Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-08-22

Our weekly paper this morning contains. in fuT.
all the particulars we have been enabled % gather.
of the terrible disaster Last Island IN The storm
of Sunday last. No such calamity, in wide spread
and sudden destruction of life, has ever been known
in this region before An island twenty We miles
in length and from hall to three fourths of mile
in width, peopled by several hundreds of the best
class Of Louisiana society has been literally washed
away by the raging waters, and mere than half the
inhabitants engufed by the pitiless waves or bsuis
ed and crushed to death amidst the fragments of
ruined habitatious tossing in the furious whirlpool
which has destroyed the island.
Our distant readers may ot know where Last
Island IL which has been the scene OF these horrors
II is the most westerlv, and therefore termed the
Last Of chain Of Islands, extending from the
mouth OF the Mississippi, westward, few miles
from the main land. Its direction from New Or
leans is few degrees west OF south, and the air.
line would not be over seventy FIVE miles, as we
estimate, on the map. 1t may be reached by the
way Of the river, but since the building of the
0pelousas Railroad, access has been very much fa>
ctated BY that route. Travellers took the railroad
to Bayou Bpuf thence by steamboat down the
Atchaialaya river into the Gull, by the Bay, or
through one of the bayous. From the city to BAYOU
Bout is seventy-three miles and it is about thirty
miles to the mouth of the Bay.
Last Island lies some eighteen or twenty miles
in the Gull, east OF the Capes of Atchafalaya Bav,
and five or six miles from the nearest shore 1t
was wild place. sand bank, 10 fact-covered
with very scantv vegetation, but open to the
cooling breezes of the Gulf, and with such 6ne
beach, aud Astounding with fish and oysters that il
became at first occasional resort for fishing and
pic mic parties and of late years grew to he pleas
ant summering place .Dr planters aud their families
from the Attakapas and Lafourche parishes Sew
eral of them had built cottages aud some buildings
had hen practed IF nuita a dnroh Ia dsscr;pt;o,,
The railroad offered sucn facilities Of communication
Il at the island frequently visited frUm this citv,
and grew so much in favor that plan suggest.
ed, and had with very liberal countenance for
making sumDering place there on an extended
scale, by the erection Of very large botel under
the charge of Hall & Hildreth, of the st. Charles
HOTEL The designs and elevations were shown to
US some months ago. and it was thought the enter
prise might be complete and in operation for the
next season. This summer a hotel was kept there
by Mr.. John Muggah, which bad had very con-
siderable support, and the island has had large
number Of visitors
The list of the lost and the saved will show AM
body acquainted with this State, that there was
gathered upon this little spot in the Gulf, at the
time of the storm, a large representation of the
wealth and intelligence of the best classes Of the
population of Louisiana They made the barren
sand bank the seat of refinement and hospitality
where, in a single day, almost within single hour
Death came in his most hdeOus form and swept
one-haf Of them into a nameless grave, and made
the whole place desolate forever. The memory OF
this storm, which has carried mourning into every
parish in South louisiana for the untmeIy fate o.
kindred or dear friends, will, for many year Il
come repel with a shudder all thought of Last Is
land for a dwelling place. Every murmur of the
cooling surf in its quetest mood, and every sigh o.
the summer breeze in its balmest breathings will be
a saddenng memento of the time when happy
crowd were gathered there for innocent enjoyment
and the storm came suddenly and heaped the wa
tiers upon them The SEA and the winds will seem
to chant eternal dirge for the dead.-N o.
PicaUlals A,touH IL