New-York tribune., 1877-11-10
WESTERN LOUISIANA.
BAYOU IECHE AND THE ATTAKAPAS
COZ NTHY.

-TIlr ALLIGATOR BEAUTIES or BAYOU TfCHE-
rTrg HOME OF TnE ACADIANs-A SALT ISLAND
AND IT'S INHABlTANTS.
lrEoN A sTAFF coEEEsroNDENT OF TIE TRIBUNFI
NEw-IBERIA. La, Oct. 31.-l left New Orleans by
Morean's Railroad carly one morning, 20 pen
citrate into the Auakapas country, some
fines called the sugar-bowl Of Louisiana. One
of those warm showers more mist than
nam peculiar TO sub-tropica countries was falling,
and the moisture-laden atmosphere felt like
Russian steam bath. The RAILROAD is so miles long,
skirting the Mississippi for the first 10 or miles,
and then striking across singular region Of swamps
and bayous, dotted here and there, wherever the
gr0und is high enough, with sugar plantations
until 1t terminates at Berwick Bay, where IT con-
meets with lines OF steamers 10 all the Texas
ports Railroad and steamers belong 10 Mr.. Charles
Morgan of New-lork, the transportation king oi all
the country west Of New-OrleanS. The tourist who
has endured the dscomforts OF Southern travel is
sure to be delighted with Morgan's line. Cars are
new and. clean, track and road-bed are IN good
order and the steamers ere models OF neatness,
comfort and stanchness. The management OF the
line is as fastidious about these steamers as New
England woman is about her house. Everything
must look as fresh and bright if the vessel Just
came from the builder. There are usually two or
three of them out of service. taking their turns at
beng painted; scrubbed, and polished. Seeing
how well Mr. Morgan manages his business
and treats his passengers the travellers ready to
forgive him for putting his name upon everything
belonging TO it, from depots and locomotives to
mats and water-coolers; but their resolution is
strained little when they learn that the town at
the western terminus is no longer Brashear City,
but Morgan City. Poor old pioneer Brashear who
cleared up the Wilderness and founded the village,
thought. no doubt, that he had immOrtalized him
self; but now comes the enterprising Eastern cap
italist and claps a new name upon the place, rub
bing out the old one as if it were only written on
slate instead of on the history OF louisiana
CONDITION OF PLANTATIONS.
Along the road the sugar plantations do not look
prosperous. Formerly they were the most produc-
tive in the State, but overtlOws the curse OF the
State have ruined crops and owners, obliging the
latter TO begin anew, and TO try to rebuild Their
fortunes with capital borrowed at eXtOrtonate rates
Of interest Three-fourths of the surface of Louis-
pna south of Red River and east Of the western tier
of parishes lies below the food line of the Missls-
sippi and Of the many streams through which the
great river p0urs its surplus waters TO the gull lhe
levees are the only safeguards against disastrous IN
nuudations and when they break the mischief done
is almost incalculable cTevasSe VIII often
spread desOlatiOn over hundreds OF square miles ol
fertile country No wonder the Louisiana people
want to bring the levee question into national poll
ties. - IL is llC ram dilN hllAtliI- ''''' N-
regions far to the north and west Of us
that send down the floods 10 sweep away our crops"
they saw "The Government cannot check the evil at
its source but il can and ought TO help us 80 control
il here where it works such terrible TavageS" lhey
ask for no assistance to protect the frontage OF lands
bordering the smaller streams but herlso water
In the great Swamps. OcCGSi0ncd by CTtvdsses IN the
Mississippi and Red Rivers many miles away
may be, they are pOwercSs To contend against
Let the Government c0uhnc the main rivers 10 thelI
beds and they will look out for the intricate system
of water courses that the State as with net
Tie vital part played by the leyees in the affairs of
the agricultural districts is we'll seen at the point
where the railroad crosses Bayou Laiourche Here
the rich. black sugar lands are so far below the
level of the water i'm the bayou that the roofs of the
pretty onestory houses Of the planters arc no higher
than the top Of the dikes. The traveller who has
been in Holland is reminded of his experience in
flat strange half-drowncd land, as lac sails along
Tie BAYOU and looks down upon roofs, toor-yards,
gardens, and fields.
In the midst of the swamps that the railroad runs
through there are many small farms occupied solely
bv negroes. and no doubt owned by the occupants.
The land is remarkably productive, but the dwell
inas of the inhabitants show few signs OF clyiiiza-
ton. They are wrctched novels Of unpanted
cypress boards without sash glass in the windows,
and are much inferior to the average plantation
cabin Left to his own resources, the negro does
not seem TO care for himself well as lls old master
cared for him in the days of slavery and still cares
for him as a hired laboIor. On plantation he Is
required to wlntewash his cabin keep it in repair,
and It's surroundings free from weeds and rubbish,
but on his own patch he can do as lie p!case, and
he usually plcascs to live much as his kindred live
on the Congo and the Niger
SUGAR CANE GROWING.
Along the banks of the Bayou dcs Allemands,
BAYOU Lafourche. and Bayou BGuf, all nayisabe
streams crossed by the railroad, one sees
in Spring large sugar estates, on which
the growing cane planted in rows, looks like
young corn. Gangs Of negro men and
women are then boemg or plowlng with mules
in way that would evidently be even more eisurely
than il is were IL not for the orders of the mounted
overseers that watch the work. The sugar mills
are each the nucleus of a little village composed of
the nero cabins in orderly rows. the low-roofed,
broad-piazzad house of the planter and the numer-
Gus sheds and outbuldiugs for the mules tools and
supplies. The tall chmneys Of the mills and their
huge brick structures for burning the pressed cane,
looking like the towers of ruined castles, the only
relief TO the monotony Of landscape Of level black
fields bordered on the horizon with dismal cypress
gwamps The traveller finds neycr-faIling diversion,
however in observing the rank luXuIiant vegetable
frowths along the track and in scanning for alga-
tors the little bayous made by eXcavating bitches
for the road-bcd. OF ali ugly brutes the alligator is
the most hideous and repulsye. He seems a mis-
shapen compound Of dccayed log and swamp mud
viylfed by some freak of nature. Whether summing
bis uncouth length q grassy bank or swimming IN
the sluggish black water, with only his dirty snout
and his little ylllainous eyes above the surface he
inspires q feeling of horror coupled with strong