Newport daily independent., 1905-11-20
THE LAKE OF SACRIFICE.
Louisiana Body of Water About Which There Is an Indian
 Legend

Lake Ca-ta-ou-la, the sacred lake of the Indians, lies ensconced, as it were, in the deep solitude of the forest which skirts the Attakapas prairie ou the east side of the Teche at about nine miles from the town. of St. Mar. Jinville. The beauty of it's scenery and it's picturesque landscapes have probably no equal In the state. says the New Orleans States, Its waters have the transparency of crystal. and it's depth averages from 90 to 100 feet.
 The word Ca-ta-op-la means the lake of sacrifice. The following legend. as dramatic and tragical as the Biblical narrative of the death of Jephthah 5 daughter, gives Us the origin of that name.
 The Tetimetchec Indians. being threatened with dire calamity, the na- ture of which we know not, their prayermen consulted their oracles, and were informed that to propitiate the great Manitou and to avert tire calami- ty fair maiden of the tribe was to be sacrificed to the cruel god and her soul drowned in the placid waters of Lake Cata-ou-la.
 The ~ beautiful At-ta-Ia, the fair daughter of the chief offered herself as a willing victim to propitiate the Great Spirit.
 Dressed in all the fnery and pic- turesqueness of apparel of an Indian princess, she repaired to the lake in whose waters she was to find a watery grave, followed by the weeping maid ems and the stern warriors of the tribe.
 She glided in her light canoe on the waters of the lake until she had reached the middle of the stream, and with her eyes upraised and hands ex- tended toward the heavenly mansion oi the great Manitou she offered him her youth and her life blood as d sacrifice to propihate him and to avert the calamity that threatened her people
 With radiant smile she then turned toward the shore of the lake where knelt the weeping maidens, She waved her hand gently to them. bidding them an eternal adieu, and plunged into it's waters, to be seen no more
 Supersititous persons assert that even to this day in times of great calamity and misfortune, when the moon spans the sky and shines serene In the high heavens, streaking with silvery fringe the gentle ripples of the lake, a shadowy form is seen gid ing on it's waters in a light canoe. with hands extended heavenward, and they say that all at once, uttering wild and unearthly shriek. the shadowy form plunges headlong into the waters and disappears, while the terror-strick- en denizens of the forest answer the shrielxs with bowls and lugubrious hoot- 4ngs.
 From that time Lake Ca-ta-ou-la be- came the sacred lake of the Indians, and every year they repaired to this spot to propitiate the great Manitou with their offerings and sacrifices. Into it's crystalline waters they plunged themselves to get cleansed of theU moral and physical impurities; into It's sacred waters they dipped their anu lets and arrows to avert approaching calamities and to protect themselves against the devices of the evil spirit He who could not make this yearly yilgrimage felt Respondent and uu- happy, and his inability to follow ths others in the saintly journey boded blm no good.
 If whfIa nerforning hls immersion in the lake one should happen to drown, his memory was execrated, and his death was considered the judg- nient of the great Manitou as an atone ment for the crimes committed by him.
 The lake is still called Cata-ou-la, the lake of sacrifice, but the great Manitou. like his Indian worshipers, is now thing of the past.