Year: 1868

Anse" or 'Avery's Island, situated at
the head Of Yermillion Bay, in the
southwestern portion of the state, be-
tween the Texas line and the Mississippi
river.


Petite Anse Island-if island it may
be called, for it is only separated from
the main land by narrow creek, not
more than twenty-five feet in width
comprises all the high lands to be found
for great many miles in all directions.
1t was inhabited at an early period in
the history of Louisiana and when
Teach (or Black Beard, as he was called
the celebrated pirate traded up Bayou
Teche (which was named after him, it
was well known and inhabited by quite
a number of persOns-half fisherman,
smugglers and pirates.


Even at this period it was known that
there was upon the island a salt spring
of unusual value, and that it was made
available for the manufacture of salt by
the early settlers, their rough eOntriv-
anees, which are found in the immediate
locality, abundantly prove.


After the requisition of Louisiana by
the United States, and when after the
smuggling, shaving and piratical gangs
gave up the business as too unproftable,
and when the low price Of all sorts of
supplies rendered the manufacture Of
salt by the old process anything but re-
munerative, the use of these springs was
discontinued, and excepting a small
stream of water which issued from the
ground, almost hidden by underground
and brambles, little remained of the old
Salt Springs.


As | remarked above, this island is the
only high land for many miles in any
direction, and it is beyond doubt one of
the most picturesque spots to be found
in the South. Standing upon Its high
est, ground one can overlook the fat,
though interesting, prairie lands on all
sides, except the south, where Yer
million Bay washes its grassy shores.


Its highlands are almost mountains,
considering their surroundings, and the
character of the Yerdure upon them is
so entirely different from all that which
borders upon it, that a person suddenly
transported to the center of one of its
glades would never imagine that he was,
within quarter of mile of fat, wet
prairie, entirely devoid of other vegeta-
ton than grass and reeds.


At the base of these hills the noble
oak spreads It broad branches and over
shadows nearly half an acre on every
side. Higher up you meet the sweet
gum, then the silver-leaved poplar, then
the bay and magnolia. The wild rose,
the violet and the yellow jasmine per-
fume the air in the spring, and thousands
of sweet singing birds add the music of
their voices to make the locality truly
enchanting.


From the summit Of these hills views
can be had of the entire country to the
north. east and west, where countless herds
Craze upon the rich grasses Of the
prairie. while the white sails of the craft
which navigate the bay assist in beautify-
ing a picture already sufficient lovely
and romantic.


No one can visit the island without
concluding that it is indeed a paradise
on earth. unless he was one Of those
whose soul is incapable of noble senti-
ments. 1t is place where a saint could
wish to live and die-one of those spots
most calculated to wean a man from
heaven-for there life should be eternal.


But to return to the salt mines. As
| remarked above, the old spring had
been almost forgotten. The island knew
no more the adventurous SLAYER and
smuggler, freebooter, flbusterO and
pirate; but had become the home of
several refined and cultivated gentlemen,
who pursued the peaceful occupation Of
cultivating the sugar cane, which amply
repaid the labor Of their numerous
slaves for the land was Of the very
best description. However, when in the
summer of 1862. in consequence of the
blockade enforced upon the commerce
of Louisiana by the federal government,
the price of salt, which had been one
dollar and quarter per sack, went up
to thirty and forty dollars, and was
hardly to be had throughout the South
at that price, it occurred to Mr.. John
Avery, son of the owner of the land
upon which the old salt spring was
situated, to open and work it. He did
so, and soon found that the demand for
his product largely exceeded his capacity
to meet it. And then bethinking him
self of the adyisability of digging it out
so as to open its sources for more free
exit of the water, he set several super
animated negroes to work to accomplish
it. These old negroes did not work
very industriously so, on the third
morning afterwards, when Mr. Avery
went round TO see how they were getting
along, he only found them fourteen feet
below the surrounding surface, when
the following conversation ensued:


81 can't dig furder down, Mars John
Gaze I've struck fat rock which kiyers
the whole bottom"


Nonsense, said Mr.. Avery, 81 never
heard of there being rock within fifty
miles of here; you have struck an old
sunken log.


"Nol it's sure nuff rock, fore God,
Mars John, it is.


"Well, then, break of piece with
your pick-axe and send it up to me.


The old darkey broke off piece as
ordered and sent it up in the bucket. 1t
was all covered with black mud and
ooze, but when washed proved to be
solid crystal of pure rock salt And
this was the way these mines were
discovered.


1t cannot be supposed that Mr.. Avery
lost any time in investigating this won
derful discovery, and he found that at
about fourteen feet below the surface of
the soil salt was to be found in solid
mass all the way TO the edge Of the bay.
The vein seemed to lie in the valley be-
tween two ridges but how far it ex-
tended, or what was its limit, has never
vet been determined. That there was
salt enough there 70 supply the world,
was apparent; and the best Of it was,
that it would cost little Or nothing to get
it to market, as both Bayou Teehe and
Yermillion Bayou were within a short