The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-09-10
FOR THE INDEPENDENT PRESS.
Sketches of Mississippi and aI,b,m
WEST PoINr, Ga, August 20. 1858

WEST PoINT, Ga, August 20. 1858.
Dear Lee We arrived here, last Saturday
evening O'Clock, after days ride of 43 miles.
Our Journey from Jackson. Miss. to Sump,er
County, Ala, was through the poorest part of
Miss. The crops Of cotn looked well, consider
ing the land tina: produced it; the cotton was
only tolcrable. From Sumpter we travelled
through a rich cotton growing country up TO
Columbus, Miss; in nll of this section, the far
mers were anticipating considerable damage
from the boil worm and rust in their cotton !;
and before we left that section of country
(Sumptcr Co. Ala which was one week ago,
we heard several farmers expressing them
selves, that they would scarcely make any cot,
i ton the worm, rtist and wet weather had
swept it clean in some places The weed is
very fine. and promised an abundant yield a
few weeks ago. The corn crop is very fine
Between Gainesville and Hamburg, Ala about
10 lies, exhibits great deal of wealth. AS
general thing there is greater display Of
taste and elegance in and about their wards
than any section of country we have ever
travelled through. We then struck a country
very poor. and before arriving at Wctumpka,
we passed through very large pineries which
exhibited the "Tar River" skill of gathering
rosn.
Wetu,npka is surrounded, or at least East
and West of it, by the poorest country we
have seen this long while. For distance of
25 miles East of Wctumpkn, between there
anil Dadevilc, the rocks are go thick that it
looks like it troubles them to lay still.
AS we passed along, we remarked to q long.
windcd looking chap, who was hoisted up
on pnir Of travellers of about forty
inches, you have plenty of rocks
in your country" "Yes, and thew nre a
very handy thing" he replied, with a signifi
cant look. much rs to say, l will show
you how much "vrtue there is in stones" 1"
if you fool with me. Their corn cribs are about
the size Of II North Carolina wagon body, with
one or tw" legs cut out for n door, in the side,
so that when they get their heads in they can
reach III over the crib and get the last ear
1t is n hard matter for n traveller to get ac.
commodated along here. In trying to find n
place to STOP We rode miles after night, and
missed our road, and just as we were thinking
of taking up at Spra,cts, we saw light, and
riding up, hailed and out came an old gentle
man who told lis, We were out Of our road w q
told him we had ridden over 40 miles. and
could We not stop with him till morning No.
he had just moved there and had no acconmo.
dations for travellers. We told him then if he
would let us nave a half bushcl of corn, for
our horses, We would try to occupy the outside
corner of his fence till morning, that we knew
the great Inconvenience OF allowing n stranger
rc1ao I..1 a.
ing OH us to " come in, aud ut last, with some
reluctance. We accepted his hospitality.
All through the section Of country wo have
travelled. the black tongue is playing havoc
among the catte. No beef, milk or butter.
makes times in eating afrnirs very dry Chick
ems, one week ago, were worth So 90 a dozen
in Mobile. The country in some places is
crowded with chicken wagons-buying them
up for speculation.