The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-07-07
Correspondence of the Dispatch. |
DECATUR, ALA, July 1st, 1854.

CfG ttE L EHUtSSec LtOST.
Dear Dispatch Being delayed here some hours
on my journey to Memphis, have determined to
infict portion of my ennui upon you.
Wednesday morning breakiasted in Richmond
and this Saturday morning performed the same
Indispensable operation in this little town. on the
left bank OF the Tennessee River, in North Alaba.
ma. What terrible route it is though to get from
Richmond to Memphis. 1t ought to take two days
at longest through the southwest counties into Ten
nessee. By this route-and this is the shortest-it
takes an average of six. One has to traverse N
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. part of Tennes
see through Alabama, with eighty miles of staging
to get to Memphis. This is new route and one
that has not been much travelled heretofore From
Augusta to Atlanta, from Atlanta to Chattanooga
thence to Bridgeport, on the Tennessee River. by
steamboat to Decatur, by railway to Tuscumbia
then by stage to La Grange, and then by rail again
to Memphis | have found the railroads much bet
ter than had supposed--quite equal to those far
ther north, and well appointed in every respect
There is convenience never observed farther
north-a female servant to wait on the ladies, and
male tor the gentlemen. They have provided
night and day. ice water and on their own account,
fruit, ices and lemonade eat ripe peaches day
before yesterday, in Georgia. Among these SER
wants one recognized me-he was formerly of
Richmond, and had no desire to return excep. to
pay visit.
The heat and dust has been intolerable, especially
in passing through South Carolina | had always
been told by the geographers, that there was land
10 be found in that State but in two trips through
it, by different routes, have never been able to
discover any what's not swamp is sand. | have
come to the conclusion that our amable and vene
rable Judge c. was right in a waggish remark he
made to me- and which he has doubt forgotten
that Nature had made mistake, sir South Ca
rolina ought to have been lake, sir And it would
be well now to let the Gulf OF Mexico in, sir p
Can You guess who it was The amiable and ven
erabe old gentleman who used to teach in the slit
tie capitol" which stood where the Fredericksburg
Depot now stands, and who initiated me most
thoroughly, by the force OF small strap, into the
mysteries of hic hHc hoe, and other graver matters
used to call Ovid description of the world before
creation, "lobolly." ltpuzzled my young brain
then. and it has pestered me sometimes since, to
discover where he got that word from. It's all
soly ed now; am persuaded that he had travelled
through South Carolina Tariff nor anti tariff
neither the forty bale theory nor even the Nebras
ka bill keep such land up even with the other
States Of the Union. The frogs OF Egypt though
csnonized in Scripture can have been nothing but
small tfy to the croakers heard in these swanps.
No country can prosper with such population,
and suggest to our Carolina brethren TO let the
negro question alone, and turn their attention in
stantly TO the immiaeatty impending question of
"frogs."
Can you conceive what relief it was to get out
of the yesterday evening" in which | had been
necessarily since Wednesday morning, on board a
| small steamer (wheel behind) this broad and
beautiful but shallow river, with cool breeze and
the diminishing slopes of the Cumberland noun
tains, either side, throwing their deep shadows
over the water and float gently down stream, with
book in hand and good cigar. Do you know
what it is to be whirled along in a steam bath for
about sixty hourstc be as begrimed with dust and
dirt as fire stoker, and then suddenly to get a
BATH clean linen, cool breeze and slow notion
II you do, envy me that luxury when the sun had
gone down, as it did, most gorgeously the moon
still iu the heavens though still in her first
quarter and the deck hands, (negroes) as is their
custom on these rivers, came out on the low deck
and commenced those chants so plaintive and yet
ludicrous for which that are so distinguished.
One fellow improvsed the song and the others fell
in with powerful chorus. The chants were un-
like those we hear in Virginia, and the whole scene
aud circumstances were novel to me- The banjo
aud dances followed the songs and retired 10
slumber with their voices still falling on my ear
This is a small town, but has thrifty appear
ance. The soil hereabout is what We in Virginia
call "red lands,' and is also limestone region.
and Judging from the specimens Of corn have seen,
il must be- fertile region.
Al two o'clock leave for Memphis-across the
State, whence, nothing hiadering, will drop you
line.
Ynurs truly G.,