The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-11-13

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 go sailing on
until it reaches the ocean, when it is
then broken up and destroyed. The
most interesting islands, however are
those found ininland streams and lakes.
In many of the South American lakes
they have been seen embracing several
acres in extent, and atfording homes
for many animals, that float about per-
haps without knowing it, On many,
native-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
anchored to the bottom by the creepers
and roots thrown out, while others, not
so attach, float about in the current.
But we need not 90 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 vast amount of vegetation
that, on its passage down, accumulates
at a 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 n the Atchafalaya, branch Of
the Mississippi, and gradually grew and
accumulated for forty years until twas
ten mines long, and over six hundred
feet wide and eight feet deep-the ost
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 ne ghboring shore Great trees,
sixt feet in hei ht grew and tlOurished,
their roots penetrating the island an |
reaching out into the water b low that
rushed along beneath it. Unfortunately
for the inhabitants of the neighboring
shol es, this island was attached to the
bottom, its only movement beng a
3 rising and falling; and when it reached
. such dimensions that navigation was
q threatened, it required four years of a.
q bor to cut it up so that it would float of
down stream.
The Red river was rendered almost
; unnavigable by float ng island that
, formed in similar way, and the Rio de
r la Plata is now encountered for hun
r dreds of miles by just such islands, that
are great factors, when they wash down,
in forming deltas and swamps at the
V mouth of the river. The delta of the
I Miss ssippi has obtained much of its ma.
f teral in this way, and the islands often
r cause great damage, and, indeed, loss OF
4 life, by suddenly breaking from theil
y moorIngs and rushing down the streams
q and rivers, carrying all before them.
4 In South American rivers large trees
v are often entangled and float down
p forming, in time. large islands, called
: "Camelotes, and during flood in the
o Parana, the sight presented by them is
|, remarkable. The heavy rains cover the
. surface of the country with sheet Of
s water, often many feet deep, and all
! animal life is threatened. The floating
r islands then become very populous
# abodes, and are at times literally GOV.
cred with wild creatures of every posi-
n Bile variety, and, of course, antagonistic
$ Here VIII be found the puma, side by
q side with band of half-drowned mon.
n KEYS, while near at hand will be large
q snake, birds, and smaller animals of al
\ kinds-all now at peace with one an.
4 other when threatened with a common
o danger. When such load goes float
# ing by native village, there is genera
n rejoicing, and the floating island is soor
n depopulated. Sometimes the half
/, starved animals are landed at nigh
! near towns and villages and Great,
l. great CONSERVATION. Such was the cast
4 once at Monte Video, when larg,
n floating island ran ashore and carried
n four large pumas, that prowled abou
q the locality for long time, terrifying
n the natives.
!, Often the animals run the gauntlet o
~ the native hunters and are carried on
% to sea. A large one. well peopled, wa
"a met by a ship one hundred and fit
70 miles off the Ganges river, in India
~ and some have been sighted near tn
"a Molucca and Philippine Islands, afte
II hurricanes, the bare trees so resembling
a the masts of vessels that they hav
&C been taken for wrecks.
Il The longest voyage on record, is tina
y of boa, or snake, that was picked u
= in tn Gulf Stream off Bermuda
20 had drfted on small floating island
4 probably from some of the Sout
~ Ar,or;oo,, rivers the incident ShOUia