26 



Ol'ELOUSAS ST. LANDRY, 



On my return to New Orleans it took me about a week to arrange 

 my specimens, and dispose of them in such a way as to Deed no - 

 longer my attention; and as they occupied considerable space by 

 their number, I left them, with my other collectioos, at Swarbrick k 

 Co.'s, to be sent up to Baton Rouge at the first convenient opportu- 

 nity. After having made the necessary arrangement, I started on 

 Wednesday evening (fifteenth of August) on the regular Opelousas 

 packet, and proceeded up the Mississippi river, down the Atchafa- 

 laya, and up the Cortableau bayou as far as the town of Washing- 

 t >n, in the parish of St. Landry. The Atchafalaya takes its rise 

 about eighteen miles beyond the mouth of Red river, and during 

 low water receives its waters exclusively from that river and its own 

 tributaries. It may therefore be considered as that branch of Red 

 river which empties into the Gulf. When the Mississippi is high, 

 it disgorges its overflowing tide into the Atchafalaya, which thus 

 becomes one of its principal outlets. The back waters of the Mis- 

 sissippi river ascend the mouth of Red river, whose bed is sloping 

 upward, but finding the opening of the Atchafalaya in their way 

 with its downward sloping channel, they rush into it with great 

 force, and swell its volume very rapidly, so that its lower banks 

 scarcely ever escape from being inundated, unless protected by 

 effective levees. 



The land on the Atchafalaya, the west bank of which forms the 

 boundary line of St. Landry, is composed of alluvial soil similar to 

 that of the Mississippi river, with a clay foundation, producing fine 

 corn and cotton, but being exposed to overflows, and being very 

 heavy timbered, it is mostly settled by small planters, and the 

 plantations are at some distance from the river. The Atchafalaya is 

 broader and deeper than the Red river, and during low water its 

 banks are in some places from forty to fifty feet high. It is navigable 

 by steamboats throughout its whole length to the gulf. But in order 

 to reach Washington, which might be called the inland seaport of 

 Opelousas, it is necessary to ascend Bayou Cortableau, a navigable 

 stream of considerable depth. Here alligators are swarming in 

 great numbers. When they appear, swimming on the surface, the 

 passengers amuse themselves by firing at them with pistols and rifles. 

 But being effectually protected by their coat of mail, a few only are 



