The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-11-12
Mud Islands at Mouth of the mississippi.

NOVEMBER 4, lS.U--S 2. NJ.
MesSrs. Edtors-This afternoon we spent short time in
The examination Of one of the mud islands, that are
Appearing and disappearing about the mouths Of the Passes
oil the Mississippi river. Our brought
many OF them, and the time spent one, which our at
Genton had been directed by Capt. La F. who had pre-
yousy examined it, certainly well compensated com.
pliment we cannot pay to the survey itself
For the benefit Of those who have read of or
those mud Jumps, some call them sand bows
let premise that they appear and disappear suddenly as
compared with the usual history of Island growth even on
The Mississippi river For instance one having about two
hundred feet diameter the Island below described has
appeared within two risen elevation of feet
above the Gulf water, and is fast being removed by
waves, weather and sinking Others have much greater dura
1on and become permanent additions to the banks
along the Passes
Artesian Isle, have named this, first made its appear.
ance in 1892 and has pretty well maintained form and d
mansions to the time. L. has length of about 600
hest width of about $50 feet and maximum height
Off feet 4 inches
Not far from end there il salt spring. which
forms the leading feature ofhe Island, and furnishes only
obvious solution.
As you approach it, appears two or three feet
NIGH and OF 80 feet base from the summit of which you sec
oubOngs and on nearer view find that thin dark lend
colored mud or slime is being constantly discharged with
occasional emissions of gas the mud running over uggishy
and flowing down the sides of the cone until the waters
eVaporate and leave the mud to form permanent additions
10 the growing This process in each case m
the cone reaches an altitude of above the
wafer level when the spring breaks in some less elevated
place. or ceases to run The surface of the island has evil
many sucn tumul having been
the mass OF the island has thus been formed On the con-
uaEy, the mud Islands often show themselves first without
springs, rising in hemisphenodal form from the water and
he springs appear subsequently, In other cases. however
the springs discharged into the Gulf water without ever
producing island, the mud if any. discharged being
carried away by waves and currents.
The water, when settled, very strong salt water without
any foreign and the drying mud clay the whole
island gsens with crystal salt The mud forms blue CLAW
which attans great hardness being dried and burnt bu
retains its intense salt after being baked INTO soid
SeE The sediment of the spring almost destitute sand
ontHmNes with the deposits of the Mississippi and alter
mates with its sands forming Illuminated clay breaking ast
NoeS on the surface, into dscOdal fragments and crescent
Aeptaria of many curious forms.
on sounding the spring, which did by constructing a
odge across IT. the lead sunk . feet and slowly ceased to
descend Others have sounded with larger lead to twenty
ne iahoms Below that depth either the mud thickens or
Inc direction OF the channel changes that s1undngs are
mol practicable In the of % tathoms sounding the
lead could not be withdrawn but adhered till its strong line
parted ''''
Islands OF this character rise only about the Passes
OF wherever there great of sedmentary matter
deposited In the shallow bays either Of the river there
tire none visible, If any have heretofore formed hs th
margins were in position ssmar to the banks along the bars
OF tie river, they have been down beneath the waters
or have sunk by their specific gravity
When any of these islands to be supported bv dis
charging springs, they disappear from these two causes
Ihe mud ands seem to have escaped the searching eve
MI Lyel and the solution given by DIR. Drake of these
wonders Is to me unsatisfactory. My previous mo e
Gnrsory examination led the conclusion with him
shut am satisfied that the assigned by him are
not ADEQUATE TO the effects produced.
oher hypothesis, based geological considerations
WITHOUT attempting here demonstrate its reasonabeness
hose who know the Geology ofneares upRnds north ofhe
u and west OF the River need be told of the png
% abound in the teriar7 beds. in Middle and Northern
The beds from which they issue, dip southwark
uappeaF beneath the diluvial and aluvia beds about
latitude 81 deg. north.
uheF North, throughout the States of Arkansas and
ssou' samerous group underes the coal measures and
IN many places the rupture Of the superintendent beds per
s INC san water TO escape springs of grester or less
oc as e heshhoung Outcrop or elevation of the ronp
its explanation '0'' anu
Suppose sOmeo these beds whether tsr,,v so,,rI.r ~
transition, TO underlie this portion Of the delta ,
warmly nom an elevation some feet above the Gulf and mai
rupture occurs about the present debou ,urs c A. NJ
sippi river, permitting the sanes to rise 10 spvn
cape throug Oh it to the waters of the Gulf -
If this hypothesis be true, many of these lets o L
bars OF the river get covered and coked with The
The nver mud; and this has great tenacty in It's so A.
solved condition, the dynamic force of the Artesian s,
would elevate large of the mud to several feet s
ton before would part sufficiently 10 let TIE sceurou
waters escape. 1t is probable, too that many of these ]
intermit, principles well known; and if So the isd
would gradually sink the level of its base even vyibo
me and oil the waves and currents which form powerful any
laTes Where no deposits occur of course the sprnps
soon establish their channel of discharge no the Gulf and
when this happens the surface the springs are % in
the bnbbns and in the distinct color of the ~
am eredlby informed that SONS mp the in four
or five fathoms of water. wa
These islands lie bare for several years. until the sins ~
of the salt, when sol lagO and asterg a1d i
aIas nske their appearance clothing them with arch GOV
s''RE ei hsEbARe, sse