Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-11-17
A Jaunt to Attakapas.

mise. If our pencilings fail in interest, some allow
ance should be made, for We were but twenty-fv
hours absent; and more than one half of that tim
was absorbed in a night as dark as Erebus. Thu
much in the way of a preface Now for the wa
to get to Attakapas; OR the way we got there:
At eleven o'clock on Tuesday morning succeed
ing the election our streets filed with overjoyet
Antics, having the thumb of the sinister hand il
close contact with the olfactory organ, and thu
remaining digi.s extended somewhat in the shape
Of our grand-mother's old fashion turkey-tail fan
their right arm gyratng in imitation Of the Bava
ran Organ Grinders" we took our departure from
the Franklin House, in an omnibus belonging to
/" Holden's Line" bound for "Salt River" and
after please 1t ride of some twenty minutes dura'
ton, down the Terrebonne road, which follows the
meanderinss Of the Bayou bearing that name, We
were safely landed at the df5arqaeattsre OF the
Opelousas Railroad, some three miles distant from
our point of departure. Here we tarried for a
time, until the shrill notes of the whistle of the
steanhorse warned Us that he would soon be with
u.s. But few minutes elapsed until, like a thing
of life he was upon us, putting and snorting with
his long retinue of cars, filed with passengers.
We embarked, and after brief pause the cars
were again in motion, and with almost lightning
speed, making their way towards Tigerville a
small town situated at the confluence ofthe Bayous
Black and Tiger, eleven miles from the Terrebonne
Station, and sixty-sx from New Orleans. Tiger
vile is the present terminus of the road and will
continue to be for some months to come
Az we have already, in one of our previous
numbers, fully described the geographical and
commercial Importance of this embryo city and
its magnificent Indians mounds, which battle the
knowledge of those most thoroughly versed in anti
quarian lore we shall at once embark on the
steamer Mona, daily United States mail packet
between that point and New iberia on the Bayou
Teche. This beautiful little steamers commanded
by Capt Atkinson, and is as well Differed from
the main deck to hurricane roof, as any boat that
it has been our good fortune to have travelled
upon. We cannot speak in terms of too high
commentator of the Subordinate officers, espe-
Clduy vi CuF w ueClIlOuSG, WHO
as paying and receiving teller, and was kind
enough to &c chalk our hat" as well as those Of
our two travelling companions; with the full I'M
derstanding, however, that we should pay for our
own "uood" This, of course, all hands agreed
to, and promised their words according
Our stay at Tigerville, was necessarily short;
for so soon as the railroad trains arrives steam is
up and everything in readiness, to be underway;
and Immediately on the embarkation of the passen-
gers, the hawsers are cast off, and the boat is
steaming her way down the Black; and after
persuing tortuous course Of nine miles, enters
Bayou Chene, beautiful stream, skirted on either
side with magnificent and majestic live oaks
After running several miles in the Chene, we were
ushered into the Beuf, another beautiful Bayou,
if possible, more magnificent than that which we
Just left, along whose banks are situated several
large sugar estates. After leaving the Beuf you
enter Bayou Shaffer, more properly an arm Of
Berwck's Bay, at whose junction with the Boeuf is
situated the mansion of J.. W. Woford, ESQ.,, one
Of the most lovely and picturesque spots we have
looked upon On leaving the Shafer, you enter
Berwick's Bay, more properly the Atchafalaya
Rver.
There are tworival towns at the Bay: ore called
Brashear, and the other City of Berwick, both
in the parish of St. Mary, but on opposite sides Of
the Bay, which at this point is about six hundred
yards in width, and some sixty or seventy feet
deep. As much has been said of these towns. it
become us to pay them passing notice At the
present time, Berwick City has decidedly the ad-
vantage. In it is custom house, two stores, a
coffee house, hotel, saw mill and several resi-
lences The voting population Of the city at the
asst election numbered SO. This place from the
beautiful position it occupies, being situated on
elevated ground, cannot but become a town of no
importance so soon as the railroad
hail have been completed, notwithstanding that
is rival Brashear, on the opposite side Of the
Bay, will be the terminus of the road for some time
% come. Did the same advantage exist on the
Brashear side, that town would Of necessity, from
is position advance more rapidly than its vs-a-vis
out nature not having been so lavish in bestowing
Ter gifts, Berwick City, in our opinion, now has
he lead and will keep it.
On leaving Custom House Pier, Berwick City, |
We proceeded up the Bay, until we arrived at the
Bayou Teche. This Bayou is one among the
most beautiful natural water. course, we have ever
oeheld, and the country bordering its banks the |
ichest and most productive Of our State. It lis
very appropriately styled by common consent the
Paradise Of Louisiana" It richly merits that
lppellation, for never have we beheld country
which can in anywise compare with it in natural or
lrtifcial splendor. The lands when short dis
ance from the bayou, on either side, gradually
scend, exposing TO view immense fields Of the
inest sugar cane that we have ever beheld. In
lines gone BY, before we had visited the Attakapas
country, we had imagined our own Lafourche
IS rich and lovely spot, fit to be compared with
ny other portions Of our fertile and growing State,
tut we must confess with all truthfulness that,
hough Lafourche, to use a cant expression, is |
some,". Attakapas excells her in every thing, |
Innate, soil, productiveness, and beauty Of country
As we neared Jacksonville, night had already
'egun to spread her sable mantle on all things |
round. and thus obscured from our gaze the |