Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-12-17

extent his forces in and around the beleaguered city
Gilmore, having performed his allotted portion of the
sege s ready and anxious to help Dahgren to a trial
OF his. The commanders of the monitors all brave
mep; the crews ready for an action so glorious
/ Everything and everybody to await upon Dahl
gren The people, reccolecting the brilliant and dash
lng attack of Dupont last April have become DISCUS
ted with this unseem delay, which is weekly apologize
ed Tor By "bad health" "best of terms with General Gill
more" Monitors at PORT Royal for repairs" and
something stirring from the feet goon." Action is de-
manded The country wishes to know whether it has
been and is spending its money in the right class of
iron cads whether the molltors twothr3s hum
bug for the reduction of rtifcations.
A Trip the Mtssisspp'-TanIkses and Conf ,te rate
Travelling Companions
correspondent of the Mobile Advertiser furnishes
that paper with 81 interesting account Of trip up the
mississippi. 1t shows that tRe people Of the tg7ona-
items are as distinct as if they had Eved together
and experienced the mutual pleasure OF fleeing and be-.
ing feeced.
"a Friday we took passage from Memphis oa tie
| beautiful river palace Belle hemphis How quickly
was the lt0e OF demarkation drawn between the two
casss-N orhern and Southern; the former overbe1r-
log apd Equisive the latter ind pendent but Cautions
fortunately quite number of the old Rellers of the
euony South were on board and had pleasant lit
ne cirque our own, aud among ourselves talked
the tcpic nearest hearts, while searching Yankee
eyes leaned At our party with suspicion 1t is sur
p:lSlDg how soon eacl finds his party element and
even on tbs Government boat how rapidly the oppos-
ihg elements OF society discover and heartily hate each
their with mutual bitterness. There s bu! little
ca'on between the OppreSsor and tie oppressed the
latter with dgnIfed haeur evaing the aggressive ad
vances OF the other From the lips of the party on the
opposite side of the cabin composed chi=y of officers
WIVES we frequently catch such elCquently ma
lignant language observations dirty secesh;"
"Wsh the gusrlas would let flicker aud hit
t1em and one woman, whose little girl nearing our
party, cried out-"Come back here you little devil
don't tell you those the dirty secesh that broke
up the Union and burne the boats ~ ithout giving
evidence of hearing their language the little party of
patriots eonversed ia whispers, like small band OF
Italians n Venice while unGer the searching eye OF the
Austrian cppressOr. True, this is submission to the.
yants power, but the deep sentiment of hatred which
Is revealed IN the cleaning eye betOkens the presence
OF that spirit OF patriotism which will yet nerve each
arm TO strike once more for liberty When the sup
portable has been cleared, excellent negro string
band strikes up the envening air of our Dixie and
the festive daUce begins 1t is observable that each party
Introduces its members in the dance and the same stern
hGuteur 10 observed which permits of no compromise
between these embitered enemies. Sharp anomal y
they dance but will not speak he subjected party
waits until the vile Yankee OppressOrs have locked them
selves within their state and then the dulcet tones
OF southern girls ring out upon the midnight air the
nsprltlng "Southr0ns hear your country call you );
AID having thus given vent to their pentup feelings
and expressed their qualification, each, with warm
shake OF the hand bids the 0tner good night There Is
a bond between them stronger than frendship-a sym
patty 10 their oppression the high resolve of patriot
ISM; faith stro0g as life ITSELF that the day of their
Glsenhrament draws Nigh and that their release will
be the signal for them to wreak yenge upon the
oppTessOrs.
Bat few Yankee off GERS ere travelling upon the boats
and fortunately they do not often inact their hated
presence apon those who are quarted in the ladies'
cabin, but show their instincts by walking around
behind and peepng in at the windows just as when in
the South, they go the negro quarters admit them
selves at tie back entrancea OF their
ness restraining them from acting aChite people.
special Government agent is on beard each boat
Tor the purpose of examining baggage, and
rigid search Is made for silver ware, more especially
as the ankees have presenment that large quantities
OF family plate owned by rebels ere sent northward TO
relatives for safety So when silver is discovered
the uDlucky pOssessor becomes dspCsses3ed and is In
orEea that metallic charms especially pleasing to
" the Government Without misstatement this is
tualy the principal incentive for keeping such ageEts
upon the boats. In coming down the river all goods
are taxed5 per cent, and care is taken that snug
gng Is carried on both baggage and state room berhs
being carefully examined. a lady bringing with her
goods which are not made up, subjects them to confs
cation. those who wise careful to over
see the examination of their baggage, Or they
Will ind such little valuelass articles es money,
gold AID jewels, very apt to take flight with the
honest agent agent OF his country No passports pa
pers OF any kind are required IN order to travel the
river but any intimaton that you from the land
OF cotton, persimmon seed and sandy BOTTOM will in
careful watch of your proceedings by some of the
innumerab!e detective force.
Fort Pillow, | observed, in coming up was COM
pleely dismanted and but little remains to recall the
formidable fortress which forbade the navigation
OF the Mississippi. A regiment OF cavalry are
quartered somewhere in the vicinity for the purpose OF
keeping gueras from hating the boats at such fav
Orable point for their OperalCns. Wonderful stories
related to you board the boats Of the action of
these bands and wholesome fear prevails that each
boat Will prove the next victim. 10 such great an
extent does this prevail, together with the effects OF
boat burning that all who avoid travelling the
river, and there but few who do not take the rail-
road from st. Louis to Cairo with an idea to personal
safety. Whenever a horseback is observed
upon the bank OF the river the fears of Captairand
passengers arise and not Quoted until the rghtu
object is safely passed.
The famous Island No. 10 has degenerated from one
Of freedoms watch towers to negro colony. Here
the subjects of the peculiar institution" have been
peculiarly treated by the Yankee powers. This barren
sand bar is the reel bona de Garden of Eden OF the
negroes, where Abolition equality and Yankee philan
thopby display Themselves under the most favorable
aspects. An encampmept of about one hundred and
fifty tents spreading itself toe entire length of the
Island, is inhabited by average of hundred
contrabands, who furnished by the Government
with rations and clothing, and by certein Abolition
Christian societies with white teachers.
Large numbers of boats ply the river, aud there is
really sc little opposition met that from Memphis to
st. Louis navigation is afe to greater degree than
it should be.
EsS~ Some of the Madrid journals publish the follow
ing strange accouat:-"The town of Pampeuna was
lew doys back the of fearful incident. A lion