Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1885-03-14
Sketch from Capt. 4. I. Dunn's
Geographical DcscTii zion
Of North I.OuiSia ma.

Secfipn pl III" Ntdie Va l<'u'9i''i''
some two tiers of parishes III width !
from nurin to south, bordering on .
Southern Arkansas and extending /
from the Mississippi river westward .
OF the Texas State line.
The countrJ IS almost wholly free .
from rocks aud hGuliors and abounds
in natura, rn-r'I..."S - auch variety .
crlut r~"at value. 1t IL chiefly
i,o,ed for its temperate climate, ITS
many navigahle waterways, its I'M !,
mense forest Of valuable timber, and ,
its fertile soil, which, in the eastern
portion and along Red river. is not
surpa i-a1 in productive cana"ltv by
the far famed lmls Of the Nile.
From the Mississippi river west
ward across the bottoms ST the Ten
81, river. BAYOU Macon, Bayou Bar
thnlemew, and the Ouachita river,
distance Of some eighty miles, the
lands are generally level, the soil Is in
great part alluvlal, and much of the
country is liable i'll the late winter
and early spring months to inunda-
tions from the overllowing Of the
Mississippi river.
That section lying between the
Ouachita river and the Texas line,
about 10D miles in width. is m ele-
waited. undulatinG country. traverScd
bv tn. Red river and several smaller
streams. The soil in many locali-
ties is productive for upland. Exten-
sive pine forests abould. valuable
for their timber. The bottoms of the
Red river are noted fortheir fertility.
The climate of North Louisiana,
being about the Bud degree of lati-
tude, is mild and genial THE ther-
mometer rarely rises above 10 de-
prees in summer, or falls below the
/ freezing point in winter. Killing
frost about the middle Of November.
Spring opens i'll Febulry; then the
I planting season commences TILL July.
Two crops of corn have frequently
been raised in one season on the
same land. Snow falls seldom, and
then ligntly. Long, ba!ny spells OF
Indian sumner weather are frequent
during the fall and winter months.
lasting sometimes for weeks stock
of all kinds run in the woods during
the hole entire winter season. hnd-
iuy their own food in the natural
pasturages. and requiring no shelter
excep, what is afforded by the tim
Der and canebrakes. II Runs are gen
erallv regular, falling mostly in the
winter and early spring, on land
properly preplrel for cultivation,
CROPS are not liable to be injured
by drouth or wet weather. The f,l
season is nearly always dry, and fl
vorabIe for gathering the cotton
crop. Tue earliest variety OF fruit
colnmneucs to ripen in April an,
Nav, and from that time may he hat
in coutinned succession till frost.
The Ouachi:a valley is rather al
inletiLi;e extent Of country, lyinS
. along the Ouoacnita river, enbrac
inc several counties in Arkansas ant
e several parishes in North Louisiana
1t is exceedingly rich in natural re
, sources and is perhaps the gardc.
spot of the whole state.
; The country was settled by frenc
> colon;st about the beSiuAing of til
18th century. Baron de Bastr"p,
: Holland nobleman, obtained II gran
/. of an extensive track OF land fror
the then Spanish governor OK tn
g territory of Louisiana, with the PRIV
n leyes of locating i: wherever he hos
, in the immense country west OF tn
d Mississippi river.
t. The great natural advantages c
this section, its mil, and genial cl
II .nl,e, is broad savannas and pra
% ries, affor,linS n vile extent OF pa
:. tur,ce for herds of all kinds,the Srei
u a,auity of wild game, buffalo, bear
l. deer wild turkeys, ducks, ect.; ii
rs number of running streams an
y, ~ sresh-water lakes filled with maj
m varieties and great numbers OF choi'
tie fish; and, above all, the broad e
panse of rich, aliuvial bottoms e
k' tending in unbroken bodies #
Ie &c miles, induced this enterprise.
=. pioneer here to locate his land Srl
81 aud his colony, when the choice pc
ton of what now constitute the gre
OF states of Arkansas. Missouri ~
:" sn Texas, besides Louisiana, lay open
his choice.
he The site of this French colony W
nj fixed on the Bayou Bartholem'
IN within the bounds of the territory nc
~, embraced in
"" Nnppuo,-cr PApJau