The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-12-28
CHAPTER XII
IN IDrISIANk

IN LOUISIANA
The ever-changing scenes of the
great river interested me, and l could
have studied for days the varying
phases of human nature about me; but
as current and stream bore us rapidly
down, the object of my journey pressed
upon my thoughts, and it was with
eager alacrity that stepped ashore at
Donaldsonville, at the head of Bayou
La Fourche. With few others and
with my small luggage l was trans
ferred to small steamer, and the last
few miles of my journey we followed
the course of the bayou.
For the first time l was in that land
of wonders, lower Louisiana. / was
floating on one of the multitude of
streams, which, more than one hun
dred miles above the Delta of the
Mississippi, help to carry off the great
pressure of waters to the gulf. Other
rivers receive tributaries to swell their
food; as the mighty Father of Waters
approaches salt water he is compelled
to send off other rivers to relieve him
self. ! was in a region entirely allu-
vial. land doubtless manufactured,
as might be said, by the continual de-
posit of soil brought down by the tire
less water giant and thrust out into
the gulf. As the poet Longfellow
finely says of this strange phenom-
enOn. he
"Seizcs the hills in his hands and drags them
down to the ocean"
was in that region which is actu-
ally at most seasons below the level of
the streams, where great levees or
banks are built upon each side to con-
fine the water to its own bed. Upon
the summit OF these levees, high above
our heads as we steamed along, we saw
negro men and women walking, carry
ing immense bundles and even jars
full of water upon the bare crown, with
out a touch of the hand. At times the
bends of the bayou enabled us to look
beyond the levees over section of the
country and see vast plantations green
with the miniature forests of the
sugar-cane. 1t is here, in this rich,
black soil, that the most prolific sugar
country in North America is found. The
population was almost evenly divided
between white and black; the larger
part of the former was of French de-
scent; the French language was much
spoken. and French names of persons
and places were the most common.
To me this was all new and strange,
and l was asking many questions
about these strange features of the
land when the boat stopped and the
captain announced "Bostocll's"
was the sole passenger landed here.
Engaging a lusty and lazy negro to
carry my trunk and show me the way,
l took the last steps of my journey
with throbbing heart. All that Mr.
Dorion had related, all that he had put
into his warnings, REQUIRED to me.
stopped l shrank from the test that
had come two thousand miles TO make
''Dar am de house, maussa," said my
guide.
1t was a large frame house with
verandas above and below. 1t stood
not two hundred yards back from the
bayou. Stately oaks, beautiful mag
nolias were before and around it,
through which were seen glimpses of
wide plantation lands.
The day was hot. the sun oppressive.
As ! advanced toward the house | saw
a man seated in the shade, while an
other was speaking earnestly and with
much gesticulation to him. | stopped,
fearful of intruding, but was already
within earshot.
"a lazy, idle, sull1y niger, sir, l tell
you! He don't earn his salt I'd have
whaled him long ago if you hadn't for
hidden me; and / must tell you, sir, if
he amt to be whipped, he'd better be
sold. Mayn't / send him over to New
Orleans?"
The answer was inaudible.
Eyes, sir, know you don't like it;
but I'm convinced it's the only way to
manage. Well, then-if here amt the
lazy devil right here now The sassy
dog! Look here, you jeremiah! Didn't
l tell you to keep to the cane-hoeing
all day? Where you been?"
My attendant, balancing my trunk
upon his head, and spreading out his
hands in a deprecating way, replied:
so! so yo' did, NAUSEA LIE Feere, an
/ meant to stay-'deed l did!-but /
hear de boat a-comin' down de bayou,