Élisée Reclus’ Mississippi River: Making Sense of Running Waters
Reclus resided in Louisiana for approximately two years and was fascinated by the Mississippi River. In 1854, the Mississippi was undergoing development whereas the banks of European watercourses were already densely populated. Reclus read widely and in abundance, and he left behind an impressive body of work, derived from explorers’ diaries, work done by naturalists and engineers in addition to his own thoughts on questions, such as transcendentalism, conservation and preservation. In his eyes, once man had understood how nature regulates the flow of water, he could use his observations to build his own watercourses, whose aim was to ply the river safely and enable him to exploit it the best way possible. Water is a crucial factor in Reclus’ writings, and though quantification plays an important role in his work, he does use poetic imagery to arouse emotion and awaken the analytical spirit.