The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-11-26

The muse expands her solitary fight,
and, lowering DER stupendous scenes,
Beholds new seas beneath another sky.
lrtomson's "Seasons."
In speaking of an earthly paradise, one ought
certainly to mention the Cacasieu country at the
eastern boundaries of Texas. Men and beasts
live here in their almost primitive harmlessness,
none striving to hurt the other. Not long ago,
q huge bear walked leisurely up the asles In
a meeting house during a sermon, and nestled
himself quietly under one of those backwood
benches. Some of the female portion of the
audience gave brun rather wide berth, and left
without the benediction. or alligators, they have
there id onl1e genus, some wild. some tame,
roughs reconstructed and others still fighting on.
1t happened 10 Capt. Daniel Coos, who owns two
saw mills near the upper ferry above Lake
Charles, and who has converted the wilderness
there into most delightful garden, that on several
occasions, when asleep in his boat, one of those
rough monsters of the deep leaped upon deck,
and with his wide jaws took hold OF his head.
But presently, casting his dark brown eyes slowly
down over most unusual bunch of whskers, dis
covered 1t was the captain, and recognizing in
him an old acquaintance, let go his hold with
whim-their eyes as they parted greeting each
her. Strong indications indeed, of the early
approach of the millennial reign.
No pen or pencil has ever done justice to the
sublime scenery OF the river or lake. For miles
you can walk on the river bank, and high trees 10
various hues and festooned with unnumbered
climbers and blooming vines, cast their cooling
shadows over the road. No other river in or near
Texas can pride itself with such clear crystal
food as the Calcssieu. The hum and CHATTER of
several saw mills break the stiffness of the coun-
try for miles around. The lake itself is most
charming sheet OF water, and the town is laid out
| on the eastern shore. This Is the Venice of the
coast country. Most every family owns vessel,
and they pay their visits to each other In boats.
| Several hundred boxes OF oranges are annually
shipped from there to Galveston and other cities.
Mr.. Nettelrode, formerly Of Homer, La, and
ri fha NJ 49, ,rxlt
bank of the river, but with what success cannot
| tell. The pine woods, which there extend for
| many miles sideways and up the river, furnish q
| far superior article Of lumber than any In Texas
| and, IN many respects, not inferior to Mobile
| pine.
| OF Lake Charles, like of England, we might
| justly say: " Rich queen Of mists and vap0rs."
| Her lovely lake had been for many years the
secret resort OF Capt Laftte and his storm.beaten
| pirates. 1 was shown several captured silver
spoons. with old Spanish names upon them, from
the times of his cruise, which had remained among
the inhabitants there also silk dress with hole
| in 1t from musket ball, and some spots of blood
| upon 1t. With Capt. Pithon, still living there /
got acquainted, and he ia, to my knowledge, the
| last survivor Of those daring cruisers His vet
keen eye and bold forehead Indicate plainly the
fierce eagle Of by:gone years.
With Capt. D. Coos and his family visited the
lake and some of the hills there. At the lower
end we came to considerable hill, the ton. Of
which e.nsissed On one side il had Sss, esn. ises
ably washed BY highwater, and by exploring IL
| We found the skull and arm bones of 4 medium
size Indian protruding. Some OF his teeth had ac.
tually been ground down to the last notch. and
seemed to have done the mastication for tbres
generations. considering, Of course that the abo.
| rginies lived mostly on game and fab. Soma
pieces OF rough pottery picked up near the bones
exniblted, on closer inspection small particles of
| gold In their clay. This fact proved 10 me con.
ciusvely that the quiet sleeper there must have
come from the far West, from the desolsted plains
OF sonora and Arizona, where, until this dav
nesps OF similar pottery are found. Our own Nil
does not contain any gold and no doubt. WIEN
eartnquakes. wars and other cslamities laid IN AZ
country waste, he and thousands Travelled asss
Inc nigh, rude earth-works in Ohio and on the
nssnsppl demon'trate the preparation against
formidable enemies. The Indian gray En- over
Dunieitn, Illinois, prove too well that the "a soms
tremendous battles must have been foug ne in dsrS
ana ~ gone ages. All cur Southern sborieinas
are OF higher stature and their skulIs are hieber
Bullet rs return to our homo I'm tina rive,
eweeuy noat the lotus flowers on the ruflsj
| waters OF the lake. From the same Inrid A..
drinks the woodbine her sweetness and strenr
tnens the Calmus her bitter aroma vbiIst -.
Ciematis. blooming in clusters of rich purns nrr'
claims hereelf from the highest branches Of nefeS
poring trees, queen over all. Bloom on ana rsicn
| for ever w ~ 'e'sn
80 long, sweet poet Of the year,
snail bloom that wreath thou well hast vor-.
While Scotia, with exulting tear. WIN
Procisims that Thomson was her ssn.p