The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-07-30
LETTER FROM MANDEyTLLE.
MANDEyTLLN. Inv July a. II


within two hours after you leave the
wharf ut Mllneburg, and for the trifiipg
consideration OF one dollar, the steamer
Camelia (why Its name II spelt with ono
II is the business Of It's owner) takes
YOU over to one OF the most charming
watering-places In the South. One day
spent In Mandeville, with judicious
guide, Will not only surprise the seeker
after quiet and cool breezes. but CON
vince him that there la no place this side
OF Biloxi that will compare with IL In
general attractions.
Ii you happen to near the long. shady
shore OF the cosy little place, amid
white caps" the picture Is enhanced !:
the neat white.railing fences of the res
licences along the beach, breaking
through the heavy foliage, appear to
reproduce the same white-crested waves
until you get so near that the situation
Is realized and tho picture changes into
foaming sea of pink, produced by q
continuous line OF Grape myrtle In full
bloom, overlapping the fences. and
from among which bursts out at inter
walls fragrant blossoms Of the white and
red oleander, with here and there
gigantic clusters of catalpa flowers,
mingled with the glorious magnolia,
that never seems TO cease to bloom.
You finally find yourself upon u well
direction az far az Bayou Incombe,
and IN the other 10 tho little village OF
Lewisburg, one mile away toward the
west, bordcred on either side by sturdy
live-oaka, sweet-Hums and other trees.
the shade Of which IA sought during the
warmest part OF the day by tho visitors
toenioy the hcalthful breezes Of the lake,
In this respect Vaudeville IL favored
much more than any OF the watering
tt1u MI hA fnr xph m
ever nature might have failed
TO do. the people who have
resorted to Its shores for the last thirty
or forty years, have supplied by plant
ing, II not for themselves, at least for
those those that have come after them.
THE BATHING
Ia certainly equal to any other place
west Of Mississippi City. and the dis
lance from the shore to water OF SUI
tlcient depth barely one hundred yards.
It Is not surprising, therefore. that the
number OF visitors to Vaudeville Is
greater this year than II has been since
the war. Besides the great desideratnm
or the country, woods to stroll about In
and Somewhere to go 10" IL found there
As 10 tho woods, they are, beyond
question, the thickest and richest that
can be found anywhere, and include
such u variety OF trees that Ii would be
difficult to enumerate them. Here In
singular confusion are to be found u
dozen kinds OF oaks and half rs many Of
pines mingled with magnolias, cy-
presses, walnuts, sweet-gums and ca
talpas, profusely adorned with green
moss and intertwined with thickly-
leaved vines OF the wild grape and mus
cadine.
WHERE TO 90.
Through these charming woods. clean
paths, heavily carpeted with bay leaves,
lead to great groves OF live oaks and
tall magnolias, or vast cane brakes, and
well graded roads TO Bayou bacombe,
Lewisburg, Vaudeville, The Abita
Springs and Covington, the country all
around being filled with game OF all
kind, from the tiny delicious grasset to
croakers, bass and soft shell crabs are
10 be caught In the lake. while further
toward Covington, on the Boguefalaya,
the fresh water trout abounds. and all
that Is needed Is a pony, a gun and a
fishing line to while away the time.
AaRIcuLTuRALLY
considered, important changes have oc-
Cured In the neighborhood for the bet
ter, Formerly the principal occupation
OF the inhabitants of the immediate
vicinity OF Vaudeville was tho making
of charcoal, which Is now entirely
monopolized by such negroes rs have
not gone into politics. The white peo-
pie have, therefore, turned their atten-
ton to farming. beginning on small
scale and increasing the area or plant
ing every season. Cotton and cane have
been found to do exceedingly we'll, even
as near as few hundred yards from
the beach, and where one bale OF cotton
was produced five years ago three
times that number will find their
way from Vaudeville to our market
next season. The sugar cane would re-
ceive greater impetus II more facilities
were afforded for its manufacture into
sugar. At present there is only small
mill on Mr.. Verretss place. about half u
mile in the rear of Vaudeville; but even
this mill Is unavailable, owing to the
heavy license on the establishment,
which is excellently well apportioned to
grind corn. The cane will have, there
fore, to be transported n long distance
TO be ground, and we are not informed
Of the nearest place to which it can be
brought. Among the enterprising far
mers OF the locality Mr.. Laprime may
be mentioned. His place is about mid
way between Vaudeville and Lewis
burg, and while he has given his
sugar cane and cotton, he has
trees, some 81 which are now five years
old and promise an excellent yield, not
withstanding the season has been
unpropitious to fruit trees. In this
venture all his neighbors say Mr.. La
prime has secured for himself q hand
some fortune. S#@&
THE soLDIERY.
There are several companies OF the
18th Infantry encamped Immediately
in the rear OF Lewisburg, in a beautiful
open space near spring, formerly the
spot OF pleasant summer residence,
which has been abandoned probably for
another Immediately on the beach.
Vaudeville has evidently been selected
for this camp owing to its salubrity, for
whilst nearly, If not every other water
fever, at some time or another, this
little town and its surroundings has re-
manned free from malaria indeed they
have a graveyard here, but l believe it