Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-10-02
From La Louisiana. J

Extracts of an Excursion into the interior
of the State.''
"Donaldsonville was the first important
point | saw after passing Lafayette. It is a
knot of small buildings crowded together at
the junction of the Bayou Lafourche and
Mississippi. The site would bs rather beau
tiful, if a large sand bank did not prevent
steamers getting near the town. The most
remarkable feature of the place is it's numer-
Gus and brilliant youth-a circle radiant with
intelligence, a beacon-light to the arant garde
Of the interior population of Latourche.
X X X *
"My second visit was to Baton Rouge. The
population of this town assigns it the second
rank in the State. Its site is among the most
happily chosen that | saw between the Balize
an ST. Louis. Several versions are given of
the origin of its name, all sufficiently remark
able to permit the repition here OF the follow
ing anecdote, which has already appeared in
divers journals
1--WE were descending rapidly the Missis-
sippi, when all at once the master of the bark
cried in a voice of terror, "Sllence !! we APP
preach the Baton Rouge," Anss, as if some
alarming danger threatened, he seized the
rudder and directed our course far from the
margin of the river. We soon perceived the
mouth of bayou, which Losses itself between
two hills, and a small ret%renchment built with
sand, ON the summit of which rose, like a
warning spectre, a post. of a dark red color.
There" said the helmsman, "there is the
Bato,4 Rouge!'-[the red stake. But what
does this post signify-Why do you grow pale
at its aspect?. Listen, said he " only last
summer the boat Bienyille left fort Duqnesne
to transport to Boloxi an officer, with his
family, who had been recalled to France. The
was agreeable and happy down to the
entry of this bayou, the shadoWy banks of
which induced the passengers, wearied by
their long sojourning in an i~nconsnodlous
boat, to take a moments recreation on land.
The officer, MS lady and W. young children,
advanced securely along the silent banks of
the bayou, attracted by the rich foliage, the
of wild flowers and free warnings of
birds yet strangers to fear, until one OF the
children, having wandered a little distance
from it's parents, and crept up the height you
to the right, suddenly shrieked,- 1.-THE
indians !! the Indians =" The father sprang
towards his child, but scarcely had he arrived
on the summit of the little hill ere he fell,
with twenty arrows. "Fly,hy!" cried
he to his wife. As she caught to her bosom
her other child she was heard to riurmur in
suffocated accents, "save my infants I" One
arrow had transported the mother and the
child. At the same instant the Indians showed
in numbers at the mouth of the
; their appearance smote with terror the
in the boat who pushed off, after
J,,,b, ri,.n &Yr.o nv fhwoo ipoHoofyaf -bn.e. !
Then, while they were yet in view, the sava-
yes seized a young elm, stripped it of its bark,
md bathing their hands in the warm blood of
he unfortunate parents and children, stained
he white wood red, and plantedit-on that spot, |
o warn, no doubt, the French who would
visit the place, to flee or trembla for their
"At Baton Rouge are spacious barracks be-
to the general government, which.weH
merit the attention Of travellers but the.most
beautiful monument of the place is, beyond
the State penitentiarg. This es-
ablishment does honor to the spirit Of civili-
.ation and humanity that presides over the
Lge. The ~exteriof of the buildings are but
the plan was possibly spoiled in the
taste of the early labors but when one en-
ars, the scenes presented to his observa-
ion. | might almost say, admiration, are wor-
by of record. The most perfect order reigns;
very corner is irreproachably clean the
Whole announces a firm and enlightened adj
In one part are handsome cot
on and wool spinning machines and looms, all
'ut in motion by a small, neat, steam engine.
are shops for cabinet-makers, wagon
~tailors, and a brick, ard, and splendid
within the enclosures, where several
are constantly occupied. Others
gain, are employed in the bake-house, and it
) said in Eaton Rouge, that it is at the peni-
the best bread is eaten.
"At the period of my visit, the prison con-
one hundred and twelve c~onvicts
mong this number were nine females, Of
ghom one only was white. This was the ia
nous Mrs. Doyle. whose sentence was COM
from the galows to Imprisonment for
fe.
s1Iiere are lessons awfully impressive upon
he mind andheart. The spectacle of these
lrear abodes, where the expiation of crime
lever ceases, are not its instructions more
than those Of the scaffold, itpprosisa-
cd for the morning and taken down ut night,
4 |