The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-08-06

NEW R1vEn-ExPEDITlOn Me,S.
An Erpedaioa fom Neg Rirsr 'Iltste Sulphur
!prsses 10 sAs kassh Of bsdsan creek, ard sss iHes
dents thereof 81
or rHr kicHsosp nAily pisfArcn.l
RED SULPHUR spRfxas,
49, August 2, 1888.
The successful expedition from the Now River
White sulphur Syringe 20 the Central Depot Of
the Virginia and Tsnnessees rAlroad aud the glow
ing description Of that voyage by those who par
ticipstcd In IL, inspired others with d spirit Of
adventure and desire to soc for themselves the
scenery they heard so much Of. That scenery held
out the strongest temptation, and there was Just
enough OF danger In voyage upon New River to
make 1t exciting to young and ardent gentlemen.
True, anticipation Of important discoveries and
victory in conflicts with maraIding tribes. do NOT
now stimulate the explorer Of our western wa.
ters nor do the terrors Of the ambush, the scalp
ing knife, and the horrors Of Indian torture, now
excite his fears. Bot our young gentlemen
deemed that there was stil enough to make a
voyage down Now River Interesting, aud we're per-
fect,y willing TO surrender all the eeat and glory
which might have been achieved by our ancestors
SECURITY from such terriers az beset their paths.
With their inciinatons, bnt very little cousuita-
tion WAS necessary 10 mature a plan for ayoyage
from New River Springs down the river, to be CON
tlnued rs long as II was agreeable There vas no
other condition. for our yoyasers, being intrepid
youpp men dill not once conceive the possibility
of the intervention of any obstacle that could tarn
them back They might stop nj the mouth OF In
dian Creek. or at the Hawks Nest, or they might
continue down to Charieston: but it was distinctly
a
understood that Ia nc event were they 70 sosnooh
were lost the antagonists they sought, add were
deter ed to vanqulsh-
Sucb was the deter mi nation, such the sentiment
of our young navigators. For their voyage, they
nurebased a canoe twenty-five or three feet long.
and two feet AID half wide, we'll uade, with pop
lar gnnwaes and thick pine bottom, and toiefabiy
well formed. yet not of The best design for the rug
ged navigation ia which IL was about to be enl-
pioyed Indeed, it was the very boat recently
used by the explorers of the river from the Springs
10 the Central Depot ard back, ana it was chrsten
ed ssThe Hazard" by the uew proprietors. ouita'
BILE poles paddles, seats and biiDg apparatus wef
provided The party consisted of three gentlemen,
one from Mississippi, oae from Nottoway county,
and one from Richmond. They employed only a
helmsmar--a youth of somH experience IN river
navigation They raised the white hsg OF peace,
intending TO keep upon terms OF the most ho7'td
biz nature with the inhabitants along the riFer-
the best evidence of which was that they only
took PROVISIONS enough for one meal at starting
They took the precaufi0r to procure q list OF the
most independent fartsers in their route, aud this
they termed their "bil Of fare" Ono of the three
commanded the deck, 10 MIN being left the CUR
dance of the 'fraii bark and he was perforCe
dubbed by his companions Commodore" while IN
turn one of them was charged with tbs Office OF
purser, and the other with tho note book, the
helmsfnan, Fdgg being the only pay officer 10 the
service.
Thus fitted out and Differed, the expedition de
parted from the New River Springs on the 2sta
July, at half past eight O'Clock, with the bes
wishes of everybody, under an escort Of a canot
| start was propitioEs The boat descended rapid,
and safely through the first rifles, where the Oh
cort got aground, but after short delay, was got
ten off, and came up to the expedition &C the mouth
Of Doe Greek, where the voy ayers waitedsto TAKE
leave Of their friends. This creek, which disappears
some miles frc,a The river, bursts out it's
gin, after passing under hill that lowlandeil
would call mountain Its waters are clear aDt
as cold rs ice water Here We (fOr the writer VA
cne of the expeditioners) pledged our friends som,
in mixed libatioss, and others ia the pure water
aud they in turn drank To the successful termina
ton of the voyage. Lifting anchor by ioosenine
the rope from stake stuck in the mud, we tool
our winding way down the river.
