The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-16

greaf snaqpity. For the whole, Island, of
more than TWO Thousand acres, is of com:
parativeiy recent formation, the Quarter.
nary, which ia more recent than the Terti-
airy. o-t,. .t.u..l ..f.,.I-t-.I 80
A geological section of Petit Anse island
taken from it's highest point where it ia 1872
rect above the Gulf or sea level, showed 10
;nn strata, with the solid rick salt "
ing 40 feet below the surface. The pottery
baskets and bones were found just I6 feet
below the surface. '' tt' - -0'-0N'
The land of the island 10 composed of
lrregularly stratiied ancient alluvium or
!oess. termed by American geologists the
. olnn formation t, OF the Mississippi : the
orange sand which underiies this sbluff
formation,' elsewhere on the banks of the
river is the base also of the hills of Petit
Anse. AT one of the lowest points, in a
valley, the salt has been mined, and found
to be sixteen feet only below the surface,
ana ak feet above the tide level. g..
1t was at this spot the pottery and bones
were first discovered.
Of the descendants of the Acadiaus, who
In great part people this neighbOrhood,
and VINO still preserve many of their pri
mit'Ve characteristics, Judge Avery spoke
In most effectiUnste terms.
Living In this secl uded repion thew have
changed but little and they are still the
same gentle, simple, credulous people they
we're in Canada, Neither In manners, NOR
al or religious culture, has there been
much alteration, ) and they cling tenaciously
to old memories and old observa nces. They
are "Americapised" less than apy other
race or nationality that has dwelt for two
generations on American soil, save perhaps
the creole French of Louisiana- their, die
tant cousips. ger l.t. 9.a,-,.la-
They scented to us q hardy and happy
race, easily contented, and although in
dustrions.. fond of Combining play with
lgrya
With each other, cul tivating small farms ON
the prairie, and are willing workers in the
salt mine whenever their Services are need.
ed, at a rate of remtfBeratiun which would
by no means satisfy the foreign miners, be,
Ing In comparison as one to two or three.
They are cheerful workers also, and new
er strike, ''in which they differ also from
their brethren abroad The women nav
but little attention to toilette, and are hard
working also, while the children run about
IN very premitive fashion, with but very
few garments, and those of the cheapest
description. In fact, this colony seems to
have, reconstructed Acadia on the prairies
OF the Teche, in this parish which they
have named ST. Mary's.
1t need scarcely be added that they are
all devout Catholics, and that the priest is
an important member of the community,
and beloved and useful one.
The greater portion of the balance of the
PoR0io'ipu "a buo phTlbu is composed OF the
descendants of the French creoles, chiefly
land owners, and the negroes who used so
faithfully to till the sugar fields in the vi
clnlty, but who now work only in an inter
mittent sort of fashion-lazily and grumb-
llngly for the most part-and whose
appearance and condition does not seem to
have improved under the Influences of
their newly acquired freedom. On the out
skirts of the thriving little city of New
Iberia may be seen clustered together their
nuts or ca bins, neither over clean nor over
comfortable apparently, around which
sturdy men and women, and half or entire
ly naked children may be seen louDging or
playing; the little work that is done seem
lugly being washing or laundry work
an employment for which the negro women
have peculiar vocation. The passion of
the men, next to sleep-in which they sur
pass the Neapolitan 1azzaroni-is for fishing
aud hunting, through which they manage
to exc, out a 'scanty supply of food and
ciothlDg, with, an occasional weeks work
on the plantation at intervals, for them
selves land families: The conseq hence of
their refusal or nnwilliDgness TO work -9>rf
the plantations has been the redgebiog Of
the sugar crops in st Mary's parish from
10000 h6gsheads Before the war TO barely |
10 600 since, With corr espoudinS fedrfcA
ton in the cotson and rioe crepsa W ha sever
the, blessings emancipation may have,
brought, both master and man have paid a |
heavy price for it. f'-f- '-'.f' - ~ 'sf
Such 7is the Tecirei as peaceful looking a
region g. the eye can Trest upon in any
land, and which was spared most of the
ravages of the terrible Wal. which convutsed
less fortunate portions a. the Union. oAff
along the borders Of rRe Bayou on either
side, exten ding dfttyi Mi Ees higher up to st.
to whicnth steamers run
daily, arethS remains BIZ the fine old sugar
which aTe now only inD perfect
" and partially cultivated, owing to the.
iminished means of their proprietors, -Su-
gar planting has ceased to tie profitable in
Louisiana, and The culture 10f rice as d sub
stitute, in great parties serioasly medits-
ted, These lands are equally suited to
either, and rice culture is less expensive
han sugar, because OF the expensive ma
'hinery re4Vired to refine and prepare the
,qgar for market, always heavy tax aud
demanding large ou4tlays:of ready money!
Wise men mi gle :mirth with their cares