Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-06-04
Something about a Recent Journey.

Something about a Recent Journey.
A person visiting Crosse Tete and the Ma
rangouin at present (and W. trust there is no
one who thinks we say too much about these
bayous in the present number,) and disposed to
} make inquiries and observation, would be sur
prised to learn of the rapid extension which
nearly all the planters on the former bayou are
making of their estates--draining swamps (se>
veral with steam engines) and telling trees on
land which does not require draining. What
a splendid country magnificent as it now ISL
must that section be in ten or fifteen years.
with the aid of its triumphal Plank Road, now
under energetic completion, and the road which
we hope will be obtained in this direction. And
perhaps by the expiration of that time a railroad
will run towards the Attakapas over the route
of the present Plank Road. And in connection
with this subject we are told that it is but
twenty miles from Mr.. ISAAC ERw1N's (near
the terminus of the plank road on Crosse TGte)
to the bayou Teche.
In passing large and beautiful estates, it lisa
! healthy stimulus to the mind to witness the
hand of energy and industry bringing forth the
fruits of the earth to crown our State with great
and increasing wealth. 1t was about noon as
we passed the large plantation of Mrs. Wool
FOLK, and her immense force of hands were up
on their plough horses returning from the field,
showing at one glance the machinery that
brought to perfection her vast fields of corn and
cane, waving in almost every direction as far as
the eye could reach.
sCrossing over to the MarangouIn, on land
| the richness Of which earth can produce no SUI
| perior, the plantation of Mr.. JACKSON first met
our view; it is q valuable tract, but, %unfortu-
! nately or fortunately for its rolicksome and
| whole-souled proprietor, it is surrounded with
| deer, and panther, and bear, in such numbers,
that the rifles crack is often heard in defence
of his pig-pens, and seldom does the fatal ball
from the unerring aim of this intrepid hunter,
fail to roll among the forest leaves the grizzly
intruder upon the premises of his grunters.--
The day of our visit, this gentleman and his
| SSA Siuii Az lIiC lLlOoi " q OCCA Hull
of a few hours, bringing with them a fine buck
| and doe as the produce of following their dogs
! on horseback through the deep and dangerous
swamps.
At the upper store Of JAS P. LoNGLEY, but
| lately established, and from the evidence of our
eyes doug a aourishing business, we found an
old hunter from Graud River laying in his stock
of traps, a rough, and evidently an honest, spe-
cimen ofhuman nature, and the inside of whose
ancient wallet would have made the eyes glis-
ten of richly attired but penniless city bucks.
After partaking of some refreshments, we
started, in company with a nanesake of a ply
stefan of onr town, Mai H., a large planter
amidst the cane brake on lower Marangouin,
a noble specimen Of our race, and one who
seems delighted to dwell among the denizens
of the forest. In a few yards we came In view
of a large plantation, in this parish, just being
opened by Judge STIRLING, lately elected we
believe as District Judge from the West. Fell
ciana District. Next to this, we came to the
splendid plantation, (both as regards extent and
richness and beauty of land,) ofMr. BRADY, at
whose hospitable mansion we alighted, where
we were welcomed by him in the true old
Mississippi style, and for which we beg to ten
der our grateful acknowledgements. After
spending a few hours at this delightful forest
abode, but surrounded with rich and waving
fields of Louisiana's staple, we babe adieu to
the generous proprietor, his amiable wife and
interesting family, and commenced our journey
homeward, sad and detected, not in consequence
of the wealth and comforts that we saw and
could not enjoy, but in beholding so much of
the sociability and good feeling of life, in con-
trast with our own hard vocation and position
amidst tumult and passion, malice and wrong!