise and fall into lake Ponchartrain, but they 
are inconsiderable in point of size or extent. 
The lakes are but the, continued channel of the united wat¬ 
ers of the Amite and the other streams from this coast; their 
current has been sufficiently strong to defend their shores from 
the annual deposits of alluvia by the Mississippi, in greater or 
less degrees at different points: hence the inequalities of the 
width of the lake: lake Maurepas is properly the lake of the 
Tiefau. The Mississippi has extended its delta around the 
mouths of these waters, and has finally bound their weakenecl 
current close to the coast, left them but a narrow straight, call¬ 
ed the Regulee, through which as they pass they mingle with 
the waters of Pearl river, and flow into the gulph of Mexico, 
about 50 miles S. E. from Madisonvillc. 
Lake Ponchartrain is said to be about thirty miles wide and 
about sixty miles long: it has an even sandy bottom, which 
seems to be a continuation of the inclined plain of the coast, gra¬ 
dually descending till it reaches the southern shore, which is 
characterized by a muddy bottom, and a marshy, swampy mar¬ 
gin. 
The tides of the lakes depend entirely on the winds, and are 
consequently irregular, ebbing and flowing as it changes, and 
rising occasionally from one to six feet. 
The channel of the Regulees admits vessels with seven feet 
draft of water; and any vessel that can pass the Regulees may 
safely navigate the lakes. When the Mississippi is high, any 
vessel that can safely enter the fakes may descend Bayou Man- 
chaique, and also the pass of that name between the lakes. 
The river Amite is sufficiently large for boat navigation at 
the junction of its east and west branches a few miles below lat. 
31 Galvastown is situated on its S. E. bank, below the mouth 
of bayou Manchaique. 
