The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-05-29
Cnrrespondence of The Democrat.
LAKE CADDo, TEXAS, May Is, 1860.

LAKE CADDO, TEXAS, May Id, IcoV'
MEssRs EDITORS: again recur to this, not un-
known, but inaccessible country Caddo Lake,
(caled, doubtless, after tribe of Indians OF that
name who once inhabited this section of countryD
including succession of lakes under various cog
pomens is a large sheet of fresh water legally and
technically speaking-"land covered with water"
having every indication of being recent forma-
tion the greater portion of its surface being thick
ly covered with large growth of forest trees OF
every variety peculiar to the Southern country; all
dead, however, except an occasional cypress In
many places this forest of dead trees stand so thick
it is with difficulty that ski of ordinary size can
pass through it, and in water too that would hoat
the largest size Mississippi Steamer At this point
the Lake is about four miles in width; it's length
is about sixty miles, commencing at Shreveport
Caddo Parish, La-where it is known as Cross
Lakeland terminates at Port Caddo, in Harrison
county, Texas The waters of what is here known
as the Upper Red River, flow into this lake; and
as a matter of information to your n. &. friends
will MENTION that all communication by steamboat
with New Orleans and the Upper Red River coun-
try Gall that part above the raft being SO desig
mated, J is through this lake. The town of Shreve
port derives its name from a gentleman OF that
name who was employed about twenty years since
in the opening of the Red River RATS above Alex
andria There was continuation of these RATS
for probably three hundred miles, impossible in
many places, owing to its density to an ordinary
size catfish, much less to the uses of commerce.
1t is now, however, free to navi CATION as high up
rs Shreveport without any extraordinary obstruc-
ton to the many steamers that now daily ply her
waters except from too close an acquaintance with
the sunken hull of an unlucky steamer, or Its more
dangerous rival, the unrclentng sawyer More
recently an effort made, with temporary sue
cess, to remove the raft above Shreveport. The
fO
since been constantly on the increase, very much
to the damage of the planters above, daming up
the water and badly Overlooking their lands. 1t
rs thus thrown into lake Caddo, and doubtless ma
terially increases the lake navigation; thus forming
an immense reservoir of water, and greatly i'm
proving the navigation of Red River beto,c Shreve
port by letting out the water that has spread over
the lake country in reduced quantities, but OF
greater duration than if precpitated directly thro
the raft The navigation to Jefferson, the princi-
pal commercial town in Eastern Texas, is sustained
mainly by the holding back, as it were, of the
waters of Red River The river, proper, being
obstructed by this raft, which is daily increasing
in length is now about forty miles in extent; the
navigator, DESTROYS of reaching the upcountry, is
under the necessity of quitting it, and passing three
miles above Shreveport, through bayou. known
rs twelve mile bayou, he finds himself in what
ought to have been properly called the Lakes of
the W Gods Alter navigating them some thirty
five or forty miles, through two bayous-black and
red-into Red River, the country becomes suffi-
cently sndky to suit the most fastidious taste of
the most enterprizing immigrant. Twenty miles
due South OH the north side of the lake may be
found your correspondent There is but one Toach
between the two points; its name is full of histor
cal suggestion and military enterprise; it is situate
directly OH the line running due north from Lo-
gan's Port on the Sabine to Red River, and its
proximity to either State makes it wonderfully
venient to stand on one side of the line and shoot
a fellow on the other. So you see back of me is
the State line, the raft in front and the lake 10 by
60 miles, with no place to the former, except
above at Fulton in Arkansas, or below at Shreve-
port nor the latter except at the head of navi ga
ton in Cass county, Texas.
l have been travelling somewhat in Eastern Tex
as, and intended to have written you somewhat at
length of my observations on the wayside; but
am reminded that every thing must have a termi-
nation, especially newspaper articles, or they will
never be read l must say, however before clos
ing, that the crop prospects are unusually good,
especially corn and cotton. Seasons could not
have been more propitious. The planters hopes
brighten. The water transportation has been
abundantly sufficient for the wants of the country,
enabling the planter to get his cotton to market
and in return his supplies for another year.
Wishing you long life and mary friends,
| remain yours, y.