Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-29

wilkins Surveys the Coast-Great Feay Of
Iayasisn-P.r Paratlebs for Eefence-Star-
tIips News from Fort Sumter-Ssuud.
that have Dis .PpsaIed frsm the Southern
Cssst.
From the Cleveland Plaindealer.
COAsr SURVEY; OVER CAMP LOOK Our
BALLOON SKY HI" Oct. Ia, 1851.
Dear PLAIN Dealer II have been silent
for some time, but don't imagine that have
been idle am taking q survey of the Coast
and hasten TO transmit to you the result Of my
observations.
Since the fine morning when Gen. Butler
sstOnished the Hstterasses, took their forts
away from them and carried off Commodore
Barron (may be be the Last of the Barrons'O
the Coast has suffered continual alarm. In
fact the Coast hasn't enjoyed a good nights
sleep since, Lot knowing at what time the
Presidents Butler might take another slice to
serve up the Federal table. The Coast
dsfsnscs are not in very good ccndition, the
rebels having been too much absorbed in taking
Washington, and marching into Ohio and
Pennsylvania by way Of Western Virginia to
stend to them. They have got lots Of sand
batteries, and in some localities shells (of
Ocean, abound in great quantities, but what
are shell without mortar? There are
numerous plaster beds on the Coast, but no
places to make mortar. Even the Masons
can't make Ii since they cut adrift from the
North and fell back on their own resources.
All along down the coast saw indications
Of alarm and fear. The guards are doubled at
all the capes (new way Of doubling the cape, }
the unsound defences Of Sounds are rendered
souuder, the mouths of rivers show their teeth
and Bays are being put in condition to keep
the foe at bay.
1t ia q significant fact, that the next cape
below Hatteras is Cape Lookout, and they are
keeping pretty bright lookout there, 1 can
assure you. They had better By reference
In na 1xvin sbak
just bslOU Cape Lookout. They are frightened
almost to death there.
foated over Charleston Harbor in the night,
and It being very dark, passed quite near
Fort sumter, and at low elevation. Fort
sumter, you remember, was loaned by us to
South Carolina last spring. 1t is unhealthy
for our soldiers to stay there during the Sum-
msr months, so We let South Carolina take it
she wanted to. I passed near enough to the
Pert to catch some Of the conversation. The
information obtained is of the most startling
nature. Fort Sumter has seeded and formed
an IHdspendsnt COnfsdsracy all By herself!
South Carolina may be SOnSs, but that little
fort is SHmtsr.
A voyager along the Coast is struck with the
great variety Of Sounds he meets with. There
IL Albemarle Sound, ST. Andrews Sound, Alta.
maha Sound, Asssbaw Sound, and a hundred
other Sounds, except "Sound on the Goose
That's sound you don't meet with to any
S4eenb COulu VI rOlOLnac. missed other
sounds that once wOoed the echoes in the South
as well as in the North, that foated over the
fields Of rice and cotton and hung upon the
languid Southern air at the same time that
they were waited on Northern breezes and
tossed from cliff to cliff and crsg to crsg among
the Northern hills. The sound Of "Hail
Columbis Happy Land" the sound Of Star
Spangled Banner" the sound of yankee
Doodle" and Of everything else national and
patriotic has disappeared from the Southern
Csast. The loyal mariner may s0und for them
in vain, they have quite disappeared. But
Southern maps and charts are likely to be
revised. Mitchell, not wholly unconnected with
the geography and atlas business, has turn ed
soldier, see, and be will be useful when a new
map OF the South is made and See that the
Sounds are in their proper pisces.
The above may appear high sounding, but
remember 1t was written in my balloon at an
elevation Of some four miles. Yours, during
the war. WILKINS.