The Opelousas courier., 1893-03-11
Southwestern Louisiana.
Extent and Population.

Extent and Population.
The section ofcountry lying south o.
the 3lst parallel west of the Atchafa.
laya and east Of the Sabine rivers may
be said to constitute the territory which
is called Southwestern Louisiana. i
has a population of about 100000
souls, and includes within its confines
the whole of the parishes of Acadia
6alcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Lafayette
st. Landry, st. Martin and St. Mary
and the southern portion of the par
ishes of Avoyelles, Rapides and Yer
non.
Typographical and Geographical Charac.
teristics.
The general conformation of the
country is level, except in the north,
westerly portion, where it is somewhat
billy and contains one of the finest for
ests of pine and the hardwoods to be
found in the United States. Here
abound all the varieties of oak, cy-
press, beech, maple. poplar. gum, ash,
sycamore, magnolia, etc. South of this
and onward to the Gulf the land is
prairie. except along its eastern linn
its, where it is swamp, and though OF
unsurpassed fertility and Astounding
with q vast expanse of magnificent
timber, it is subject to overflow from
the freshets Of the Mississippi and Red
rivers. This immense tract of prairie
land is above overflow and stands
generally on what is known geological
ly as the bluff formation. 1t is about
40 feet above the overflow waters of
the Mississippi river, and offers the ad-
vantages of good and healthful homes
to such as desire to cast their lots in
this favored section of the State. This
prairie region is not like some of the
great prairies of Texas, and the West,
almost absolutely devoid of fuel and
water. 1t is interspersed with streams
of running water along whose banks
timber enough is generally found to
supply the wants of the inhabitant in
improving his lands and affording him
aconstant supply of fuel for present
and future consumption. The blend
ing of prairie and woodland through
this section furnishes the eye with
q scene of serene and marvellous
beauty, and while the natural arrange
ments of the scenes presented here is
not such as to inspire the mental con-
ditions of sublimity which one would
experience on being thrown in contact
with lofty mountains, deep canyons,
rushing cataracts, frightful precipices
or the vast expanse of ocean as it In
folds itself before our eyes and leads
us to the recognition of that infinitude
of power which awes the mind with its
terrific grandeur. and reminds US that
despite our great knowledge in the
arts and sciences, we can with our f.
mite faculties. take in but a moiety of
the mysteries of creation, and render
subject to our domination so small q
share of the rude forces of nature as to
impress us with the impotency of our
strength. Yet there is another class
of mental conditions which arise from
the contemplation of natural objects.
1t is n that imparts serenity to the
soul and pleasant contentment to the
mind. It is the offspring of a sense
of repose, or rest in nature, and pro.
duces a feeling correspondent to the
absence of domestic troubles, or cares,
in a well regulated and prosperous
family. It tends to smooth down the
rugged spots in our natures and gives
TO our feelings that placidity and calm
ness which are inspired by our sur
roundiegs when nature is in a state of
repose, and the earth presents none of
her rugged and SCARED places, the CT
catrices of ancient catastrophies to OBJ
trude upon our vision or rufne the
smooth current of our sensibilities.
Such are the impressions produced on
the mind by the natural phenomena of
our country as contFasted with the
effects of the scenery of some other
places. Ours is serene, beautiful and
pleasing. Theirs is awful, sublime,
grand and oftimes terror, inspiring.
Climate.
But there is another consideration
which weighs heavily in favor of South
western Louisiana as a dwelling place,
and that is the superior advantages
of it's soil and climate. Here one is
not troubled of heat and cold, as in 9TH
or more northern and pent in districts.
The gentle breezes from our Mexican
Gulf are not INSTRUCTED by the inter
position of mountain ranges and i'm
mense and impenetrable forests, nor
are the SUMS ray reflected by the rocks
on mountain sides and made converg-
emit on the valleys beneath, but health
fnl and invigorating fresh breezes pro-
ceed directly up the plains unopposed
in their march inland, dispensing com
fort and vigOr to those who are go for
as to have cast their lots in this
favored cline. The thermometer in
has an average fiuctuation here
lf from 40 to 20 degrees of conrse it
sometimes below 40; it even goes
the freezing point; but this is
case for only a few days during
winter, and the rest of this term
may be said to be free of frost, and
life 10 pleasant outdoors, in fair wealth
u, all the winter through. In summer
he mercury ranges from so to SO de-
grees, registering the latter tempera-
,ure but seldom. Such chronicles Of
Iunstroke and death as are being de-
allied by the papers published in New
York. Chicago, Philadelphia, Louis