The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-10-26

with the Ouachita river, on the lef
side, is the Bayou Bachalai which II
nothing but brauch OF the Ouachita
During high water the Oaachita en-
braces the Catauulou Lake, which u
tive or six leagues distant. The hills
. of Oaachita start near this bsyou, on
the western coast of the river, toward
| which they alternately approach aud
recede, their chain extending to Ito
source. @
A little above Bayou Bschalsi, or
the east is the Prairie Vilmont, which
loverfiows like all the land, as far ~
Bayou Louis.
Bayou Louis Is about two leagues
above Prairie Vilmont. Il rises 10
Bayou Mason aud ennpttes through
| two branches, into the Ouachtta and
the Tensca. Boeuf river is two leagues
higher than Bayou Louis on the same
side. About twenty leagues from It's
opening into the Ouachtta, II receives
the Bayou des Courrois, as II flows
from Bayou Mason. On this side oi
the bayou des Courr0is, between
| Bayou Mason aud Boeuf River, are
those habitable lands, which I mem
toned when speaking Of Bayou Mason.
Bayou Louis passes through their CEN
! tire. These lands are high and said to
be excellent, susceptible Of employing
200 inhabitants. II lei pity that dur
ing high water they are completely
| isolated SO that no conveyance can ap.
proach, except at distance, through
the surrounding swamps, which, dur
;rr II, az, sae Aro A1nnook Aru pnoMH
River rises near Bayou Bartholomew
and would bea great help 10 the back
lands east of the Ouachits, II the
swamps which border II from lie source
did not during high water, render the
landing of boats very difficult. Dur.
ing low water, even light ptrogue,
could not navigate II.
About twelve or fifteen leagues from
Boeuf River, the high lands Of the
Ouachita begin, which should be cuIti-
vated, as much for the quality OF the
soil "a because they do not overflow.
These lands commence ia the west at
the Prairie des Cotes, aud 10 the
east at Prairie de Ls, and extend
little beyond the sources Of tho Oaa>
chita river. Those which appear to me
most suitable for cultivation are from
the aforementioned places, as far as
the Mound Prairie, aud all along
Bayou Bartholomew, almost 10 the
Arkansas line. This would form an
extent OF land nearly fifty leagues in
a straight line, aud with uninterrnpt.
ed communication by land. do NOT
pretend to say that the higher lands
would be uninhabitable, but only that
they do not compare with the lower
onee, because, they are more irregular,
Being cut up by hills which are mostly
covered with pine trees, and they have
not the same advantages OF easy navl.
CATION.
l will pause, then, at the first, which
merit the most attention. The num-
ber of prairies, described iu the plan,
which are there east of the river do
not appear natural to me. Their pro-
ducts and the remains discovered on
them cause me TO think them old clear
ipgs of the ancient inhabitants, who, In
the course of time, had learned TO
choose their lands. They are all one
could desire, and, In fact nothing is
lack ing but lsborers.
Although there are no prairies west
of the river, the soil does not seem In
ierior, and, where the hills do not
reach the waters edge, the land is
level and we'll wooded. Level pine
woods are very common, and there are
cane fields everywhere. This guaran-
tees pas.urage at all seasons of the year.
FROM the bayous, shown In the same
plan, belonging to the above described
part, 1t is easy to judge that these lands
do not lack water. have omitted
several of them, which are nothing
more than drains for the bills. Those
which bear a name are navigable dur
ing high water; that is, several months
OF the year, and would greatly factli.
tate the labors OF any Inhabitants who
might settle in the surrounding depths.
The soil is light, deep and spongy,
having surface Of foot or eighteen
inches Of black earth. Below that 1t Is
yellow and red and absorbs water very
rapidly. A plowed field can be worked
10 the morning, after heavy rainfall
during the night, and the ground re-
tains the moisture 10 within four inch"
ca OF the surface, after drought Of
two or three months in summer.
Corn, rice, potatoes, pumpkins aud all
garden products grow very well, and
have sowed wheat for the past two
years aud succeeded admirably with
it. Tobacco does very we'll there, also,
and is Of a superior quality. Cotton
and indigo do equally well, but no one
has yet tried TO make anything out OF