Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-16

CURIOUS srArEwEHr OF AN ExaLIsa TRAv.
FrIWN IN THE SOUTH


CURIOUS srATEMEHT OF AN EKaLIsH TRAV.
EELEE IN THE SOUTH.
We Rnd in an English paper some &c
counts Of q remarkable letter said 70 have
recently appeared in the Edinburgh Daily
Review, from South Carolina correspond
snt Of that paper. The correspondent
writes from Charleston, and, says the EE'
aminer, from which we quote
=" draws q gloomy picture Of the stag
nation In that once busy harboF. But 81
the same time he gives us an Idea Of the
way in which Che enterpriaing oitiEens Of
the Palmetto State oontrive TO mitigate, In
SONS degree, the inoonVenienoss Of the
blockade. he tells how, under the guild
anoe Of friendly cotton planter, be made
q night journey to q point on the coast, Of
which he only indicates the position, but
which can be no other than the Bulls Bay
named by the New York papers as the
probable destination Of the powerful squad.
ron Of war vessels and transports that has
lately sailed for southern waters
"Embarking with the mystery Of D con-
spirator on board q small steam-tug laden
with the most explosive and cOmbustible
goods, this witness for the press is carried
down the dresry estuary Of the Ashley and
Cooper rivers, passing a few dark and rak-
ish priVateers, and one or two unfinished
ships intended for the Confederate navy.
StsAming boldly for the open ses, he and
his friend glide by Forts Sumter and Moul-
trie, which, together with the new earth
works and batteries on shore, appear to
make Of Charleston q miniature CronBtadt.
Creeping along the coast with their hearts
i'll at ease, for the lights Of the blOokading
frigate shine at no great distance, and the
breakers are unpleasantly near, the sd.
venturous voysgers at length get into quiet
water in narrow sound between q low
reedy islet and the mainland. They make
but SLOW progress, for the tug has @ couple
Of scoWs in toN, with heavy cargoes Of
cotton and turpentine, and the channel be-
ing Of no great depth, these are constantly
sticking hard and fast upon sandbsnks,
There shoot forth, however, from Sc
oluded creeks and inlets, lurking boats, by
the aid Of which the tug Is sent forward
before the unfriendly dawn can reveal her
position to the federal man-of war. The
little expedition thus reaches in safety the
secluded spot where the unconquersble
genius Of trade has opened new outlet for
the produce Of the South. The scene is
thus described:
''It was broad daylight when we emerged
from this reed-fringed creek upon q space
of open water, skirted by broad rice fields
dotted here and there with square antigua
ted houses and contiguous collections Of
segro huts. But rebellion had made this
quiet bay busy focus Of industry, and as
we painted up to new wharf along and
near which twenty six vessels were lying,
and l saw the desperate traffic carried on
in utter defiance Of the blockade, gave the
SOuthernors credit for greater energy than
had believed possible, Among the ships
observed the notorious priVateer Sumter,
which had arrived the day before with
prize laden with valuable silks and wines,
two other privateers, and s captured Boston
clipper, which was being cut down and
pierced for guns. The other vessels we're
either prizes or merchantmen, owned in
Liverpool or New York, which, having
brought in caTgOes Of foreign goods aud
munitions Of war, were being loaded with
4Alei 0AANaA c4A vi pcAt4Aos Nodt4J I'll
the cotton, il was stated, would find its way
70 New England. Five ships, was told,
had sailed during the night. It Was from
this hsrbor that Mr.. Slide1 and bis friends
sailed for Cubs, on their way to Europe,
and until Its whereabouts is discovered,
and the mouths Of these inlets effectually
closed with stone or sunk lighters, the
blockade Is q mere sham, and the trade
with Charleston virtually open.
'In the course Of g tour through the ad-
joining states, the special correspondent
found other ports where thriving import
and export business appeared to be carried
on, without the slightest ooncealment OF
chance Of interruption. At Wilmington,
N. c., no hostile squadron had ever
troubled the repOse Of the prosperous and
contented merchants, the emb6lohurs of
Cape Fear river having apparently been
overlooked by the official geOgrsphers Of
Washington"