Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-01-04
ARGUS.
COLUMBUS, .Janasar y 4, Is4S.

which the Colonel had passed. The tale
about the buck and the wolves is rather hard
one, we suspect that it was thrown in merely
as an episode from Fancy tosadorn the mar
rative, and the idea was probably taken from
Mazeppa. If our conjecture be correct, that
is certainly more innocent than many things
which we have seen in the Free Trader, and
in much better taste than the lille G'ecdote OF
the three little Mullins boys. Upon thu whole
the ColonePs sketches become more interest
ing as they contain less Loco-Foco cant and
fewer details of his stupid "old democratic
friends"
TRIP THROUGH THE PINEY WOODS.
Well, we have reached Winchester at
last, in old Wayne, after long ride from
Green C. H. We saw all along, memo
rails Of the former wealth and prosperity
of this country. Comfortable homesteads
once, now unoccupied; large plantations
abandoned; venerable oaks still casting
their paternal arms over mansions now de-
serted, as if to stay the progress of the
spoiier; long avenues of trees, where erst,
perhaps, ambition strobe in meditation OF
its unrevealed designs, or young love
whispered its pleas upon the.cheek ofbea-
uty. The empty school-house near by
some bubbling spring; the country church
once sabbath thronged, but now exhibiting
no trace of worshippers; the way.sde
graves, with their rude picketing, crumb.
ling into dust, and the ia thful rose-vine
still creeping over them, blooming sadly,
but sweetly, amid the desolation. 1t is
dispiriting indeed to ride through one of
those old counties in the dusk of evening,
no sign of human life near, the night.wind
mourning in the aged pines like the voices
Of the long forgotten dead. all around, the
vestiges of a people departed and dispers-
ed. There is nothing in the town itself,
to cheer up the tagging spirits of the trav-
eler. The situation is very pleasant, on
an elevated table on the east bank of the
Chickasawhay; you cross a most lovely
stream by the ruins of an old stockade,
where during the Indian troubles, being
immediately on the Creek frontier, the in.
habitants forted themselves; you pass or
by groups of broad spreading trees thai
the axe has spread, and instead ola smi
ling village, you see mass of ruins, mos
of the houses heing age.worn and storm.
riven, and the beautiful square, once cur.
tanned with stores and rife with actiyity,i is
now covered over with rank weeds. The
town is literally tumbing to pieces, anc
one finds only the skeleton of the flourish
ing Winchester, which existed twenty year!
ago,when those eminent CITIZENSHIP Hon
Powhattan Ellis, (now minister to Mexi
co, the late DR.. Patton, Judge Sterling
Gen. LANG and Col. Horn. resided there
Several very respectable families live Their
yet, but the place has lost its Importance
At the period we speak of, Wayne wa
one of the ruling counties of Mississippi
and the only one which constantly refused
to coalescs with league orce existin!
against this city and county. The politl
clans of Wilkinson had the adroitness Il
obtain on almost all occasions, the supper
of the eastern counties, but Wayne ad
hered, in all our early contests, with an
shaken fidelity, to the interest fthis coun
try. But "the sceptre hath departed on
of JUDAH" her power is broken: the trea
ty of 1880 with the Choctaws, that threw
open such an immense extent of produc
tive territory in the centre of our State
drew off her population by hundreds
Next to Lawrence, Wayne has given tn
largest number of settlers TO the new coun
ties. The majority ofthose that renal
are intelligent farmers, raising their owl
supplies, and ever ready to welcome tn
wayfarer to heir hospitable resides. 1
more peaceful community does not exis
in the world; in evidence of which, W
may state, that at the date Of our visit, ther
was neither Laacyer, Judge, justice, sheriff
clerk nor constable, IN the comfy, and bu
for the contemplation of several maria
ges, and the necessity of obtaining license
it is not supposed, that any of these res
pectable funciionaries would ever agai
have appeared in that country. The cot
|, ton raised here is hauled to Mobile, but il
future, the most of it will pass down tn
Chickasawhay, if the Messrs McRae sue
coed in their laudable effort TO remove tn
Instructions to its free navigation. E.
tensive orchards are found here of man
varieties offruit. Wheat is cultivated wit
success; and numerous herds Of caitl
Craze on the broad natural pastures, tha
are found throughout the east. A worth
friend of ours, for many years a Senate
, in the Legislature, and universally know
as Long Jonny Mcleod, owns. we yer
told, some two thousand head. TIL
health ofthe county is proverbial-doctol
sometimes settle there, but soon starv
out. The country around Wincheste
struck US as being peculiarly adapted I
the raising of sheep, with view TO Ii
wool aud 10 supply of the Mobile markt
with mutton. The soil issandy and PR
duces a countless variety of shrubs, thi
sheep love to brouze upon. The surfac
of the country is undulating; the wild sun
mer grass grows luxuriantly all over III
woods; the ravins abound with reeds,rus
les and switch.cane, furnishing green an
nutritious food throughout the winter; on
the woIn.out and deserted fields, suppl
the short pasturage upon which shee
+ thrive so well. Why should not WOO
growing be more profitable in this regic
than at the north? There the breeder mu
own or rent every acre of land that h
| flock treads upon; he must fence, hedge