The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-08-18

hsve ;hsrshy become 70 completely inundated 4. 70 6e
unnhabtable.
The perpendicular height of the high lands above
the lyel OF the lundation is from 200 800 fe.t
Na.ctez at Baron Rouge it does exceed %, and
ON TIE Hand of NewCr.eans declines 70 rapidly
Frequently be loft under the ACCOMMODATIONS OF foil de-
poiited by the OF the nundation On the ides
% Canal from New-Orleans the river ST. Johns,
communicating with lake PonteL4rSrain diicovered
.he continuation of the high land through to tire
breadth of little thar 20 feet.
To itranger. che hrit view of the Nlli.ppi con-
veys not that idea OF grandeur. which he may have
pictured to hinie; his firR Judgment will ref upon
the appearance vi Its breadth, which repef is III
feTior TO many rivers of much les les principal
channel is rarely mile n width where below the
Oh'o rnleis where its itrcan divided by iands
ihauows; it Is not unEequently les than half mile.
The magnitude OF ;his river is not 10 &c con,p utsd by its
width, bat by depth; IN which it is perhaps equal
to any on the globe but Is 10 contracted the place
OF It's entrance into the ocean, he there les in
width than i, is ,houand miles from It's mouth the
eauie oil this popularity perhaps, difficult t. de-
velope. The natural efIea of rivers is to ncreafe
continually TIE depth and breadth o. their beds by the
perpetual abrs,on OF their waters iuch n2lj be lie
consequence with regard to ali rivers whch 90 30;
upPly by ailuvion iuihcient quantity OF matter 10
oouiteract this effect. Certain rivers which il. he
upper part of their courfe pats through fertile regions
Whole rich and tender foil is eahy broken down and
only iuppy THIS deficiency, but difcharge uch ncon-
oeivabe Quantities of earthly matter, fiji up, in
great eaiure, thce pscious bays and channels fcoop-
ed out by III. hand OF nature, order to facilitate the
minging OF their waters with thoie of TIE ocean in
tuch circumstances the breadth of the river will al
ways be IN proportion TO the quantity of water
discharged during the time it flows within its banks
Tor 1T to be remarked, that during the time OF the in
undauon, the common channel of the river is IN iome
mea'ure lot an the nneniity of waters which flow
over ITS banks in all directions; the bottom and ides
OF the channel, during this time, fer no abrafion
but, on the contrary from the dnlinuton of the veo-
Guy OF the interior currents gam rapidly upon the
oreantn oil the river: the the current OF the
V<r IS confined within its proper banks It begins 70
exert IT'S domion over Its channel, and falions
as bed oy the momentum of its waters, attacking
onetimes one Sc, fonetiules the other according as
the main nlament OF the lcream Is detle9ed fron,
ho'e 70 ihore; by which large portions of the
newy-created foil are preerved while in other ftua-
tois the more compact earth undermined and borne
INTO the ocean, aud thus equilibrium is reitcred be-
tween the channel and its included waters; hence il
comes 70 pals that rivers which through aluyia
countries are much narrower in proportion to the
Quantity OF their waters, than thoe whole corfes are
over rocks gravel land :; but on the other hand
her depths are great ard they contemporary bet
ter lifted Tor the Purpoies of navigation The Milf
ppl Is iupPoied to be nsvgable (purfung tie wef-
erh branch or Miiour) 5000 miles at leaf from the
VNSdil iiOte VINO rave ituGied the theory of
micrnps, that the liability of the bed of river de-
pends upon due equilibrium between the velocity of
the current and the tenao;ty of thole matters which
conPote its bottom and Gdes the velocity Of rivers is
srsitstt 1t the frface, gradually dimnihing down
wards hence when the bottom is competed Of matter
OF the n,oi yielding nature the channel will continue
to deepen until the velocity bottom is anlof moth
ig and the depth OF the will be regulated by
thoe circumtsauces; the bottom of the bed OF the
NlihihpPi, within the alluvial country, being COM
Poied OF the inelt and and Ighte earth extremely
eoninuted, it is not furprng that its depth iould
be uncomrncnly great its foundings have Gt is be-
4eved} never been taken with minute attention bur
from New-Orieaus the mouth of the river. ;ts
dePth is aid to be from so to 20 fathos, under the
threadof the current, which follows the concave ore
s-s frequently comfortable Ghallows The fudden ef
fect of the ,.nnition Of the velocity of water is no
where more remarkable than the mouth Of this river
Tor the rolling torrent fooner arrives at the ocean
than finding lis bed Indefinitely enlarged, it ipread on
all hands, the thread of the current dverees into an
infinite number Of 6arnents, like radi from center:
the velocity of The MATS of rapidly dn,nihes
until no longer able to propel matter hitherto fuf
pended and fwept along by the wiftnes of the Aream
Is depoiited in the form of crecent oppolng to the
mouth of the river bar with from to 90 feet wa
| ter lTo BE CONTINUED
POZ2GAINY.
Jacques Nortier, an invalid, aged 65 having loff
leg in the iervice of the French republic lately an
peared before the department. of the Seine accued Of
Il