The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-04-03
ArLoAT In DIXIE.

have found ii, Oh sympathetic and
much>wished- for GATE, found it tits morn>
ing, that sunlight and genial warmth. write
this on board the boat, couple of hours
ride above Memphis, on this Friday, 2ath day
! Of the Month Of Winds, in this year of
Grace and protracted Congresses. Above
there is the bright sun and clear heavens, be.
LOWS the sparkling, ripping waters, Son
either side, rather, on the Tennessee side,
forest trees that are budding and Peach or
chards bright with bloom, and the song OF
Spring birds, and green banks, when banks
are visible. This, on the Arkansas side, 10
not often the case. For the waters, higher
than q; Any previous season for many years
have burst their boundaries, and gone wan
dering st their own will over the country.
Towns are dilapida,ed pictures in miniature
of Venice, famed city OF goudolas and tow
ers. The streets are narigable for all kinds
OF water crafts, plantations are submerged
houses and negro cabins seem ready to des
part for the Gulf, and disconsolate individu-
ais go about their premises in skifs. Oppo-
site Randolph we noticed an island contains
ing plantation and several houses, the wa.
tiers were running over the plantation and
levee thrown up, however, over which the
water had not yet gone. On this restricted
platform were the horses and cattle of the
island, ranged in single file. because there
Al dn To ha ~ h., J.
in any other style and man was visible,
pushing about in q skff and feeding them.
Far through the woods the water stretches in
all directions, and where it brings up at
havn't the remotest idea.
At Cairo, yesterday, we found the immense
new steamer, Great Republic" on its trial
trip TO New Orleans We visited it. 1t
fully up to the American ideas of bigness
and costliness. 1t is frat class hotel on
water. Nothing has been omitted that money
or mechanical taste and ingenuity could give
IN making it palatial vessel, for the convey
snce Of the travelling public But am no,
going to write here detailed description that
you can get from any newspaper.
Little remains of the military works that
marked the river during the war. We passed
Island No. Ten in the night. This morning
we looked where Fort Pillow was, and where
the massacre took place but all traces of
the terrible tragedy are gone, a, least nothing
can be seen from the river, and on the ores,
OF the hill where the Notifications we're. and
the short and dreadful strife occurred, We oh.
served q nupber of cattle. some were graz
ing and others resting quietly in the sun
shine.
We are going on down the river ~ write
the wide spread and terrible overflow of the
waters become more marked. On e;,ba,
side farms and dwellings are deep in the wa
ter We ais told that the Father of Waters
IS more than twenty miles wide where wa now
are. All th-t We personally know is that far
as the eye can reach the dreary waste of
dark waters extend. There can be h.,ls
planting or arming done in the lowlands this
season.
1t wants Northern men, aud ideas and in
dustry, to make the shores of this grand river
worthy OF ii aud the nation. For long dis.
tsnces no style of dwellings but the humble
log cabins and small rusty farm houses have
been visible. A different regime will bring
better buildings, and better signs of we'll di.
rected labor, Of opuence and culture.
Through the narrow passages between many
islands, multiplied by the flood, Memnb,,
comes in view, and here leave you for this
time. We shall 60 on down, and shall write
you further in an indefinite hereafter.
S.M.C