The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-04-15
SCENES ALONG THE CoURTABLEAU.
IN. o. Times-Delnocrat.l

S9CLNLS IAAONU ANN SVOASo
IN, o. es-DeMOcrat.1
The Courtableau Is thickly settled
from Washington to Port Barre, a dis
lance of12 miles. The same description
will answer for each place and section.
Nearly all of the smaller places and
houses were abandoned by the occu-
pants, but occasionally people, white
aud black, would be seen peering out
of upper or from above improvised
floors. Very frequently cattle and hor-
ses would be seen standing listlessly up
to their knees in water, upon some
bridge or higher portion of ground.
Seldom Il movement or q sound in this
solitude OF watery waste, except the
distant report of firearms, where some
brutes were at work remOrselessly
Strengthening the frightened and drown
ing deer, and the OCCASIONAL meeting of
a barge or n fiat boat filled with refu-
gees with their families, stock and pluu-
der, seek ing the highland at Washing
ton. The last sugar plantation before
reaching Port Barre is that of Gilbert
CAN'T, on the strip of land lying be-
tween the bayous Sauchette and Court
ableau. He has 800 acres in cane down
deep in the water. The buildings are
still occupied and the stock was still on
tho place. 1t seems incredible that
these people living so near the high
lands, and the high water having been
creeping upon them for three weeks
and over, giving ample warning and
time, had not taken measures to save
their stock and secure much other prop
erty now badly damaged or destroyed.
The only excuse ventured is that they
did not think the waters would rise so
high. Their memory only went back
to the flood of 1874, and perhaps that
of 1865, and their imaginations were
not sufficiently vivid to contemplate a
rise of four additional feet. Another
circumstance to their partial excuse
was the rapidity of the extra rise as
dispatched to the Times-Democrat, a
rise of from four to six feet in six days
having occurred. This came so sud.
denly as to render futile their slow
preparations. AS matters now stand it
seems as if a portion OF this stock could
! be saved; especially that on RATS and
little movement to this end. The stock
seems abandoned to other chances than
those afforded by human aid.
All along our course dead carcasses
were in sight. At least a hundred could
have been counted in distance of IL
miles. If this number were in sight
from the deck of a passing steamboat,
through section flooded to depth of
from two to ten and twelve feet, with
constant cross-currents, what must
nave been the proportion out Of sight :?
The Bayou Teche has its source in
the Courtableau at this place. Port
Barre was supposed to have been loca-
ted on high ground. 1t has never before
been overfoWed. The water is four
feet above the 1874 mark. At one point
about thirty rods back of the landing,
tract of land about 10 by 100 feet re-
manned uncovered. This was crowded
with cattle, horses, sheep, hogs and
goats. The church further back, with
floor still some inches above the water,
was filled with refugees. Opposite Port
Barre the water is up to the caves OF
the cabins, and many OF them had
tloated off from the foundations, and
were anchored to trees by ropes.
A short distance below Port Barre a
fine large buck was discovered on the
left bank, deep in the water, peering
out from among the branches of the
willows, with its large, frightened eyes,
human in the intensity aud despair OF
| their expression. A sudden exhaustion
of steam caused it to turn and rush and
swim away. Still further down the
Clubhouse on Dabodies place was filled
with colored people, and it's roof COW
! cred with goats, dogs and chickens,
the water being four or five feet deep
] over the place.
DEATH OF COL. JACK WHARTON.