New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-06-15


he BavOu Terrebnnue. After running some fifteen
niles nearly parallel with the latter stream, and
when about a mile from HOuma it suddenly
changes its course by making horseshoe bend
md runs almost due west for more than thirty
niles when it empCes into the Chen, a large
layou which. after efecting junction with the
shafIer, empties into Atchafaaya Bay.
In former times the plantations on this bayou G
produced great crops Of sugar. In the winter of :
1850 and 1861, we remember the whole crop OF
this parish was estimated at some l6'VoO MUGS
5000 of which were produced on Bayou Black
alone. The planters, Overseers and slaves, all
yieing with each OTHER in a laudable desire TO
excel not only in making large crops, put also IN
improvements and in opening and clearing up new
lands. The sugar houses on the large pahtations
cost from $50 900 to Sl000 coo, and when viewed az
a distance in connection with the great numbers OF
other buildings near them, resembled towns ana
villages. The buildings were almost always kept
whltewashed and had pleasing effect Inc fences
and bridges were generally kept IN excellent re-
pair. and all the bitches nicely cleaned out In
fact the reputation of manager depended much
on these things, and even the slaves ielt PRIDE IN
the prosperity and appearance OF the plantations
to which they belonged, and would often debate
with each other on their respective merits and
dement's. |
In those days the residents of Bayou Black en- |
oyed full share Of the happiness allotted to man
There was a kind feeling existing between the |
planter and his SLAVES. He looked upon them as
the great source of his income and supplied them
with every comfort; often approaching eXtraya-
ganCe. We were reminded of those days by an
observation made by one of our Houma merchants
during the last Christmas holidays. He had laid
in supply of toys for the little folks but had sold
less than he had expected We made some re-
mark on the subject when he replied with some
thing approaching a sigh, g. All, in old times nave
! sold more toys and candies to one lady for her
little negroes than have sold in all during the
I present holidays The planter, conscious OF his
increasing wealth, felt but little trouble for the
| future, notwithstanding most of them kept contin.
ualy in debt by the annual purchase of slaves and
additional lands. The small planters generally
took the world easy; the summers being very long
and the winters short and mild, but little labor was
4 required to procure the necessaries OF life The
slaves were the most happy OF all. Furnished
with every necessary and comfort, they knew no
care. They were generally allowed, in the heat
of the day, long rest, about three hours, during
which time they enjoyed themselves as they
pleased, as also when their days work was done.
On many plantations they were allowed half OF
Saturday, and at Christmas they were allowed
from one to two weeks holiday, -.
But those days are past This rich and pOpulous
settlement is not what it once was. Those fine
plantations present very different appearance
fnow. Only portion of the large plantations are
cultivated, and that in very Indifferent manner.
Unlike the other places on the bayou Duarge
i and Chaekahoua the crops are not sufficiently
cultivated, for want of labor The buildings and
fences are going to decay and have very dilapI
dated appearance. The bitches are fast filling up,
and their sides growing up with briars and bushes
) The crop has become reducedfrom 5000 hOgsheads
of sugar and 900 barrels of molasses, together
: with great abundance Of corn, rice, potatoes
etc, TO about 500 hogsheads and 1900 barrels O.
moasses, little or no corn, do. rice, and no pota
i toes at all.
! As for happiness, it has fed. On the large plan
= tatons the life of the planter is a continual hell
To attempt description of it we have neither tht
heart nor the ability. In the negro quarters, WHERE
once we heard the merry voices of the fat lttlt
darkes and the joyous laughter Of the older boysf
y and girls" now discord, jealousy and indolenct
. reign supreme, and old Satan himself could no
y desire more eongenial residence.
e The negroes, however, are rapidly disappearing
4 from the plantations, and are erowdng into New
y Orleans and about the villages, Here, living
- filth and wretchedness they manage, by hook 0
=, crook to exc out scanty and precarious exist
:, ence. aN WAC
4 The smaller planters have less trouble. Many Q
a them, however, were overlooked last year an
% have hard struggle to live until the present GRO
~ is made which, by the way, may never be made
I as they are still threatened with overflow. Bu
k their industry can only pc eqgaed BY that OF III
m people of bayou Duarge and Chackahoula.
