New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-03
The Ssutherners at Home .,i.Ne. /.
From the Journal Of Northern Traveller on Horseback.
WESTERN MISSISSIPPI.

buk Dill, NJ tOp "i WHICH, II mo Viu
village Of St. FraDcisville--a collection Of decay
ing sbanty-Eke houses, and with few new, CON-
Portable and handsome mansions. o..
A group Of men at the tavern stared al he 90 IL
were rare for q stranger to pass, ana one :" '"'-
got upon horse and anerward Joincu "io y"
the road. ,-..:o, ho,,-
Not from a particularly social disposition, nov" nov,
ever for he scarcely returned my nod and replied
not a word 10 my saut 1tion, but win a ROWING
curiosity examined closely my clothing hofse anu
equipment. Following his example, uieoo.o 800
pistol thrust iutO the wsch-iOo oi MS Pen'"r',
Ills cOubtelance was such as inaoe INC ",an "A''
In travel far ia company. i asked: "Can you tell
me how far il is ~ Woodyile, Slrf' :" don't
know" "Haye you no idea Or the distancei'
"You won't get beyond there tonight" Can
BE- sure of getting there before dark - No place
6r Won 10 stop this side OF there, | reckon" lou
can't tell NE about how many miles it is tberel
mo"
Gradually got the better of his taciturDity' lie
told me the land in the vicinity was all owned oy
"big-bugs." Ii used to be thought " bout Tue
richest sle God Almighty ever shuck up, and
vas called the "gardyiDg Of the world But u
Was nov much deteriorated. lie had not lived
here many wears, but il had grown naniestly less
productive under bis observation. He pointed out
the residences OF several Of the large Hemlpter8
aforesaid, mentioning their specific names and the
He himself was Oyerseer for "One OF the biggest
hind of bugs" who was now IN Paris lie gem
orally spent the Summer at SaratOgy, or Newport,
or Paris, some OF them Northern places.
Suddenly refining OFF at fork of the road, ne said,
without turning his face at all toward me: Ii You
are pwine ON to WOodville that's your r0ad-this
is NINE" and rode of, making no reply to nay
COED bye
Neither at the telegraph station at Bayou Sara,
nor at several shops IN which | afterward inquired,
could get any exact information about the road TO
be pursued 10 Natcbez or the distance to Wood
Vile which appeared by the map To be the first
town upOI the proper course. Aiterward made
inquiry Of twelve different persons, perhaps halt OF
them negroes, whom | met or passed on the way.
1t only by pertinaciOus questioning could get
any Of them 10 give guess at the distance in miles,
some thought it twenty, some thrty-none gave
Der between these. The stupidity OF the more
brutaIzed slaves is often described by saying that
they cannot count above twenty. l suspect
a great many Of the whites are but Little
more educated. This experience with re-
gard to distances, at any rate is very common. 1t
is to nd ia the plantation districts man white
or black who can give you any clear information
about the roads the distances between places In
his vicinity.
Coming from the fiat coast country, found the
landscape pleasing. though rather tame In ITS ha-
lures. For miles about ST. Franclsyllle 1t has
an UpeD suburban character, with style Of resi-
aences indicating rapidly accommodating wealth and
advance in luxury among the prOprletors. For
twenty miles 70 the north of the town there Is on
both sides succession Of large sugar and cotton
plantations. Much land still remains uncultlyated,
however. The roadside fences generally hedges |
Of roses Cherokee and sweet brier. They are |
planted first by the side of common rail fence,
which while they are young supports them IN the |
manner Of trels; as they grow older they fall
each way, and meet together finally, forming con-
fused spraw ling, slOvenIy thcket often ten feet IN
L.. dth md fo,,rf IN hUh Ir1lmDpt
ers grape-vines and cat-brers, and, III very rich
SOIL cane, grow up through the mat OF roses, and
add t. its strength. 1t is not pretty as stffer
hedge vet very agreeable and the road being some
times narrow, deep and circuitous, delightful men,
OIes Of England we're often brought to mind.
There were frequent groves OF magnolia grandl-
flora, large trees, and every one in blossom. The
magnolia does not, however, mass well, and those
groves were much finer, which also were not unre-
quent, where the beech, elm aud liquid amber
formed the body, and the magnOias stood sngly out
magnificent chandeliers OF fragrance. The cucum-
Der magnolia, with a large leaf extremely beautiful
ut this age OF the year, was less frequently seen.
The soil seems generally rich, though much
washed off the higher ground. Young pine trees,
and other indications of impOyerishing agriculture,
are seen on many plantations. The cultivation,
however, is directed with some care to prevent
this.
The soil is a sandy loan, so friabe that the ne
grOes, always working in large gangs, superintendent
by driver with whip, continued their h0eing
IN the midst Of quite smart showers, and when the
road had become poaching mud
Once only did see gang which I'D been allowed
to discontinue its work account Of the rain. This
Was alter very heavy thuDder-shOwer, and the sP-
pearance of the negroes whom | met crossing the
road back TO their field from the gin house, IL which
they had retreated, remarkable.
BULLY NIGER GAN0.
First came led by old driver carrying whip,
forty OF the largest and strongest women ever saw
together; they were all in simple uniform dress OF
uish check stuff, the skirts reaching little below
the knee; their legs and feet were bare; they car
RED themselves lOttiy, each with hoe slOpng over
the shoulder and walking with a free powerful
swing like Zouaves on the march. Behind came the
cavalry, thirty strong mostly men, but some women,
two Of whom rude astrIde, on the pillow mules. In
the rear Of al lean and ygllant white oyerseer
q brisk pony The men wore small blue Scotch
bUnDeis, the women handkerchefs, turban fashion,
or nothing ST all On their heads.
The slaves generally OF this district appeared I'M
commonly we-dOubtess because the wealth Of
their owners has enabled them to select the best
from the yearly expectations of Virginia and Ken
lucky.
The plantation residences were generally Of a
cottage class well shaded by trees and sometimes
with quite extensive and tasteful grounds usually
obtained by trimming out the natural groves.
An old gentleman, sensible polite and cOmmun-
catSe, d capital sample Of the planters, who rode
short distance with me- said that many Of the pro-
pretOrs were absent, and some of the plantations
had dwellings only for the negroes and the overseer.
lie called my attention field of cotton which, he
said, lad been ruined by his oyerseer's laZlness.
The negroes had been permitted at critical time to
be too careless in their hoeng, and il was now i'm
possible TO recover the ground thus lost Grass