112 



General probably looks upon the people of the pine lands as outside 

 barbarians, hardly included within the limits of the United States. 

 There are no schools or school houses of any kind in this region of 

 country, at least as far as nay information goes. 



Some of the stock raisers who have from two thousand to three 

 thousand head of cattle branded and running in the woods, have 

 not corn enough to furnish feed to their own riding horses, who are 

 kept alive by grazing, and even the corn necessary for the supply 

 of their daily bread has frequently to be purchased from some more 

 fortunate neighbor, or has to be sent for from Lake Charles or Alex- 

 andria. When these stock raisers sell a portion of their cattle, they 

 are not silly enough to buy articles of luxury and comfort to make 

 home agreeable, but they go to Texas, and invest their surplus funds 

 in the purchase of additional stock. They live in an extremely 

 simple style, that the city people may receive their daily rations of 

 meat, which they would not touch " even with their little linger.'' 

 These people are certainly a curiosity in their way; and they make 

 themselves very useful to the idle consumers for whose benefit they 

 spend a life of self-denial and commendable temperance. 



In a country like this, where the people are contented with their 

 lot, and are fully impressed with the conviction, that " we want but 

 little here below," where the luxuries of life are unknown and con- 

 sequently inappreciated; where a man counts up his wealth by the 

 number of calves he brands every year ; where the use of coffee 

 without sugar is the nearest approach to the refinements of society; 

 where whole families live in rude log-cabins, containing but one or 

 two rooms, civilization does not exist in an advanced state, and im- 

 provement is out of the question. 



But this country possesses one redeeming feature, crime and vice 

 are unknown here, and these people are simple-minded, uncorrupted 

 and honest. 



What this part of Louisiana principally needs is a railroad, post- 

 ofiices, schoolhouses, and an industrious, energetic population. This 

 is the land for the poor white man who is accustomed to work. The 

 climate is healthy, mild and pleasant; a cool breeze is constantly 

 blowing from the prairies. Land can be entered at ten cents an 

 acre, with enough hummock land attached, to make a snug little 

 farm. Stock-farms, conducted upon system, could be made very 

 profitable in these grassy pine-woods pastures. 



