St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-11-20

tangled; mud and soil from the bottom
tends to cement them together, and
finally, when strong, compact mass is
formed, the rain fills the basin or lake,
and lifts it without destroying its shape,
and the deposit becomes a floating
Island, either fastened Or anchored by
long roots, or free to sail about at the
will of every breeze.
Another method of formation is often
seen in the South American rivers,
where the water in the rainy season
undermines the banks, and vast areas
of land, covered with vines and even
large trees, are precipitated into the
flood with an appalling roar. Part of
this material may float away, and being
continually added to, soon becomes a
floating island, that may 60 sailing on
until it reaches the ocean, when it is
then broken up and destroyed. The
most interesting islands, however, are
those found in inland streams and lakes.
In many of the South American lakes
they have been seen embracing several
acres in extent, and affording homes
for many animals. that float about per-
haps without knowing it. On many,
natlve-camps have been formed, the
people finding greater security from
their enemies in these floating houses
Some remarkable floating islands are
in the back waters, or highlands OF the
Congo river, in Africa. They are all
| sizes, from mere bushes to tracts an
acre in extent; and, as regards Their
! vegetation, they are literal reproductions
of the neighboring shore. Some are
annb nraH IN tho hntt0n, n1r tho
and roots thrown out, while others, not
so attach, float about in the current.
But we need not go to Africa to find
large floating islands, as our own Red
river and the Mississippi have produced
some notable ones. In the spring-time,
the water cuts into the banks and car
ries away a vast amount of vegetation
that, on its passage down, accumulates
at certain spot and forms an island,
often of such large proportions, that
the course of the river is entirely
changed.
One of these raft-islands once
formed in the Atchafalaya, branch OF
the Mississippi, and gradually grew and
accumulated for forty years, until twas |
ten miles long, and over six hundred
feet wide and eight feet deep-the lost |
remarkable floating island that | have |
ever heard of, or seen recorded in the
annals of any country. 1t was the
home of myriads of birds, reptiles,
bears, and animals of various kinds.
The vegetation upon it was far richer
and much more profuse than that of
the neighboring shore. Great trees,
sixt7 feet in hei hit, grew and tlourished,
their roots penetrating the island AMI
reaching out into the water b low that
rushed along beneath it. Unfortunately
for the inhabitants Of the neighboring
shores, this island was attached to the
bottom, it's only movement being a
rising and falling; and when it reached
such dimensions that navigation was
it required four years of la
Dor to cut it up so that it would float off
down stream
The Red river was rendered almost
by a floating island that
formed in similar way, and the Rio de
Ia Plata is now encountered for hum
dreds of miles by just such islands, that
are great factors, when they wash down,
n forming deltas and swamps at the
mouth of the river. The delta of the
has obtained much of its ma
erial in this way, and the islands often
cause great damage, and, indeed, loss of
life, by suddenly breaking from their ]
mornings and rushing down the streams
md rivers, carrying all before them. {
In South American rive rs large trees
ire often entangled and float down, ,
orming, in time, large islands, called {
'Camelotes, and during flood in the l
'arana, the sight presented by them is
charitable. The heavy rains cover the {
urface OF the country with sheet of {
Fater, often many feet deep, and all t
nimal life is threatened. The floating '
Stands then become very populous t
bodies, and are at times literally COW t
red with wild creatures of every posi- G
lie variety, and, OF course, antagonistic. 7
lere will be found the puma, side by f
de with band of half-drowned mon Y
eys, while near at hand will be large
make, birds, and smaller animals of all
inds-all now at peace with one an
Their when threatened with a common a
anger. When such load goes float
lg by native village, there is general
ejoicing, and the floating island is soon -
populated Sometimes the half
arved animals are landed at night u
ear towns and villages and create "
reat CONSERVATION. Such was the case p
nee at Monte Video, when a large
oating island ran ashore and carried p,
ur large pumas, that prowled about :,
e locality for a long time, terrifying o
e natives sc
Often the animals run the gantlet of it
e native hunters and are carried out til
sea. A large one, well peopled, was u,