, 1862-07-08

4Aho*V4
Especial Correspondence Chicago Tribunc.l
CAIRO, July 2, 1863.
+ received kind Invitation day or two
since from DR.. franklin, the surgeon in
charge of the Mound City hospital, to visit that
institution. Accordingly yesterday rode
thither. Disdalning the ordinary mode Of
travel By steamer, procured horse, and en-
joycd an afternoon OF delightful experiences
in the woods which line the banks Of the Ohio
from Cairo to Mound City.
TIE OHIO BOTTOMS.
In passing through the Ohio bottoms one
can hardly realize that less than two months
ago this whole section Was {; fathou1 under
water The fertility Of the soil and the wild
luxuriance of vegetation is truly wonderful.
Immense cotton woods and s5ca1nCias, fe5-
tooned with glisteuing mistletoe, lift their
leafy crowns toward the blue sky, and tightly
grasping their rough trunks in rude embrace,
grapc vines and parasites Lace and intu1lacc,
f.rming 2 green canopy overhead, through
whose leafy interstices t!1s: sun IN rain strives
to penetrate. The trumpet viue, with its SCAT
let pendants hanging in brilliant clusters,
from n1sny gaarled and ragged stump, the
delicious aroma eNhaliog from the fra5rau:
ioli2Ec, the pools of Water by the Tayside, the
g.entit H1eUarcns Of the forest topp1ed over
hy stme mighty tempest @! days goue by iu-
It n1;1g the pathway, the deep solitude aud
rtpesc OVERLAPPING the Gboee scene, interru. .5t-
ed only by the myriad tonsued voice ofnaturc
as shown iii the hum o: insects, the soar Of
hircs, the restling of leaves rs they l,y3
h::ltr and thither sway ed by The gentle wiud,
1hc *cureels distiug uisted lut1i ~ ind soughug
OF the s.ucy little tugs as they
tkinn,ed ike w.ter fnwls the sur
! facs. Ut the beautiful Ohiu, sni tas e,n.
I 11aEt of1he dclcie us shades IN which Vas rev.
| ell ! e. With the giArlEg sun from which ID
! lust escaped, altogether rendered this horse
r:ell ride through the Ohm l,ot.onlS, RI. mo-
j enjoyable II Was tver MY lot to experience.
! EAsTpoET.
! Refu-e reaching th- hospital visited the
! shir-s art, here dlsuiiGd By tAc a2pclla Ion
"navy ysrd-' The new gunto.t is ou tae
| s1uaN a7Iny Of mechanics are hotnuerins away
| 1T iu iron sides, and fitting up her interior
With the evident intention OF making her tue
| mcdul Gubboat Of the western flotila. The
| f s'Iorl has q peculiar model, combining in.
ulenlfy of strength With great speed. 10
Speak Of Eer professionally, I should d.
scribe her IS very sharp and narrow, plated
| with heavy iron a',oye deck, and With
lighter i1ou from TIC wafer line to the k"
scn, thc machinery surrounded with timber:
| InperEiouS 10 shot, and constructed With ar
eye 10 prevent tic recurrence Of such disas
tiers as recently happ7ned to the Mound City
| at St. Charles. She is about 200 fest long, AMI
Nh<u armtd with the eight - FOUNDER pa1r.t
gurs, for which she is pierced, will prove ihs
most formidable specimen Of Yankee iageuu
ity yet const1u ted to aid in suppressing thi
REBELLION. 1t viii be recolleeted t2a: the E Ast
port was one Of the unfinished gnnboats cap
t1rcd on the Cumberland, before our sue
ccsses in Tennessee compelled the rebels tt
abandon Ill hopes Of retaining that State il
the bogus confcderacy.