St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-08-28

ton tour man shipping point by
water) the lands on the Courtableau
are subject to annual inundation,
and have therefore but little value
in an agricultural point of view.
Still this vast belt Of timber will al
ways be of great value to the parish
for building and fencing materials.
Until such time as the prairie lands
shall be settled, this body of land
will not be sought for farming pur
poses, owing to the great labor re-
quired for clearing the same.
Continuing up the Courtableau to
the junction of the Beufl and Croco-
die, we enter one of the most beau
tiful portions of the parish. On
either side of the Beuf are seen large
and valuable plantations, covered
with luxllriant sugar-cane, cotton
and corn.
THE SOUTHERN SECTION.
We now proceed to give some III
formation in regard to that portion
of our parish lying to the south of
the town of Opelousas, and extend
ing to the village of Grand Coteau.
Upon leaving Opelousas we enter
the timber which borders bayou Cal
Than. Leaving this a short distance
after crossing the said bayou, we
enter the prairie which spreads east
ward from the bayou Plaquemine
Brulee. Following the edge of this
prairie for mile and a half we en-
ter the heavy timber of Bellevue.
The railroad and old stage road pass
for some five miles through forest
of magnificent oak, magnolia, hick
DRY, ash and other valuable trees,
when we debouch upon the beauti-
fnl prairie where stands the ancient
village of Grand Coteau.
The land of. this prairie is very
fertile, and produces fine crops of
cotton, corn, oats, etc.
The famous st. Charles College,
in charge of Catholic clersymen, is
situated at Grand Coteau. 1t is an
old but large institution, capable of
accommodating a couple Of hundred
or more students. The Convent of
the Sacred Heart is located here,
under the superindence of Jesuits.
Before the war these two Catholic
institutions we're very fourishing,
as many OF our best citizens received
T a fine education, and many Of our
most accomplished women their tut
ton within their walls. They have,
connected with the seminaries, a
i nodel farm upon which they raise
3Estock, as we'll as everything re-
CURED for the support and comfort
of the institutions. The chief attrac-
tons of the village. are the superb
i gardens and sllruhbeTss with which
4 ft IS Surrounded. Everybody here
seems to be living in ease and com.
fort. The railroad depot has been
located about one mile west OF the
village.
WILD GAME, ETC.
), Many portions of ST. Landry
abound in the finest of game. In
the fall and winter, and the early
part of spring, ducks aud geese are
to be found almost everywhereabout
:. the pefitls anl.,sl eughs. Whiela-ala
quite numerous in the prairies.
Prairie chickens are pretty album
dant some distance west of Opelou-
sas, as also sn.pe, quails, etc. Bear,
i turkeys, deer, and all sorts of var
mints, roam the dense woods Dor
dering OH the Atchafalaya, Calca-
sieu, Bnuf, Crocodile, and other
streams. Our hunting grounds afford
much pleasure and recreation to
sportsmen, and not a few of them
literally pass the hunting or game
season with gun in hand and a
brace or two of we'll trained pointers
or settlers at their heels.
The finest Kind of fsh-trout,
bass, white andssun perch, and all
other varieties sof the fnny tribe
can be caught incur larger streams
and lakes and lagoons.
4 TEMPERATURES, LOCATION, ETC.
!, The location of the table lands Of
st. Landry is high above overflow,
J and, in point Of health, will com.
pare favorably with any portion OF
the Western States. The average
temperature Of the summer IN this
section of our State is 81 degrees
but is not felt to be oppressive OWNS
to the regular sea breeze which re.
freshes and inyigorates. Strangers
are struck with the beauty and cool
ness Of our nights. There is not ex.
perienced that lassitude in the morn.
ing which is felt at ST. Louis and
other points in the North after en-.
during the stified and heated atmos
phere of the night. Sleep is enjoyed
and the only trouble we have expe.
: rienced is, in being willing to retire
to rest and lose the enjoyment of a
Southern night. It's soft and balmy
air, the clear and limpid armament
above, the sweet song of the mock.
ing. bird, oil eollspire to charm us
into a forgetfulness of "dull and
carlling cares" and we rise from
such a night of slumber with health,
and spirits and:strength renewed fol-
the labors OF the day.
We most urgently request the
II sfpa n t,nr and mil Grim IN f,,r,, thai,