# EARLY in May, we devoted some two or thre
u days among the citizens, visiting them at the
m houses and in the fields.
~ At that time there were no fears Of another owe
80 flow and they were generally cheerful and hopeful
They are doing all that industry and perseVt
M rance can do to recover from the sad consequence
~ Of the loss of their slaves the entire loss of the
i, cotton crop by the worm IN 1854; and the owe
IF flow of 1865.
~ About as many negroes are employed on Obi
bayou as in all the parish besides. We estimat
~ their number at about four hundred. Before th
I. war, rations and clothing were issued to som
Ia two thousand slaves on this same bayou. Nam
~ however in those days were fed and clothed VII
were not counted as hands, and did but little Il
n wards making the crops. There are some Of tt
"a smaller places, that were once worked entirely
M slaves, are now worked altogether by white meT
IL generally, by their owners with their sons ami
~ sometimes, a few white assistants. Other smb
~ Places that were formerly worked in part
N5rnr cd EVh
or One word more about bayou Black and we hay
= done. Many persons delight to represent our CIR
% oles as being, generally, very ignorant. Such
~, not the case on this bayou. As on the Dularl
O and Chackahoula, we found a great many ve
20 pleasant, intelligent Creoes, speaking both Fren
h and English iluently and seemed to understand Il
o. politics of the day quite as well as some political
~ we know, who think themselves exceedingly SINAI
on Aside from the Creole population on the Blae
az there are many Americans, as they are Gale
,rs Most of these are men OF fine education and ve
bo gentlemany in their manners. AS for their he
~ ptaty to either strangers or friends, it can on
~ be realized by those who have been among the
~ -ss----
. e5 GAY ROMANCE AND SAD ADMINISTRATION
he Cuba, Mag l9-In a Spanish theatrical compau
81 lately here, was a lady, young, handsome a.
,I,s talented She has snitten many, they say, and
a return accepted profered hearts innumerab
in This kind of thing Is called love, by courtesy onI
cal but the course of such runs otteutmes with
COT little smOOthless as that of true love. A gent
'st man, who shall be nameless was smtten by d
tbo lady, and paid her unremiting attention. 50 mu
md so that there were, strangely enough, rumOrs
the marriage-for the lady, though very fair, is We
eel frail. Be that as it may, the gentleman if I
de- matrimonially inclined, was an accepted lover
If the strongest type In course Of time a ri
Ike appeared. One day the rivals met;
10 one glorying in his triumph, the oil
Who envious and deyoured by chagrn; by
are means in a temper to endure each other. TIL
non met at dinner; but no wine was needed to exc
il men already excited by each others presen
TOO The scene, though festive, was not gay; nor
the the presence of the lady tend to make matt
osi more agreeable. When she rose the FORTUNE
lover escorted her to the door, and returned
the table in time to hear bitter remark from
discomftEed rival. To make long story short
: challenge was sent and accepted that very mig
ed A duel to the death was agreed on. Just think
- two men, one colonel in the army, the othe
us young lawyer in good practice one with fam
to take care Of both in good positions in socie
illy agreeing that one the other or both should
the for woman who caredfo neither. Think that
old Creole hatred Of the Spaniards had something
ex- do with the mmovable determination of the yor
n of lawyer to accept no apology from the color
The who did all in his power to avoid the fright
in alternatives of murder, suicide or disgrace
lre adversary was memorable and they fought.
and the second fire the successful lover fell morta
half wounded, and in three days more was buried.
ope colonel of course, has left the island. The Ii
dimes TRANQUILITY every day at the table where
ton dispute occurred, not yet month ago. She
tolEr - !, 4