The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-23

Mississippi pm, 70 ..-- ...- 10
s sS::s S::! &; b. + - $
Remarks-sslt first discovered 10 Judge Avery's
pit, Nay 4th, 1862. Ia none of the pits there
any change in The deposit at the lowest del th of
working
The above comparisons show the surface confgu-
ration Of the salt bed to be irregular II Ia inferred
by from this that the occurrence of this vast
body of salt is not the result of volcanic eruption
or action, or the stratum would be, they argue,
uniformly inclined plane. In opposition to this,
there is nothing 10 prevent the assumption that
originally the surface presented by the salt was
UNIFORM and regular, and the inequalities now
existing, set down the score of eIo.iye action.
Ii will be observed too that the salt bed has
been pierced through. all the pits having been
worked in the most primitive mspner, In the ma
| jority of them blasting having been the process
employed. From Mr.. Dudley Avery we obtained
the following interesting details relative to the
discovery OF the salt, and touching It's historical
record. The island was settled by Mr.. John Hays,
a native Of Pennsylvania, 10 1880, nearly eighty
years ago. At that time the island was covered
with dense forest, and totally devoid of even
the traces of habitation. The Attakapas tribe of
Indians that time lived in the vicinity, and are
| said 10 have had supersttOus dread Of the
| island. tradition exists among them that the
island had once been the scene OF great calamity
10 'n1i- .-ihA Rg this traditional calamity lao
Avery contends, may be meant the overwhelming
| of some portion Of the tribe By an earthquake.
This is in keeping with bis own theory of volcanic
eruption having brought forth the island and is at
any rate plausible Interpretation of the terror
iIaught tradition of the Indians. We can imagine
| how the young and hardy warriors, leaving the
| main village, went over to the island to have a
| grand hunt And from our knowledge Of Indian
| character we can picture the blind terror, the
awe.struck fear that seized their rude aud super
sious minds when, with the hurricane eclipse of
the sun, there ensued thelvsst upheaval of earth
how the hardy intrepid braves that gloried in da-
ring danger and Drawing death, must have
crouched IN abject dread. Then when the strng-
giles Of nature grew still and the loss to their
tribe became known, the wailings of the squaws
Tor their brothers, the suppressed but
consuming grief of the dusky maiden for the war
rior love. Then, how natural and consistent with
their character that they should ever after shun the
scene Of their disaster. From the many relics which
have been discovered in the recenty excavated salt
pits tits evident that the island inhabited before
the period Of which we have any historical record.
Crooks and pots and earthen spoons have from
time TO time been discovered; arrow heads, pot.
terry and basket work have been brought to light.
Mr.. Dudley Avery Informs Us that he found two
pots fitted into each other, one foot in diameter at
top, 81 inches az bottom, and inches high. This
pottery, found In such abundance, would indicate
that it was manufactured on the spot by resident
population, and indeed MT. Avery found what he
considered furnace, originally built n the side VI
a rsvine. He also found, recently, mortar
shaped pot within Is inches Of the salt bed. This
mortar is made of hard wood probably maple,
and is thought by Mr.. Avery to have been used for
pounding up salt by these children of the forest.
After cur brief survey Of the mines we all set out
TOR
Prospect Hill,
and after half hours ride reach the summit. We
on the highest point Of the island, $50 feet
above the tide water level. The prospect unfoded
beneath was grand. The view extends on the
West to Vermillion Woods, Miller's Island, taking
in on the north the forests of Bayou Tschs as far
as the An Large Prairie, on the East the Cypre-
mort Woods, and ending on the south side with
the Gulf OF Mexico. The broad expanse of prairie,
the groves Of timber, the bsy0us winding in and
out about the verdant meadows, looking like silver
threads twiDed round clrsters of emerads. The
noble lakes, the picturesque dwellings, the woods
and streams, glades and groves, hills and dsles,
make up this boundless panorama. On every side
we turn, new beauties greet Us. vast inspiring
scenethe vision is lost that seeks to traverse thy
whole extend-thou art curtained by dim distance,
and thy framework is the sky
But we must leave on gazing and prospecting,
for Judge Avery invites US all down 10 his house.
There We see happy southern home, the sweet
est sight of all, and meet with the pessantest in
cident OF the trip; in word, we encounter real
old time.
Louisiana Hospitality.
II was not the vands rare, not the ric and
costly wines-Do. not the banquet, fine as II was,
which so much impressed Us. II was the hearty
welcome and chivalric courtesy; il was the
blended dignity, urbanity and bluff, honest bon
hommie that find expression in the planter host
single out that of Col. Dean as embodying so
much of good taste and kindly feeling. Abiding
TO sentiment OF grateful piety that we saw in
scribed on tablet in one of the apartments, he
said: propose that sentiment, at once a motto
and prayer, those words that have Just met our
eyes, and that feel are refectedin all hearts:
God bless cur home Yes. God bless this South
ern LAND God bless this noble people; God bless
this Southern home.n
After the dinner and the departure of the rest
OF the party, il was our good fortune to spend an
hour in the society of the owners of this
wonderful island. There was the old Judge,
truly grand specimen Of our knightly Southern
gentleman Of the old school his sons-in-law, Mr..
Mclihenny and msjor Paul Leeds; his sons and
daughters, and, true exponent of what our noble
Southern women are. his wife. There We met,
also. Mr.. G. P. Chouteau and the talented young
engineer, bis son.
In such company how fast the minutes few.
BIDDING reluctant adieu, we left our pleasant
entertainers, our sffable host and hostess, and
with their hearty good wishes to cheer Us on our
way, whirled rapidly back to town. Then on
board of our elegant little packet once more.
Again are we in the hospitable hands Of that
beau ideal Of . steamboatman, Capt. N. p. Mil.
lard, and his handsome and attentive clerks,
Messrs. ]. h. Dupuy and N. E. Hebert, net for.