The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-02-18
Original Correspondence.
Correspondence Of The Cecil Whig.l
Letters from the West; 40. 10.
OK THE. MISSISSIPPI. NEAR RoxBrRY,
D.J 4

JANUARY 23rd, 1904. J
Coll Weather-A storm or the Mississippi Dark
forests and Cunt -br,,kes--Game--th M'ssis-
sippi riucr-Bayous, Lakes, Sc.-.u,ssissip-
pi Water-Corn along the coust-Ihe Cotton
country-Beamfm appearmec Of the Cotton
Plantations.
1t is very common thing for Northern
people, when they arc nipped with "A brush of
cold to wish they were in the south, where
they could enjoy pleasant weather. This is
an erroneous idca however, for the southern
people suffer as much from cold as the North
crncrs. People who live in northern climate
soon become accustomed to the steady cold,
dry winters of their region, and experience no
Inconvenience thercfrom. In the SOUTH the
weather changes from cold to warm more
rapidly and the cold weather here is generally
accompanied with a dampncss which is very
penetrating. have felt the cold here in Ar
kansas as acutcly as ever did at home; in
fact began to debate with myself whether
wasn't pursuing a northern rather than a
southern route. We experienced severe
storm of wind and rain the other night. The
sand from the bars was lifted into the air and
driven before the tempest like clouds of yapor
rather than sand, and the waves broke over
our lower decks in so furious and alarming a
manner, that the Captain was On the point Of
waking up the passengers, in order, suppose
that every man might be drowned awake, and
not fast asleep, like a blind puppy, in his
bed. 1t was remarkable that the roaring of
the tempest, the heaving and pitching of the
boat, and the dashing of the waves. awokc
not single passenger: but all slept in sweet
unconciousness of the danger that threatened
without.
From the mouth of the Ohio for six or sew
en- hundred miles down the Mississippi. scarce
ly any thing arrests the eye save dark, low
forests, skirting the shores ofthc river on both
sides, and in Arkansas, dense cane brakes
cover the shores in some places for miles,
Stock have eaten down the cane, within few
years back, and the former, immense tracts
Of these recdy forests arc yearly diminishing.
There are some portions of this Mississippi
country unrvalcd for game by any spot on
the globe. The neiglborhood of New Mad
rid, town i'll Missouri, cighty-two miles be-
low the Ohio, is one of those spots, termed a
hunters Paradise. The town was almost
ruined in 1871 by an earthquake, which Gre
atcd lakes i'll many portions of the country
round about the place. On those lakes ducks,
vncco ond ru-op abound u.b;Io 4lo ,,-,ol. N IN
1iliel with deer, bears and many other kinds of
game in abundance, and there are numerous
other places equally famous.
No one can contemplate the Mississippi and
not be struck with wonder and admiration. 1t
seems as tho it has covered this whole valley
at some former period or periods and like an
ambitious monarch unable to retain within
its damp grasp that extensive region, it mean
ders along on the most elevated portion of the
country, constantly cllangingits course, form
ing islands and building sand bars across its
channel as ifcnvious of man S skill, and cal-
GUS of his power, it would shut him out from
the gloomy regions over which it holds domin-
ion.
A bayou is something not clearly under
stood by many readers of The Wing: and to
give them a definite understanding of the
Mississippi, will explain it. In the first
place itmust be distinctly understood that Tie
bed of the Mississippi is several feet higher
than the country (as fara- fifty miles in some
places on either side of the stream Those
bayous arc cutters or bitches that have broken
through the banks of the river and lead away
off through the fiat country forming lakes and
Swamps. There is constant stream flowing
through those bayous or ditchcs supplied by
the Mississippi, the same as a flumc or outlet
is supplied by canal, except that there are
no locks in the former; and the current from
the river flowing through them into the lakes
and swamps is aftcn so rapid as to make the
navigating them by skiffs dangerous, when it
flows among timber. Small steam boats nav
igate the largest of those bayous and inland
lakes which are often fifty and sixty miles in
length.
The Mississippi water approaches nearest
to the pure, sweet fountains that bubble from
the granite hills of Cecil ofany water have
ever met with in the west. 1t is always mud
dy when dipped out of the river but soon set
ties and is delightful to the taste, compared
with the miserable lime stone water found in
all parts of this western world.
In passing through the grain growing re-
gions of Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee,
great quantities of corn We're piled on the
banks in sacks, at almost every landing, and
heard the Mate remark that there is more
grain at present piled on the bank for ship
ment than he ever before at one time saw.
The first cotton plantations make their APP
pearance in Arkansas, opposite the Chicka-
saw bluffs in Tennessee, but very few are seen
from the river till you descend to within a
hundred miles ofVicksburgh, in Mississippi
Here the river banks are higher, and you meet
with fenced plantations, presenting, even at
this season Of the year, quite handsome and
civilized appearance, when contrasted with
H., Il