Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-08-21

gloom of the surrounding thicket, and the
cold damps which assail you, render the OPP
Grafton any thing but pleasant. Sometime
since, a gentleman attempted to ford a swamp
called Sarecta, on one OF the low country
roads, after night fall, ON horse back, Not
knowing the stage of the water, he plunged
in, and soon found his horse swimming for
dear life. The nag not liking the incum-
brance on his back, probably supposing that
he could navigate as well alone, soon rid
himself of his rider. The rider. however,
managed to retain his hold of the bride, and
providentially finding himself against a
stump" availed himself Of the precarious rest
ing place. Contriving to obtain his saddle
and saddle-bags, he placed the former on the
stump for a seat, and mounted the latter on
his shoulders, aud then turned the horse
adriit to shift for himself. Thus cur lone
hero passed the night, occasionally warming
the inner man with Thompson's No. 6, which
he had with him, and his neither man, to his
waist, Immersed in the cooling stream be-
meath. Relief came with the morning light,
but our hero declared that he had never had
a lodging so uncomfortable, and at so dear a
rate.
This section Of country is particularly des-
olate, except a strip some four miles wide
Immediately on the coast. The land there is
generally of good quality, and yields fine
crops when well cultivated. From a strip of
land like this, extending about forty miles
n%ortherly from Wilmington, and lying east
OF the old Newbern road, comes nearly the
entire quantity of ground peas grown in the
United States for market. From that tract,
and immediate vicinity, eighty thousand
bushels have been carried to Wilmington
market in one year. The ground pea, alias
peanut, grows beneath the surface of the
ground, as its name imports. The plant has
somewhat the appearance of the common
dwarf garden pea, though more bushv. 1t is
cultivated in hills. The pea grows on ten
drills which put out from the plant, and take
root in the earth. The fruit is picked from
the roots by hand, and the vines are a favorite
food for horses, mules and cattle. From thir-
ty to eighty bushels are produced on an acre.
There are some planters who raise from one
thousand to fifteen hundred bushels in a year.
Passing along the road that distance, howev-
er, and noticing the few dwellings, you
wonder what could induce a human being to
take up his residence there; and, in fact,
most of the people who reside there, and
they are few indeed, have the lands they cul-
tivate lying on the Sound below. Speaking
of this sandy barren, reminds me of an an
ecdote.
A stranger from the north, passing through
the country, had the curiosity to stop at
a miserable log cabin located on one of
those miserable barren spots, and inhabited
by a family which appeared to be the literal
personifcation of famine, with all her hag-
gard retinue. After the usual situations, the
Yanke traveller says:
''My friend, you seem to have a barren spot"
81 reckon So" says he of the cabin.
"You raise plenty of corn, | suppose"
81 makes no corn"
"Sweet potatoes then, / GUEST"
"a very sorry chance o potatoes"
you raise a good supply of pork, then"
"No, ! raise no pork"
"Plenty of game in the woods, | guess
ga small chance of game here, Stranger
Catch fish then, s~uppose-eh?"
''No fish here"
"You have good water then"
'The water is mighty bad.
SIN the name of all that's good" exclaim-
ed the mystiied and astonished Yankee, what
do you stay here for?"
''Why stranger" replied the Carolinian,
tive have a right smart chance Of lightwood
here, | reckon"
The secret was out. In the midst of a
sandy barren, destitute of every other com
fort of life bat what providence might cas-.
in his way, this man was content to linger,
with "A suffering family, ostensibly because
there was plenty of lightwood but really,
because he lacked the energy to get away,
and was too indolent to work. BY the way,
however, lightwood, which abounds in the
low country, is a very important article to the
people of that region. 1t is the heart of the
long leaf pine, which remains after the tree
has died, and been denuded of its sap. 1t is
entirely saturated with the pitch, and almost
.t;Llo H.c;J,, - 49,, T., ILL.
posts, &C., it enters largely into the house
hold economy and thousands Of cords Of it
are consumed for the purpose of kidding
fires, while large quantities, split into splin-
ters, are useu as a substitute for Candles
Hence its name.
''EIave you the long leaf pine at the nor,hl''
says the Carolinian.
mo"
"What do you do for lightwood, then, ~
says he.
He can hardly form a notion how a family
can get along comfortably through life with
out lightwood, any more than he cou Id
how a man could live without food. | speak,
of course, of the more ignorant portion of the
community. But lightwood answers still
, another valuable purpose. From ii is made,
or rather extracted, the large quantities of Ia
exported from this State. Probably you have
= never seen a tar Kiln. Permit me 10 describe
5 one il you please.
The lightwood is cut into lengths of three
1 or four feet, and split into small pieces. A
spot having been selected for the purpose
the top Of the earth is removed, and the clay
5 or other hard parts exposed. The excava
, ton is made in a circular form, descending
; gradually from all points of the outside, tt
the centre. Outside, a pit is dug, and from
/, the centre n drain is cut 10 communicate will
, it.. The wood is then put in it in layers
: each layer declining towards the centre, anC
layer upon layer gradually drawing in as you
ascend, till the whole pile has assumed the
l sugar loaf form. The whole is then covered
= with turf, and ignited. The wood is reduced
? to charcoal and the pitch being driven of
r by the process, descends into the drain, which
conveys it to the pit; and thence it is laded
into barrels. If j mistake not, seventy-fvc
, cords of wood will yied about one hundred
barrels of tar. On am average, at the kiln