The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1894-06-08
Scenes in the Red Cypress Country

The IiIRbeEBan,
Comparatively few people. even those
who consider themselves well Travelled.
have soen the gulf coast country in its
prime. They 90 to the southland III the
winter and wonder at the live oaks and
roses III bloom. and forget that after all
Louisiana and Florida are not tropical
countries. and that they are in their
glory at the sane time that the deeidnoas
forests Of the north are in full leaf
To appreciate the beauty and peculiar
charm Of the red cyPTess-the bayou
country. a visit must be made in the late
spring or early summer and if one is not
disnaye'l by little hot weather. OF
occasional annoyance in the way Of
insects which seem,tO have TePugnaDo"
to mankind, the visit will be well repaid
Even from the railroads some idea Of the
singular beauty of the sugar. Hce and
cypress country can bc gained: but 10 d"
it justice the railroad lines must be left.
apd drives undertaken along the plan
tation roads or boat trips on the deep.
! quiet and winding baYous.
The cypress districts Of Louisiana pre-
sent scene5 which can he duplicated
nowhere else in the country. Sucll
streams rs the Atehafalaya and the Teebe
are historic in their interest and famed
for their romantic character. yet th0s,'
who sec them in the winter but hall
appreciate their charm. These streams
or rather ocean lnletS-for even the low
tides of the gulf back far up into them
are bordered 10y rice and sugar plan
tations, where they are not shaded by
the cypress live oaks. maguolias and
other trees Of that semi tropic region.
The whole country Is level raised bmt
! few feet above the gulf, and the streams
are deep, narrow and winding, except at
! occasional points where they widen ont
into lakes or spread themselves over
maFsh-Iauds. Driving along 'big
road" which runs from one town IL
another, one will see across the Ijel
fields of plantation sail moving lazily
along. Perhaps it will be bag square
sail painted red which seems to float
inst above the surface of the land with
out any support and aetuated 10y nothing
Bat the bayou is there hidden from view
at a distance Of perhaps Thousand feet
| by the bushes along its bank Or even 10y
the sugar cane in the intervening field
But for the plantation hands at then
work the rumble Of sngar mill OF thu
whiFr Of a saw, it might be some scene
frem Arcade.
spoke aboRt the diseomforts Of th'
country. There are l,ut few Of these
1t IL often warm, with an enerYatinE
amonnt Of moisture, bHt the night
invariably bring a refreshing gulf IFeeze
aud where malaria does not prevail it il
as pleasant country as cue wOuld wisl
to visit,
/ Bnt If the cypress country is to be seel
to the best advantage in all its primitiy,
wildness, the railroads, highways ant
even principal rivers and bayens mast b
left behind Hire D HCaiun7 with hi
canoe and tell him TO take yoil across thi
country from the Teehe to the Plaque
mine, and sou will have an e4psrienel
thai II worth many miles Of travel
Then the cypress viii De seen in its glor!
and the charm Of those swamp and foFes
Eeeesses viii be engraved ildelibIy Rpol
the memory