The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1884-07-05

Manchester Qowa) Press.

Manchester Qowa) Press.
EDIToR Pass ri have been re
quested by many readers Of the Pres
to give, through its columns, my i'm
pressions Of Southwestern Louisiana
from the trips | have made to that
country--one made in August last,
during the hottest season, and the
other this spring, when vegetation was
at its best. / left home, on my second
visit, on the 10th of May last, foliage
here had only commenced putting
forth. Cottonwood leaves were about
half size, and oak buds were just
swelling for leaf. No particular change
was observed until | reached Southern
Illinois, where | found the forest in
full foliage, On reaching New Or,
leans, | found the season pretty well
advanced, magnoliss in bloom, corn
about waist high, and some of it tas-
seled out; potatoes ripe and ready for
market, and everything else in the
agricultural line equally advanced.
The usual trip to Western Louisiana
is over the Morgan Railroad, but the
great break in the levee Of the Missis-
sippi river, known as the Davis ere
vase, had carried away part of that
road, and great part Of two parishes
under water, so we were compelled TO
take another route, viz: the road run
ming up the river, on the east bank.
We went on this road about go miles
to Burnside's Landing, on the Missis-
sippi, passing through many sugar aud
rice plantations. AT the landing we
took a river boat, passing up the river
about six miles to DoRaldsonyille, on
the west Tor rather south side, where
we entered the Bayau Lafourehe, down
which we steamed for about 80 miles
to Thibodaux. The trip down this
bayou is very fine. The route is
through some of the oldest and finest
plantations in the South. In fact the
entire distance of Al miles by river
and bayou, is nninterruptedly along
these rich and well-cnltiyated planta-
tions, the greater part Of them into
sugar cane and corn. Everything
about them ID neat and tidy, and the
crops well titled, scarcely weed TO be
seen in them, Each plantation had
its large, airy and tastily-built planta-
tion honse, ia the midst Of groves Of
live oak, peeans o. China trees, into
orchards Of various kinds Of fruit, and
q great variety of flowers in the gar
dens, and many Of them With the
Cherokee rose hedge 10 full bloom
along the front, giving the house q
queer but attractive look, peculiar TO
that Southern country, wherever fine
homes are found. On the plantation,
back from the house, from one-halt
mile to one mile, can be seen the su-
gaf house with it's tall chimneys, and
around it the double row of small one
story, Whitewashed houses, for the la
borers on the plantations, who arc
mostly negroes, the whole presenting
the appearance Of small village.
These plantations front on the ba-
yoas and rivers, and there being no
high banks and no trees or shrubs of
any kind along the banks, the view Of
the plantations is uninterrupted. Both
the rivers and The bayoHs are kept
from oYerfowing these plantations in
high water by leyees, and IS the water
was At its highest when | passed down
and back, It represented the strange
appearance of D river abave the level
Of the ground. The surface Of the
water was on an average tpe feet
higher than the whole face of The
country outside Of the leyecs 0ne
can readily imagine what immense
damage Il done BY j break er creYasse
ii these leyees, II floods the coaptrE
for miles around, and lhe plantations
have to be abandoned for the season,
There was new cFeyasse n The bayou
near Tbibodapx, which had appeared
but i short time before I was there,
and hnpdEeds of men weFe u work
trying ~ driving pile, pla0klng fheEsl,
and sinking bags Of eana, to step 4.
lnwe planfasions were Aaaaed and
ahapd pdoned and more will be, ffem I,
- Il seemed almost lmpoaalble to Nj
ress fhe Aow ~ wafer frcm the beYelis
tEiis bagon looks Ike Large sbip canal
butt 81 love grogae bg throwing p
kWc Ykes. about 2ea Eeet apart con-
I4 j, < 4sasss4s. a. ,lass