The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-03-03

BY MoSTRoY1LLE W. DICKSON, NJ. D.

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BY invitation Of DR.. Coleman, Of Jefferson
county, Mississippi, Doctors Taylor, Fox and
myself mounted our horses and repaired to his
residence. We arrived at the Doctors in the
evening, and after partakin5 Of his kind hospi-
tally, We accompanied BY the Doctor repaired
to the store of Mr.. Pane, where, in most coun-
try towns, all important gossip is to be collect
cd. Here we met with several Of the planters,
whose plantations join the one containing this
interesting group Of mounds. A number Of
gentlemen volunteered thair services, and also
that Of their force, to join us at the group on
the following morning. Aftel chatting till 8
o'clock, and ascertaining the localities Of many
mounds ia this country, and receiving a nun
Der Of fine unique relics found at sundry times
at the base and SUBMITS of the mounds, We
babe adieu, and retired to the Doctors man
sion. The Doctor had been collecting these
relies of that unhistoried uation Cor a number
of years, and had accumulated some hundred
and fifty fine specimens, all Of which are now
in my aboriginal cabinet, through the Doctors
politeness.
After enjoying an intellectual treat of the
history of these relics, and some of the super
%stitions of the negroes, accompanied with their
peculiar phraseology, which the Doctor mimi
tably gave, We retired, with the understanding
of an early start.
At the appointed hour, while the dapple gray
of early morning still fingered on the eastern
sky, a knock was given at our door, with the
information that breakfast was waiting, and
our horses saddIed in the courtyard.
One half hour saw us seated in our saddles
and vending our way toward the contemplated
group. As VIC descended the hill sides, we were
presented with the finest landscape view that
We had in oil our excursions seen. All was
yerdant and beautiful in the fields, and wild and
majestic on the hills.
They (thc hills frequently appear in such
wild and extraordinary shapes that they might
easily be mistaken for castles with giants
striding On their ramparts and battlements.
The sun was just beginning to she'd his lus
trous beams over hill and vale, which forms a
grand and imposing spectacle. We arrived at
the group about 10 o'clock, and as we pushed
our weary way up the steep sides of the mounds
the sun poured down upon lis its rays with an
intensity of an August heat, and bathed our
faces and limbs in profuse perspiration before
we reached the summit.
After no little toll, the high summit Of the
signal mound was gained, and now, what a
prospect was before us! / looked around with
establishment, while my mind was impressed
with nnutterable ideas of v~astness and sublim
ity. 1t was my first visit, and being OH a bright
sunny morning, the whole scene was very i'm.
posing, and the view from the top of this gigan.
nc structure was exceedingly grand. While
trayersing the circling corridors of this immense
structure to gain the highest part, | was ena-
bled to catch through the opening arches Of
the trees, now and then, glimpses of The ruins
That lay strewn around us, and also the dark
magnolia and cypress of the distant country.
The clear, blue sky, in a calm repose above our
heads, hreathcd its serenity into our minds, and
the glorious sun shed its beams Of brightness
on all the surrounding effects with undimin-
ishel s~plenae4~
The mounds are situated on the summit Of
the ridge of bluffs bordering the Mississippi
about eighteen miles above Natchez. The sys-
ten is composed of seven conical mounds, five
OF them forming a lattencd circle, and the other
two a short distance above. In the immediate
front stand two basins Of huge dimensions
whose fampqSs,s arc well designed and finished