m 
VIEWS OF LOUISIANA. 
passage. The lakes are not more than three or four miles in 
width, but the narrow bayoux connecting them are so numerous* 
that it requires considerable experience not to lose the way. On 
my return I was less fortunate; I found at the ferry several 
persons who had been waiting for three days, the wind render¬ 
ing it useless to attempt to cross; their patience was by this 
time totally exhausted, and it was determined to start, though the 
wind had abated but little of its violence. With some difficulty 
we reached Berwick’s bay. The wind here became too strung, 
and we were compelled to put to shore on a little point of land 
overgrown with palmettoes,* where we found two or three fish¬ 
ermen stretched before a little fire. The tide was up, the bank 
of the lake not more than two feet high. These lakes are en¬ 
veloped in the most gloomy forests of oak, cypress and ash, up¬ 
on whose boughs the long moss,t or Spanish beard, is suspend¬ 
ed in enormous masses, almost shutting out the light from these 
dreary spots, while underneath, there is an impenetrable thicket 
of underwood, and smaller trees and vines. About 12 o’clock, 
the wind having somewhat abated, we struck across the bay, but 
before we could reach bayou Long, the approach of a storm, 
which every moment threatened to burst upon us, compelled us 
to put into one of the first bayoux which communicates with lake 
Platte. We had scarcely reached the entrance, until it began, 
to pour down torrents of rain, accompanied by incessant peals 
of thunder. Without the slightest shelter except our great 
coats, we found our situation extremely uncomfortable. About 
day light we continued our voyage, opposed by wind and current, 
the rain continuing with but little intermission until we arrived 
on the other side, which was not until four in the evening, al- 
* A plant very common in the lower part of Louisiana—the leaves 
80 disposed as to bear a strung resemblance to a very large fern. It, 
grows upon the more elevated spots of ground. 
f I have often puzzled myself to find out some known object to which 
the appearance of this curious production might be compared Cha¬ 
teaubriand compares them to enormous ghosts! The best I can think 
of, is to the shattered sails of a ship, after a storm, the canvass hanging 
4o\yn in a thousand ragged shreds. 