And here let the historian briefly speak of TIL
nature of the navigation. That part OF New kiyel
or yoyagers were passing, is its worst and EN-
braces its Host rapid descent. What are cailet
its 'sriffies" very swift, descending currents
interrupted 0fttn by ltuges duu bUuiutre, some
times at right angles, and at Others presenting
every degree of o5iique angles. So that thes,
swift currents are sometimes straight. but mGcl
oflener crooked, and requiring both qnickuess anC
GOODNESS TO stea them th safety among the threa
ieuing rocks, DER which the waters leap Will
their white caps on and descending are dashed utc
pretty tail waves, which chase each other to the
eddy below. These rapids ARE sometimes short
aud sometimes exceed a mile. So much for tn,
rapids. Ii they are not without dagger wbai
hill of fha fal las han; NJ
which occur in space of twelve miles of our
voyBges We have no means Of knowing the
height of these falls, we have no survey Of
them before Us. and had no means of measuring
them; but judging with the eye alone, We estiIna
ted them at from seven to ten feet Let it be re-
mem bered, that these fails short AID sudden
They occur always at the end OF an eddy, the
water Leiug deep to their very edge, and then
the current goes with buuud over and among
the rocks, foanng aud eapiug, iii Its itnl e.uUus
way, down to the foot of the descent, where Ii
boiis aud surges like miniature Niagara. u Where
these falls without sudden precIpice OF more
titan three ieet descent, canoe may pass them II
it be kept IN the carrent, and straight with it,
The slightest waYer, however, from the right line,
may enguph II, aud will more than likely dash II
in pieces. The loud roar OF the worst rapids and
the fails could be heard long distance before
reaching them. Fagg said they were calling u.s.
aud be did not like tneir voices at all. The bta
wing of which difficulties aud dangers by low land
ers, excited the surprise of the Inhabitants, VITO
invariably predicted Tor US duckiug, us cue of the
varieties OF life we were in search of. With this
description, We will proceed gu the voyage.
Reached Douthat d ClapGlan's Ferry at about IL
O'Clock, and hauled up near cool spring, TO take
our diIuer-which was heartily enjoyed under the
grateful shade OF wide-spreadiDg beach, 0ur
coarse had been enlivened by some sharp rifles.
which We shot Though gaiy-ths merry waves
occasionally leaping into cur boat--a SOFT OF mer
Tjment we Thought not at all Indispensable to their
enjoyment.
alter sufficient rspose, We put out for greater
excitement Ia store for us. We passed the mouth
of Big Stony Greek, where, from The severity oil
the fails, vessel shipped some water, the waves
sticking to their merry habit OF ieaping ever our
gupwales, which was delightful to the Commodore,
but which tue taker Of netes regarded with dis-
content, lifting his feet high, mich TO the amuse
ment Of the Purser: who ventared tae pun that be
oyercareful of his sole. lsoui) which Was more
III dagger Of another eietaent than water. isui
ing up, we bailsd aud started for Erench's Mill
saw white bird ahead, which new in,in Inc ehofe
into the river, aud commenced rapidly swimming
The P1rssr pronouhced IL wiz
goose. aud the Commodore at once gave wild
goose chase, calling upon Fagg 70 shoVs hafa ior
he game. The cuase was long ana exciting, Luz
M last go,,ud NJ, with forcing the bard into sho
btu-h where he was taken, aud found to be tame
,,oose poor and out of wIad-so We're The Commo-
ivre aud Fagg, who began 70 show signs of tagging
that we're destined 10 more decided development
Reached Erepchs Mil at y O'Clock; got ever the
4 am by unloading and pulling, By hand, over it,
nd then the baat was guided safely through the
ro,,gh RAPIDS bsiow. Reloaded, aud left little be
fore o'clock; took the shaiowest side Of GcCiali
va ts,ausl and rubbed little over the shoals A
the lower end of the island, came 10 the beautiful
estate of CHAPMAN j. JOHNSON, of Giles, whose hos
pitaiiiy had Intended TO enjoy; but ir was too
early 10 halt, and with lurking regret at .ssing
such an inviting spot, We hurried CD; Fagg, who
knew what rest was aud how we'll We would haze
Jared, repnonstratins against going further. AZ
O'clock, brought mp at MIR. c. iiULEs, twenty two
or three miles from our place of starting, aud there
rem ined all night.
The purser and the taker of notes complained
that during the day they had done uotbing' an,
demanded that they be allowed 70 iatirue lh-tn-
selves. in order that they, too might enjoy thai
added zest which |, gives TO rest. he Commodore
too readliy assented, aud early ia the following
morning the said note taker had two long uaddiea
.ade. after Iudiau fashion, under his dection fol
his purpose, which were industrionsIy Used after.
wards, aud which had the desired elect