New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-25
River Correspondence Of the Delta.

u
Near VIcKsBURG, May 10, 1850 !
In complying with my promise to inform you o
the condition Of the plantations bordering the
Mississippi, as we proceed upward, fear you viii
find rather gloomy picture, from which many Of
your readers in New Orleans may turn, to look
over certain book, labelled bills pay able"
To commence, then, with the Bonnet Care cre-
vase, Of which you have had some slight knowl-
edge yourselves. This is probably larger than any
one break in the River, and large body of water
pours through it. The plantations, for twenty
miles below and five above it, are either totally or
partially covered destroying the pro poets of many
Thousands Of bogsheads Of sugar, for the present
year and the next After this, we saw no break
till we came to the McHattan plantation, about
two miles below Baton Rouge There had been
cave Of the bank, carrying away portion of the
leyee, for about fifty yards. The water had forced
its way through, but with the aid Of two or three
hundred hands, they had shut off the water and
when we passed, they were engaged in large force,
IN making backlevee. Iconsidered it by no means
safe.
Just below Baton Rouge, on the west side, YOU
catch glimpse Of the enemy in ambush. and
quietly creeping out towards, and upon, the front
lands. This comes from the break near Lobdells
IL affects more or less, all the estates up to the
break. You have scarcely passed this outlet
when you are greeted with the liquid plains from
Waterloo six miles below Bayou Sara. So there
is scarcely dry plantation from Buels Landing
-four miles below Baton Rougc) to Bayou Sara
distance OF thirty.fiyo miles-al sugar estates.
These waters, OF course, overwhem Crosse T6tee
and that whole region tow ards the Attabspas.
The next considerable break 10 at Morganza
eight miles above Bayou Sara, on the west side
The waters from this are kept Oft the planters from
Col Aorgans TO Bayou Sara, by transverse levee
which this gentleman has thrown up to protect
himself The opening is fully mile wide, and the
waters are avsilng themselves of it in good old
cataract style. dashing over it and hurrying away
10 the Gulf bya shorter cut Everything is of
course eight or ten feet under water from this to
Sneed's place where you get SIGHT of q small
island OF terra tsrma once more. But only two or
three places enjoy this good fortune till you meet
the food again. On the west side from Morganza,
clear up I'LL we are in the vicinity of Vcksburg-
more than $50 miles-I have not been able to see |
one plantation Except Sneed's and his neghbors) |
wholly exempt from the water curse. la fact for |
thus whole distance, dry land forms the exception
10 the general waste OF waters and you only now
md then see little patch Of ground, resembling
Hat sand-bsr, with ms many negroes scratching
lbout on il ss the space will insure them dry foot
ng Many OF the msnsion-houses seem 70 be de-
erted Tor the time, and the only signs Of amin alton
eft on places wholly under water, are negroes
ancing in floating cabins, and singing The more
ain the more rest" l saw, this morning, the
lantation Of Mr.. Joseph X. Davis brother OF Col
Davis, Of Miss. on the west side, nearly sub
lerged, but a few strips Of land left Also, the
turner's places, on the east side, and Col Coffee's
] completely destroyed for the present CROP that
, they will not be able 70 make oxpepses. The
lot side, from Bayou Sara up to Vicksburg, ex-
pt the blohs ard few high places, is also lost for
o present season. The river is not falling.