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776	^	LOUISIANA	AND	THE	TRASS-MISSISSIPPI.	[Cblu-.liu.
Sunday, 27 th,'down The Bigolets; observed several miles of galvanized telegraph win' standing upon tin* old lino cm the east bank of this pass: entered tins south end oi' (.'lief Menteur Bayou; selected route lor line from Fort Macomb to Alligator Point. Cable No. 1 will l>e required to cross Clief Menteur at Fort Maeomb. From Alligator Point across Lake Borgneto Point < 'ara< a cable No. 2. nine miles long, will be required. Cable No. 3 to cro.-s a bay between Point Caraca and I’d it. Pass; from Point Cavaca to False* Bay the marsh is very heavy and impenetrable, standing six and eight feet high. At this season of I la* year it bums readily, leaving a stubble twelve or fifteen inches Ioiijj, quite strong enough to bear a man; the line will have Io follow (he curves ol' the shore. C'uble No. 4 to cross a wide bavou south of Pel it Pass.
Monday. 2S;h. entered all the bayous to Grand Pass. Cable 2so. 5 to cross False Lay; No. ii across Nine Mile Iiayon: No. 7 across Three-Mi].- Bayou. Tho marsh from False Ba\ to Three-Mile Bayou is m ry lev. and mi!i, rhe w.uer three inche> deep upon most of it. grass no! so high: tho most, diliicnM poriion of the j'onte. Cable No. 8 across Grand Pass: Cable No.!» across Shell Bank Bayou, a\ here we were aground two u.,vs (| uesday. 2!’lh, and "Wednesday. 30th) upon shell reefs, woi k-inir oil I Vo m one reef to ground upon another. Upon the evening of I he Sutli we made Car Island Cove, cable No. 10. Two miles of marsh near Grand Pass i< very bad: balance of the way to Isle au Pied [a Pitie] it is higher.
December 1. examined the south spit of Cat Island. It is all quicksand and change' with the j-torms. It will require constant, labor to kee;1 line standing upon it. From Isle au Pied ;aPitre|to this spit is about five miles and a half; to the next spit it is seven miles and a half. "We proceeded to Ship Inland for coal and made Great Breton Island at I 'J midijiglrt. T\hen our engine broke, detaining us until 12noon December
2	for i-nt ro;k::;--1 to er.able us to reach Pass a l'Outre.where we were detained until the evening of December 3 for more thorough repairs. My object in returning i\v this route was to examine the stations of the ] >e!ta lines, and decide upon some changes recommended by i he line men. We leached home at 2 o'doekMouday morning. December f>.
I eoii-'ider the route examined feasible for a line. Tho blue line upon the :n;:p repie-ents the Fort Pike line now in operation. The red liv.e r' pre>ents the proposed route. It will require at least two small steamers to construct t.*•- lines upon these marshes, as the men cannot live upon the shores, one boat for the workmen and one for supplies. Loth boats must be of light draught and staunch enough to withstand storms so frequent at this season. If the work is to progress 1 would recommend that the lug Blossom b*- contilined in my service, and another suitable b«>:tr obtained.' The wire furnished for military lines will not be durable upon these marshes, as it is of £i cheap quality intended for temporary lines. Probably four years would be iL- extenr of its service, perhaps not so long.
Ut.'ciij'hrdauoii of the cables necessary, with the estimated length of each: < 'abb. No. 1,4*‘>0 feet long: cable No. 2.11 miles long; cable No. 3, •j(i') i««•. _!o:;g: cable No. 4, 4<i(i feet long; cable No. 0, one-half mile long: caiile I'o. 0, fourth mile long: cable No. 7, three-fourths mile long: fab;.; No. S. one half mlh- long: cable No.9, -1(10 feet long; cable No. io.	long: cable No. 11. GJ inikslyng. Total, 23 mile-;
J.cablr;. "	'	'	’
vr. G. FULLER.
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