The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-10
An American Explorer.
THE EXPEDITION SENT OUT By, A @EsTER'
CoLLEaE--A QUEER CRAFT.

rur sxprprTroS SENT OUT BIZ wESTERN
CoLLEaE-~A QUEER CRAFT.
From the New Orleans P,cayunc.l
One day this week strange craft touched
the Morgan City wharf, havinga curious
cargo and an odd commander. 1t was
common skitl, upon which was erected
rude framework OF lumber, between Two
and three feet In height above the s'oes'
serving the purposes OF a cabin. Ihrougn
{. a. nrniected n small stovepipe, looking very
much hike the smoke-stack OK dihahu'''s
steamer. ,,s.;. chairs
,,;anrort Varieties OF wood, pieces OF sanu,
stone volcanic quartz, Indian arrows, anu
nottery. etc, gathered aa various potn,s y"
Southern Louisiana, especially TOT eol'Gge
at or near KeokuE, Iowa Inc conMatauea
WAS a sauare-built. bronze-facco nSii' pto,
baby upward of City years OF age, nahieu
w. i. Hall. He did not seek notoIlety &'.
,,a.entiv and merely stopped at this place
to forward and receive letters ana take
aboard supplies .
Mr. Hall started from keokuk, IA, sn!Vc-
tobrr. 1876. in an open skiff in search nor
nrohistoric relics in the southern States.
During a small portion OF the Journey he
s|ept on shore at night, and during The re-
mainder on board. he followed the Aacha.
faIaya to the residence OF an Old Indian che,
named Pere Jupiter, where he stopped te
procure valuable information. The cniei
now probably eighty years old, Is raraiiai
with every nook and corner or Soa'tnert
Louisiana, and is one OF few survivors OF AZ
almost extinct tribe. Mr.. Hall proceeded &c
the vicinity Of Tigervillc. on Bayou Blacs
and examined large Indian HoTfnaa
there, from which he obtained specimens o.
Indian weapons of warfare and utensils. lie
ascertaincd that the bones OF hSh we're useo
in the manufacture Of the articles. Clearln?
the mouth of the Atchafa'aya. ne passed
along the coast through Atchata!aya, 81
Bernard. Cote Blanche, and Aernlllior
bays, out of Southwest Pass, forty mics
along the Gulf to Mermentau river. Ther
he assembled the Mermcntau untE he reached
the route marked by blazed trees, which
small vessels use in passing from Iouisian;
to Texas through the Parish OF Cameron tc
the Sabine river. He visited Galveston, ano
after Il short delay returned to the Louis
lana coast. He stopped at those mysterlou:
and beautiful islands Familiarity Known q!
Petit Anse, Grand Cote, Cote Blanche, ant
Belle Isle, which nsGer fail to interest nj
travellers.
MIR. Hall is OF the opinion that the three
first-named islands are continuance OF tina
geological formation known as The ttzart
range, while Belle Isle is Of 4 much older OF
different strata, aud belongs to the lorld;
formation. lie made here the most inter
esting discoveries OF his trip. Examining
the trees of the island he found neara doZer
sturdy young lockwood trees, the trsf NJ
has seen growing in the United States, ano
familiar to him as native OF San Domingo
He supposes that the trees must have beer
planted here by coasters in the Spanish
reign. After repeated borings on the sthel
islands he could discover no indications ol
rock save a thin sandstone near the water
level. The Belle Isle rock was hard and
glistening.
Mr.. Hall left yesterday, going up The
Teche, which he will follow to the head
make a portage to Washington, on the
Bayou Courtableau, and proceed up through
the Louisiana interior homeward. He
speaks of his travels in Egypt, Syria, San
Dsmingo, and parts Of this continent, in
plain way; and his oddity, il not the pro-
fundity, OF his knowledge will make him
an object Of interest wherever he goes.