The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-06-19
LOVELY LOUISIANA.
THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY READING STATE
REPORT.
(From Mayns Reid's Magazine-Onward ]

from Mayne Reid's Magazine-Onwud
Among these United States there
none more observing the appellatio
"lovely than th.t called l. auisian;
, Without mountain scenery, it is sti
4 magnificent. Its mighty rivers; its vast
interminabe swamps. dark under til
shadows of the grim cypress and its fcs
toonery of weird-like tillandssa it
contrasting sun-lit savannas; its myster,
of morass, penetrable only sy tortuou
waterways of bayou and lagoon it
sub-tropical vegetation and truly tropica
aspect; all combine to render Louisian,
the most interesting tract of territory
over which waves the flag of the free.
In an chronological point of view it ii
equally interesting. With its popula
tion af almost cosmopolitan character
its miscellany of types and their mix
lures, some of them celebrated for phys
ical beauty with the varied habits, Gus
toms, and manners thereby begot, how
could it be else : And then its history
teeming with strange episodes-itself al.
most a romance.
Though there is not "a State in the
Union for which we do not feel some
pleasant affection, Louisiana has always
had for us peculiar and special charm.
1t was within its territory our foot first
:ouched American soil /; and how could
the spot be otherwise than dear to US
Though just thirty years ago, aud we
were"theu but boy, how welr do we
remember that moru when, shot out of a
ship gig, we st, cd upon famed battle
ground, whey We were told our own
countrymen had been disastrously de-
feated. AS an unreAacting cub, trained
up to Toryi>m, We might then, aud per-
haps did, feel sorrow for their disaster.
We have long ago learned to rejoice at
it.
What a world of wish we have to look
upon those scenes again And how our
yearning has been increased by reading
a little book of pale ." tea coored cover,
that has come tumbling into our hands
am>ng others of our exchanges."-
Withal, so unpre'eding i'll title, type, Or
other mechanical attraction, that, had it
not referred to the State OF Louisiana, in
all likelihood, having glanced at it, We
should have consigned it to that recepta-
Gle known as the waste e-basket." We
did nQk We commenced reading it,
and ceased only when the last page pass
ed under our devouring eyes We have
rarely faced the word iuis with
keener feeling of regret-Eot even at the
end of the most thrilling romance For
this book pamphlet, We should rath-
er call it-read to US like romance, but
a romance in real life. And what think
you it isl Reader, you cannot guess
A thousand to one you cannot, and there
fore We must tell you. It is simply a
" report" made to the Governor and
Assembly of Louisiana, concerning the
industrial resources of the State.' The
name appended is that of John Blount
Robertson" a gentleman who has won
right to the distinction of " Honorable"
from being, as we have heard. one of
the most accomplished and respected
judges of the State.
Outside, this report shows poverty, as
if paper, type, and other printing mate
rials were dear in Louisiana. Inside, it |
is rich as the "resources of which it
profrsses to be all exponent. And what
be these resources A soil of pure allu
WON, that in places has been probed to
the depth of five hundred feet without
touching bottom! A deposit of almost
unmixed vegetable matter, the silt OF the
with its thousand tributary |
vast manure-heap, which, if
spread out. would cover and fertilize an
dessert. causing it TO rejoice
and blossom as the rose.
And What grows out of this conglom-
GRAFTON of fertility2 We count over a
hundred indigenous trees, some of them
AS the cypress, the tulip-tree, the cot
and the liquidambers-very
Titans of the forest; otbers-as the mag
nolia, the catalpa, the persimmon, the
aud the pawpaw-types
'f ornamental vegetation. And of the
!rnitfal, what can this teemiDg soil pro-
dnce, both indigenous and exotic ? There
the orange buds, blossoms, and bears
fruit as in Sicily, Seville, or Cuba; the
hg fruct'hes and ripens, as it did in the
garden OF Eden, where its leaf afforded
she much-needed apron; and even a still
broader leaf, of which the mother of
mankind might have more conveniently
availed hersslf-that of the banana
expands its green. glistening surface to
:he golden sun of Louisiana.
Northern readers will, no doubt, feel
some surprise at reading the report of
Judge Robertson on the vegetable re-
sources Of this Southern territory. We
confess to having felt it. Having stray
III rrnhsoxvopf +hrn,,oh Tho Stc4a coxs,a |