The following additional observations upon New-Orleans, its parish, and
neighbourhood, convey, at a glance, the general resources of this region
of country, besides containing much information not embodied in the
work:--
"The parish of Orleans includes the city. Chef Menteur, Rigolets, Bayou
Bienvenu, Bayou Gentilly, and Bayou St. Johns, are all in this parish,
and are famous in the history of the late war, Lake Pontchartrain, lake
Borgne, Barataria bay, gulf of Mexico, Caminda bay, lake Des Islets,
lake Rond, Little lake, and Quacha lake, are in the limits of this
parish. Sugar, and after that, cotton, are the staples. Along the coast
there are groves of orange-trees, and the fig is extensively raised. In
this parish are the greater part of the defences, that are intended to
fortify the city of New-Orleans against the attack of a foreign foe. The
chief fortifications are on those points, by which the British
approached toward the city during the late war. Extensive fortifications
of brick have been erected at Petits Coquilles, Chef Menteur, and Bayou
Bienvenu, the two former guarding the passes of the Rigolet, between
lake Borgne and lake Pontchartrain, and the latter the approach from
lake Borgne toward New-Orleans. A great work, to mount 120 cannon, is
erecting at Placquemine on the Mississippi. These works, when finished,
will not fall far short of the expense 2,000,000 dollars. Fort St.
Johns, at the entrance of the Bayou St. Johns into lake Pontchartrain,
is well situated for the defence of the pass. It is an ancient
establishment of the former regime. The guns are of vast calibre; but
they appear to be sealed, and the walls have a ruinous aspect. These
points of defence have been selected with great judgment, and have been
fortified with so much care, that it is supposed no enemy could ever
again approach the city by the same passes, through which it was
approached by the British in the past war. New-Orleans, the key of the
Mississippi valley, and the great depot of its agriculture and commerce,
is already a city of immense importance, and is every year becoming more
so. This city has strong natural defences, in its position and its
climate. It is now strongly defended by artificial fortifications. But,
after all, the best defence of this, and of all other cities, is the
vigilant and patriotic energy of the battalions of free men, who can
now, by steamboats, be brought down to its defence in a few days from
the remotest points of the west. It is not to be forgotten, that by the
same conveyance, an enemy might also be brought against it.
Of the other parishes, we may remark, in general, that as far up the
Mississippi as the parish of Baton Rouge, on the east side, and Point
Coupee on the west, the cultivation of the sugar-cane is the chief
pursuit of the inhabitants. The same may be said of Placquemine,
Lafourche, and Attakapas. The staple article of the western parishes
beyond is cotton.
The parishes north of lake Pontchartrain, which formerly made a part of
Florida, with the exception of some few tracts, and the alluvions of
Pearl river and Bogue Chitte, have a sterile soil. The inhabitants raise
large herds of cattle, and send great quantities of lumber to
New-Orleans, together with pitch, tar, turpentine and coal. They burn
great quantities of lime from the beds of shells, which cover large
tracts near the lakes; they also send sand from the beaches of the
lakes, for covering the pavements of New-Orleans. They have also, for
some years past, manufactured brick to a great amount, and have
transported them across the lake. They have a great number of schooners
that ply on the lakes, in this and other employments. The people engaged
in this extensive business, find the heavy tolls demanded on the canal a
great impediment in the way of the profit of this trade.[12] The country
generally is covered with open pine woods, and has small tracts of
second-rate land interspersed among these tracts. The country is
valuable from its inexhaustible supplies of timber and wood for the
New-Orleans market.