The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-05-17
soUTmERN AaRIouLrunE.


SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE.
We copy from the Savannah Rspahlioan
the following letter, giving some account Of
an experiment IA draining made by Major
starkc, Of Savannah Our readers will bo
inI"resisd not only by The magnitude and. re-
suit Of the experiment itself, but in tho pol
iahed and humorous maBaerin which il n re-
lated.
"'fhe subscriber has n plantation OF several
thousand Acres, 6ny miles below Augusaa ON
the Georgia side OF the Savannah Rlyef-..
Nearly in the centre Of ilis body Of land Is
or wa Atobly's Pond, large, and in Scriv-
en- county celebrated sheet OF water, aeven
miles round aud Night feet deep. heretofore a
fruitful suurvr of di-cusr m, tho uriyhborhood
and of revenue 10 the doctors The upper
half was an open plain gilmore than thon-
sand acres, whore hundred steamboats, eould
ride in safety, and wher', from any point q
bird could be distinctly seen. The lower see
ton Is covered viii cypress, wlose rich Inli-
age aud dropping moss, intoreepting the SUMS
rays and oyershadowing the watera, prases.t-
ed TO the view dismal canopy above Anda
horrible laudscape beneath. Here millions
Of noSiou' vennin lived and aounced and
died. Here the horned owl uhanted his mel
ancholy hitties, Here the white crane gath
cred her food, built her nest aud reared her
young, aud When conYreGated by thousands
ON the braachcs Of this magnificent tree, re-
Aemblcd vast shrubbcry OF scringoca In
bloom. The as.s.----r.--H'' = @-''' e't""-
cious bird, during the long winter nights,kept
up an eternal ROW his oarousals aad jotii6-
cation picnics transccnded everything on roo
or,I in the achievements Of Venus and Bac-
chus, and werr Hlmost match for the upreaT-
ious iiolics of Brother Jonathan and John
Bull on tho anniversary birthdays OF majesty
and independence.
The alligator wns the king beast of this
pontine marsh armed with formidable taSl
and more formidable jaws, he was the terror
ut tllg- women and l,ys-asA Csaa-
pared to him in bodily appearance, the ou-
rang outang was beauty and the jackaSs
lovely. His most interesting position was a
lIcrumhnnr pugrurul with -trts upper Jaw che
waited at right angles, and his teeth shining in
the sun. When lying in ambush for his prSg
he could flourish an eye that would shame n
oatannuni, and n trunk, the like Of which
never hounocd in the waters Of Phlegethon
or Cocytns This rcloubtablc animal was
frequently TO be seen prowling upon the
hanks with the agility of hippopotamus, and
floating upon tho waters with the stiffness Of
n serpent. l strongl, suspect that his reputa-
tion for manlincss had its origin in the writ
4 ings the zoologist who, instead Of H''1riP"-
iating him gently as a lap dog, peered at him
through a spy glass from a most respectful
distnacc. Although soldier among calves,
and pigs and lambs, his courage and ferocity
arc evidently overrated il is seldom that
full grown hog realizes the honor ofbeing di-
! gGsted in his cspacious NAV,
The terrapin could be counted by thou
sands, and the finest trout in Georgia were
there To this horde Of vermin the draining
of Mohly's pond was an epoch. Ths fish isft
4 by the rccading waters in the weeds and grass
4 fell an easy prey to the vulhIres. The terra
= PIN unamhitious Of distinction among mon,
plunged into the ditch, and hurried himself
!. into the swamps of Savannah. The dack,with
a heavy heart, mounted into the air, and like
i. the skinner Of the seas bade 6nl fare
A we'll to this memorable scene Of his festivities
- The alligator, with melancholy steps and
y slow no doubt reached some land OF promise
! where. free from danger and the worlds NAL
It ice, ne could enjoy in summer his mud hole
and in winter his lieht~ood knots
d Having stated, somewhat proIixly, and per-
1t jhaps with too much levity what Mobly' pond
d ,ras, now proceed to state what Mobiy:
{ pond Is Seven years ago, SOLITARY and alone
- I undertook to drain this body OF water, and
d, although out of pocket some $io,o 900, do NO
E. raaraI Elsss 1uTi-~-Iha landed -eatatn tpnnr
* incudcd) cost $50, 900, and I am vain enougi
10 to sometimes think that the spade has dou
e. bled its value. Originally this pond was join
as property, but FROM want of concord anaonI
RS the proprietors, was seemingly destined 20 re
MT main n nuisance 10 tho end of time, Eyentu
l. ally il fell into my hands, and now an thi
ii wear Of our Lord, is4s, 80 prolific Of prod
|, aies and so memorable 20 monarcha, with
rn natural atInosrhere full of poison, and 20
"a liitcal one full of rcpublicanism, with tho low
a. ar ten thousand dying with filth, aud the up
d pper itJH thousand with fright, with Depotisr
d. standing on volcano, and Freedom upon
at rock, AIobly's Pond (what pathos y Is
,is dry as an ash bank, or the throat Of loate
the ,honey.moon Of kls temperance rleds'