, 1885-07-18

AIeg AMONG rHg "oAJuNs.r


New Haven Palladium
Commissioner Harris, of Louisiana.
showed several pieces of homespun rot.
ton goods which he says were made by
the "Cajuns. ''Who are they" asked.
The word, ho replied, is a corruption
of A~rcadians, and is applied to the de-
s%cendants Of those people whose settle
ment in Louisiana was immortalized in
Longfellow's "Evangeline." Then, turn
ing to the map, he showed me where the
ga uns' live, aud gave an account OF
their homes and their simplicity of life.
In plain words he verified the words of
Basil, tho blacksmith, as to the beauty
OF the country and fertility of the soil
and the ease in which they lived. The
are almost like the lilies of the field
in their freedom and toll. In a little
patch around their houses they cultivate
what cotton they need for their wearing
apparel and such vegetables as they use.
When the spring rains cease thcy 90
ont upon the prairie and examine the
depressions, from one to five acres in
extent, which are then ponds of water.
and if found to be not more than eight
cen inches deep they prepare to sow
their rice. tirst they soak their seed
thoroughly, then scatter it broadcast
over the pond from the backs of horses.
The weight of the soaked rice causes it
to sink, and they have no further care
for their crop until the harvest time
co mes. should a drought prevail in
spring they then scatter the seed upon
the dry ground. To prevent the birds
of the air from devouring it, the Ca
Jun looks out over the prairie where
his herds are, and rioing to the near
est he drives the cattle back and forth
over the seed until it has been driven
into the soil.
Then putting up a light fence around
his rice plantation he goes home salts.
fed. In July his crop is ready Tor
harvesting. For this he uses a sickle,
tossing the sheaves rs they fall into his
cart. This is a cumbrous affair of
wood, even to the wheels and ax.es. No
iron is used in its construction The
oxen are not yoked, but the tongue is
made fast to loops fastened to their
horns. The sheaves are spread out upon
the prairie and the gram is tramp!ed
out by oxen, as it Il ed 10 be when the
edict went iorth Thou shalt not mu p
zle the OK that treadeth out the corn. -
The grain Is swept together, sacked.
earted home, and emptied into Il bin.
When any is needed for a meal tho
housewife takes a suficiency. puts it
into a wooden handmll of simple con.
struction, rubs of the hulls in n few
minutes, winnows 1t in q sieve. and
soon has it cooking.
The commissioner showed on a map
n place where, for six miles, tho chief
crop of the 'Caiuns' is gathered from
the orange trees. In selling this + a
singular custom prevails. When The
trees are blooming, a buyer, the diego
why so called no one seems to know
appear among them. After a week of
conference, during which he and they
have held repeated whiting matches, a
bargain is struck for the seasons crop.
one-half is paid down in cash and Sc
curity given for the balance, and then
the "Cniuns' enjoy their dolce far niento
with from 81, 500 to 5 600 in hand for
every head of the family, and as much
more secured for the future. Basil, the
blacksmith. did not err when he tod
Evangeline of tho wealth OF these teem-
rug lowlands.