The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-08-14

he seemed determined, and these were to
kill an alligator, and, af he could get
hold Of him, to try q piece Of his flesh.
Our Ben Batter declared the dish most
all test its culinary qualities the first OPP
pOrtunity. Here was orr chAnce, and 40
cOrdingly we levied upon piece of our
cayman's tail, which Ben said he'd fix up
for dinner in nice style. This done, we set
out, and after another visit to the line of
the rail-r road, stopped on the bank Of the
river for dinner. Being provided with
every thing necessary, things were soon in
readiness, including the piece Of alligat0r's
TAIL which, when cleaned we found to be
white, solid and good looking, and after being
we'll seasoned and fried in butter, we unani-
I m0usly declared to be good, palatablo
dish-something "victor" could palm off
for almost anything extra in the fish line
readily enough.
After dinner we continued our journey,
| seeing alligators in abundance, some Of
which my companion killed as we moved
slowly by them, and signs of deer and other
game about, till near nightfall, when we
stopped at the camp of q lumberman for
the night.
The next morning we set out pretty
early, and after oking view Of the line
of the Chattanooga where it crosses Little
Tensas bayou at Ofntt's saw-milI and kill
ing q few alligators, we reached Butte ala
Rose q little before sunset, and "pitched
Ient' on the steamer ftOneef," capt.
Leonard, which we found waiting for
drove Of cattle. Here we spent pleasant
night, and securing the services Of q hardy,
young white lad to pilot us through
the lakes, bays and bayous lying between
us and the "Teche country, : we started
a good deal of game about-several' species
of crane aQd ibis, some of which are very
fine eating; eguets, white and blue; ducks
and squirrels. Alligators were abundant,
and, as my companion handled his rifle
nn mere dexssf9 s',5 ne II tuning
in length. Soon, just in front On, q large
one was pointed out. He moved swiftly
through the water and was evidently
q monster. Perceiving that he was turn
ing so as to be able to watch our move
ments, and at the same time slackening his
speed, told our boatmen to cease rowing
and keep still. This they did while the
Roadway of our boat brought us near the
alligator. AS my companion leveied his
gun I told him to take his time and make
ster killed if possible. The crack Of the
rife, a scarcely perceptible move of the
alligator I observed, when the powder
flashed before me while, at the same mo-
moment, the boatmen cried out "hes hit
him-he's dead" and sure enough the enor-
dashed it heavily with his sweeping tail for
o moment, when he turned upon his side.
dead. AS he was near shore, we determin.
ed to get him out of the water that we
might have a better view of this swamp
elephant, and accordingly towed him to
low bank near by, and, all hands. laying
hold, pulled him out. He was indeed
monster, being over eleven feet in length,
and apparently sixteen or eighteen inches
in diameter. His capaciOus jaws were
armed with rows "! Of large pearly teeth
was broken off by one of our boatmen with
an axe and handed my railroad friend,
which he said he would have worked into
a set of cuff buttons as q souvenir of that
mornings adventure. Pursuing our Jour
ney about twenty miles, we found our
stream too low for further travel in 6hr
boat, so we stopped for dinner, paid off our
crew and set out on foot to the nearest
settlers in the woods bordering the Teche
country" where we could get horses to- go
on tn the Bayou Teche.
The country through which we had
thirty miles from the juno
ton of Bayou Plaqu6miueand Grand river,
though we had travelled more than twice
that distance through the bayous, etc.-is
lakes, where game and fish abound but
sparsely inhabited by few lumbermen,
who live easily upon the fruits Of their
labors. Before the war the country was
better settled, but the war and the conse-
quent breaking Of Grand Levee compelled
the settlers to move away. The coustry
however will be settled again soon..-JThe
of the Chattanooga fsxisoad
through it Will open up a grand Bnatket
for lumber of all kinds, and, as there ia an
abundance of the finest ash and cypress
here, where it can be reached conveniently,
it will not be suffered to remain the Wild
section it now as.
We reached the Teche about sunset md
put up with a friend, where we spent he
time pleasantly till Monday, when we wht
up to Breanx's Bridge, some two m es
above, and there hiring hack, were, liza
couple of hours, driven to Vermillionvie.
The beautiful Attakapas and Opelouhs I.
countries have been described in your d.
umns already, hence need only add tsy,
were the surprise and admiration of ~
The crops every where along our I'D
we found beautiful-cane, corn cotton,
except rice, for which the season has hin
too dry. Fine melons are avery wher&O
be found, and while about Vermillionve,
we enjoyed some delicious peaches, gres
and pears grown there.
Tuesday we spent at Vermillionville, ID
in examining the country few miles VT
ward, which we found truly deligh I. q
While waiting for breakfast in Vermfih-
vile, and enjoying pleasant stroll thrd ID
the town towards our hotel, CaleshE 49,
a two-wheeled vehicle, supporting f4e
of four uprights, between which is sIg
with rawhide thongs generally, boin
which two persons can seat themses
conlfotAA6ly, passed me containin q
young man of about twenty summers aa