Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-07-31
|WhiteHand'
"A Tale Of the Early Settlers
! Of Louisiana.
EY AUSTIN c. HuRDiCk
Z
CHAPTER /.
81 AUSTIN c. RuRDicK

heLuIding the star Of Empire setting
amid the golden waters of the Pacific
while the folds of our nations banner all
most enwrap the continent, are prone tc
look upon the valley Of the Mississippi a:
a region old in civilization. Vet. LONG
afttr The Atlantic shores were gemmed
with cities and thriving villages, the
grelt valley Of the mid-eontnent was q
vast solitude unknown to our forefathers
Long after colleges and schools, govern
ments and courts. societies and churches,
mad arisen and fourished in the Atlantic
colonies. the red man hunted his game
in the forest, aud drove his canoe over
the bosom of the great Father Of Wasers.
unmolested by the palefaced invader.
In the middle OF the sixteen century, a
bold and hardy band Of adventurous
knights and warriors, led by fernando de
Soto. landed at the bay of Santo Spiritu,
in Florida, and in all the pride and pomp
OF glorious array, started off through the
deep forests in quest of those tabled
cities where untold gold awaited their
coming. On they went, meeting and
overcoming obstacles innumcrable and,
at length. a worn and weary remnant OF
the once proud host sat down TO rest upon
the bank If the mighty river. A little
further on. they we (. through the wilds
of Arkansas, but the same stern, dark
forest, with it's avenging hordes of red
men. met them at every step, and they
came back TO the Mississippi, where DE
Sote laid down and died. His great,
hard heart was broken. The remnant of
his party hastily constructed few rude
vessels. and sailed down the river, fol-
lowed by the curses OF the Indians.
After this. the great valley remained
untrodden by the white men for cen
tury and a half, when, in July, 1878, a
small band of Europeans and Canadians,
under Joliet and Marquette, reached the
banks of the great river. They had come
from the St. Lawrence. and had wan
dered through the vast solitudes of the
Maumee and the Wabash They fioated
down as far as the mouth Of the Ar
kansas, where, having made themselves
sure that the Mississippi enptied into the
Gulf OF Mexico they returned to their
people in Canada. Great rejoicings were
held over the reports these adventures
brought with them: yet Joliet aud Ma
quette both died ere the white man again
sought the Father of Waters
Seven years later, the celebrated La
Sale, at the head of forty soldiers and a
few monks, tsand the mighty river and
after recrossing the Atlantic. and return
ing with more I'D, and after passing
through adventures almost Incredible. he
fairly commenced colony in Louisiana.
In 1857, he was assassinated by his own
companions. and the few white men left
were little better than mere handful
of wanderers in the wilderness.
few years later came the men whose
names are cherished MS among those who
suffered the most and worked the most
faithfully for the noble homes Of the
South. Most prominent among them
We're the two brothers, Tberyille and
Bienville. the latter Of whom was the
founder OF the city Of New Orleans. d. 4
for MAJ years governor of the coIog7 ?.
From this time really commenced the
growth If Louisiana.
This territory was inhabited hy nume,.-
Gus tribes of Indians, more numerous,
perhaps, than in any other section az the
country. Sore Of them were mere fam
HES, insignificant in their capacity as dis.
tinetive tribes, but yet speaking an idiom
peculiar to themselves. cherishing their
own exclusive traditions. and exercising
all the rights OF independent powers. But
the principal tribes in the southern coun-
try We're three in namber--the Natchez,
the Choctaws, and the Chiekasaws, and
with these and the Yazoos, did the
French of that period have mostly TO
deal
IL was in the summer of 1121 that we
introduce our readers to a pleasant home
on the banks OF the Mississippi. Some
forty miles above where the city Of Baton
Rouge now stands, the Marquis Rrion ST.
JuhsF had located himself, and erected a
house He was now past IL prime OF
life, having been some five years on the
road through the second half century os
his life aud hal left France ont Of nure
disgust for the society he was obliged
TO laingle with there. Unlike most Of
those who came to the new home in the
vast wilderness he was wealthy. He
had left his wife in the tomb Of her an
eestors, and her death was a severe blow
upon his nehle heart.
Money was potent, even In the wilder
ness, and the marquis had the most
sumptuouS residence in the country. Near
his estate, the great river made sweep
to the westward, aud his house was built
upon small tributary stream. which ran
nearly south from its source, and at a
distance OF nearly two miles from the
Mississippi
Here he aud his family lived, with such
of his aomestics as were needed about
him The house faced 10 the west. heinz
about ten rods from the river. Next were
two buildings, one upon the north and
the other upon the south of the main
house, and each about twenty feet dis
tant. These were or the residence of the
black slaves, Then back OF all these. and
distant forty fcef, were two more build
ings, one of them. twenty feet square
was for she stable. and The other. fifty
feet square. was for the general store.
house OF provisions for both man and
beast. In front Of the main dweliing(
extended beautiful garden almost to
the river. Outside Of all. was a stout,
barricade. completely enclosing the
grounds gu which stood the buildings and
most OF the garden. II was formed of
posts driven firmly into the ground. at
the distance Of foot ar art and twelve
feet high. and then these intervals were
tightly filed with other upright timbers.
firmly fastened in their places By trans
verse grths aud stout wooden pins.
There were numero loop or port holes
through this barricade, which could be
opened or closed al pleasure.
The whole household OF the marquis
consisted of dfty-two persons. There
were himself and two children. and one
nephew; eight male white servants and
five female whites! twenty-five black
males, and ten females Of the same dusky
hue Aud ,,nvr sansfHorir,ts tl,.t NJ