The City of New Orleans is on the west bank of the river, about ninety
miles from its entrance into the Gulf of Mexico.--The City of Lafayette
has a distinct city charter, yet the increase of New Orleans has been
so rapid, for a few years past, that it has grown up, so that by
buildings they are united, and now appear like one vast city, occupying
about seven miles in length, and about one mile in width, along the
bank of the river, which, at this point, takes a wide circle and passes
to the north-east. The two cities occupy the bend of the river, in
form like the new moon, and hence has been given it the name of the
CRESCENT CITY. The valley above and below is very level and low, and
were it not for the _Levee_, as it is called, would be inundated, by
the overflowing of the river, for nearly half of the year. The Levee
is an embankment of earth, thrown up from six to eight feet high,
and sufficiently broad to make an excellent road. This embankment,
commences about forty miles below the city, and on the east side of
the river extends as far up as Baton Rouge, a distance of one hundred
and forty miles. On the west side it has been necessary to build it,
with but very little interruption, up to the line of the State of
Arkansas, a distance of five hundred and fifty miles. Were it not
for this embankment, not a rod of this vast extent of country could
be cultivated. Yet it is now one of the most fertile and productive
portions of the South, and on which is grown almost the entire crop of
Sugar in Louisiana, as well as large quantity of Cotton.