The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-08-27

Augusta, INC second city OF Georgia, 23O
miles inland.
The mournful avenues Of live oak, and
the equally mournful glades that pierce on
every side into the profuse and tangled
wilderness, are all hung with the funeral
drapery Of the tilandsa 10 those who
have never seen this peculiar vegetation it
may be difficult to convey an adequate idea
Of its sadness and loveincss. 1t looks as if
the very trees, instinct with life, had yelled
themselves like mourners at grave or as
if the fogs and vapors from the marshes had
been solidiied by some stroke Of electricity,
and hung from the trees i'll palpablc wrea,!,s,
swinging and swaying to every motion of
the winds. Not unlike the effect produced
ny the tattcred banners hung from the roofs
Of Gothic catbcdrals as trophies of war in
the ol,ien time, or to mark thezlast resting
places OF knig ghts and noL!es, is the effect
of those long strea.ners pendent from the
overarchiug boughs OF the forest. Many Of
them are SO long AS to trail upon the ground
from height Of twenty Or thirty feet, aud
| many of the same length, dropping from
the topmost branches OF oak aud cypress,
dan"le in mid air. What adds to the awe
inspired 10y the remarkable beauty OF this
parasitic plant is the alleged fact thai,
| wherever il fouriShes the yellow fever is
from time TO time a vi>itant. 1t grows
plentiiully ON the shores Of the Lower Mis-
Sissppi from Cairo to New Orleans. and
throughout all Louisiana, Alabama, Mis>is-
Sippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Caro-.
lima. In North Carolina it is not ST. common
and it disappears altogether in Virginia.
In New Orleans it has been converted into
an article Of commerce, and, being dried
and peeled, it is used instead Of horsehair-
which in this condition it much resembles
for stulling mattresses and cushions for
chairs and sofas.
AS | had determined to return to Char
lesion by sea, gladly awaited at Savannah
the return Of the St. Mary's from Florida.
- was NV "h''i tHhtS HouIS after ncT a[l-
pointed time that the little steamer, with
her white captain and her black crew, reap
pcared III the river. She had met with
strong head winds at sea, and, the bad
weather still continuing, the captain deter
mined to try the inner instead Of the outer
passage. This arrangement was in every
way to my taste, as it would afford me the
opportunity of sailing through lhe count
less and picturesque mazes Of the Sea
Islands These islands extend from Char
lesion downwarls to Savannah, and as far
south as the great peninsula Of Florida, and
are famous for the production Of the fine
staple so we'll known and esteemed in all
the cotton markets Of the word-from New
Orleans, Mobile, and Charleston, to Liver
pool, Manchester, and Glasgow-as the
Sea Island Cotton" In the summer this
region is not habitablc by the white; but in
the the early spring there is neither fog nor
fever, and the climate is delicious. Though
the storm ragged in the outer sea, the wealth
er was calm, sunny, and beautiful as tile
St. Mary's threaded her way for a hundred
and fifty miles through the narrow channels
amid these low and fertile islands--somet
as large as the Isle Of Wight or the Isle Of
Man, others as small as the islets Of Venice.
AT times the waterway was like that Of a
noble river, broad as the Mississippi, but
without its currents; and at others not
wider than the Regents Canal. or the New
River at IsIington. So'narrow was it at
times that wee could have jumped ashore
from either sidefof the deck; but the feat,
though possible, and indeed easy, was not
inviting for, had any one been lrolicksome
enough SO, he would have found himself up
to the middle, or perclance to the neck, in
soft bog and swamp. We had often to
twis, and turn in places where it seemed
quite impossible that steamboat could
pass, and the negros had continually to push
us out Of difficulties by means Of sturdy
poles ten or twelve feet long-an exercise
in which some of:tbe passengers seemed de-
lighted to take part. The tall rushes and
reeds grew up to the height of the deck;
and, had it been midsummer, we mi ght
have disturbed many an alligator, as we
wound our way, north and south, east and
west, far into the bowels of the land, and
then out again towards the sea, in this in
tricate navigation. Twenty times at least
the St. Mary's seemed fast aground. and as
often did staIwart negroes launch the ships
boat and row ashore, to affix "a towrope to a
4stake left amid the long vegetation in pre-
vious'voyages, to enable us to be mansu-
vred off again. The whole voyage was one
constant succession of novelties of scene
and adventure. From. tae deck we could
Hook over alarge expaass of. county, stud
dsd with cotton.6elds, withstbe .shite man.
! beisps of:the planters, with negro villages,
L Al