New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-06-27
Ltttle ealllou.
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from the Houma Gerrebonne PARISH Guardl
This bayou may be said to be a branch of the
Terrebonne, but not in the sense that our up
country cousins would speak Of branch I
There a branch Of a river is a tributary, and Of
course flows into the main river; here, our bayous
often branch out but more frequently the branches
run from the main stream instead Of into it.
These branches cannot be properly called outlets,
because they often occur far rom the mouth, and
often very near the source or head of the bayous.
About three or four miles below Houma the
Terrebonne branches, or divides ITSELF the right
descending branch il called the Little GALLON. The
two streams run nearly parallel for some thirty
miles, the strip of land between them being from
one to three miles wide. until they have passed the
settlements and entered the region of the sea
marshes, when the TeTrebonne takes more east
ern course and the Little Gallon more southern
one until they beth reach the gulf about 80 miles
from their place of separation The Little Gallon
can hardly be called q nayigable stream until we
have descended it some twenty-five miles, to Col.
J. B. Robnsens, ITO which place the bayou il
navgable for steamboats, and sehooneTs The
settlement on the Little Gallon is about as old as
that on the Terrebonne these two streams hav-
ing been the first part of the parish settled, and
both about the same time.
The land on this bayou is rich. but much of it
having been in cultivation for half century it is
hardly SO productive as the lands on the DulaTge,
Black, or Chacahonla. However. it would seem
that on the lower part Of Little Gallon some fruits
such as oranges, lemons. bananas, etc.-grow
more luxuriantly than in any other part of the
parish. Some of the largest and best lemons we
ever saw, were raised on this bayou by the Hon.
Peter Welsh on his plantation some so miles below
Houma, This gentleman also raises immense
quantities of oranges Of O very superior size and
quality.
This bayou is very thickly settled there being
but very few large plantations. The fine planta-
ton Of Messrs Bush n Gueno is trayersed by both
the Little GALLON and Tefrebonne, about mile
below where they separate. Next we approach
the g Rancho, y the residence of Capt A. 9. Cage
This plantation was in high state Of cultivation
at the outbreak of the war, and was being I'M
proved and enlarged with great energy and would
soon have been one OF the finest in the parish, but
its proprietor having been four years in the army
and the g bureau " having laid its paralyzing
claws upon it, il presents but SAD picture OF
what it was. After passing the Rancho we
enter the upper settlement, which is very thickly
settled for about six miles, and composed of small
farms planted in corn and cotton These little
farms are thoroughly cultivated, almost entirely
by white labor, and have yielded their owners am.
pie subsistence with but moderate exertion. They
have suffered but little from the effects of the war
lin fact it has been benefit TO most OF them, on
account Of the great increase IN the value OF their
Leaving this settlement, we pass few larger
plantations, two or three of which are well cult
waited and havesbeen during the whole war Here
the fine plantation of Capt w. A Bisand reaches
over from the Terrebonne. Here, our old friends
Messrs. Berger & Brown, although they have lost
heavily by the emancipation Of their slaves, vel
by the most ndomitable energy and perseverance
they have managed to keep their plantation in q
high state Of cultivation. Their neighbor, Mr.. B
+. Smith, has also managed to keep things NOV
ing on his place during the war, and has madt
tolerable crops notwithstanding the loss OF hi
slaves. The next plantation is that of our youne
friend Capt. Il. II. Collins. This gentleman, afte
spending four years in the army, returned TO iint
his plantation almost waste, in the whitening
grasp of the bureau. 1t is now leased to some in
dustrious parties and is planted in corn and enttor
TsroY,, lia YaIo n Col I n Rahif
sons, a distance of some twelve miles, extends
settlement of smaller farms, all well cultivated
and in prosperous condition. Among those tina
most attracted our attention, when we canyasset
the settlement last fall of being the largest ant
best cultivated, we may mention Mr.. John Har
ans, Mr. 0nezime Babin's and the estate of Michae
Thihodanx. There are, however, other very line
little farms in this settlement, but we have no
space 10 give them special notice. Nearly al
labor in this settlement is done by the planters
themselves, their sons, or few white assistants
There are hardly dozen negro laborers in the
whole settlement.
Passing through this settlement we approach
what was once large sugar plantation, belonging
to Colonel J.. B. Robinson; man of great energy
and perseverance, before whose untiring industry
the wilderness disappeared, and in its stead ap
peared two large sugar plantations with all tht
necessary buildings and improvements the on'
now before us, and the other on the Grand Gail
Ion. The bureau laid its blighting hands on botl
these plantations and they became--deserts. TIL
of Little GALLON, and is now leased to industriou
men who have it planted in cotton and corn. Her
canal completes connection by water with th
Grand GALLON, distant about ten miles. There i
also road from here 10 the Grand Gallon throug
the Bayou Sale settlement.
We are now some thirty miles from Hopma an
approach the last place on this bayou that require
our notice, that is the very interesting residene
of our old friend, the Hon. Peter Welsh. Here v
can rest after our long and weary ride, and am
groves of orange and lemon trees inhale the
lightful sen breeze, almost fresh from the ocea
freighted with the odors OF a million blossom
among the wild grasses and myrtes that cover I'll
immense belt Of sea marsh that separates US fro
he Gulf,
We have visited almost every man from Hnnm
down. and were kindly received wherever "
went. There are some very good people living Q
this bayou, and some are men Of intelligence an
education, but the majority compare very uni
yoFaDy with other settlements in the paris
Iher ignorance can only be equaed by the
creduiity During the despotic reigns OF Bea
Butler and Niger Banks, political demagogue
succeeded IN founding secret society in th
parish, composed Of The most ignorant and cred
Ions. The greatest number Of their dupes Wel
from Little Gallon and its neighboring settlement
the Bayou Sale. These poor devils were made
believe that but for The aristoeratsu the
would oil have been rich, and that those artist
Gratis could only be kept down by fraternizng wit
the negro They were thus humbugged into tb
belief that they must take certain Secret oati
and be initiated in the secret signs GRIPS pas
words, etc., OF the John Browlai Some OF ii
more intelligent 0f these dupes have rot the
eyes opened, but many Of the more ignorant BIZ
eve that they are, bound by their oaths foreYe
and hope for millennium to come when somethin
wonderful viii happen. They seem to have
vague idea that the present Congress is compose
Of Z the spirits Of just men made perfect,S TIL
Congress is battling hard with the President
ave Little Gallon from the aristocrats, and tht
ohm Brown was the real savior of the world
eneraI, but Of Little GALLON in particular. Thei
miserable dupes are looked upon by their MOI
intelligent nefghbors with supreme contempt, an
ever since the days of Beast Butler and Nggt
Banks Little Gallon has been famiaTly known
D E nickname Of Massachusetts No, 2.