Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-09-30

FRIDAY, SEPT. "a. 1859.
The Great Dismal Swamp
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Well do we remember the picture Of the
Dismal Swamp in the Geography OF our
schoolboy days. Long legged crane,
greedy looking vultures, coiled mp snakes
and numerous other specimens OF anima-
ted nature were made to show themselves
amid the thick foliage Of that gloomy
spot. After arriving at years Of manhood
it was our fortune to visit this swamp,
and ride across the northern part OF it
upon locomotive, on the Norfolk and
Roanoke Rail Road. But we saw no
cranes, NO .vultures, nor snakes. If they
had been there the whistle of the locomo-
tive had driven them away. But the
swamp was there, q wide spread wilder
ness of marshy land, covered so thickly
with trees, shrubs, cane, flags, rushes and
tall grass, interviewer in all directions
with vines Of different kinds, that neither
man or beast of large size, could easily
enter or pass through it.
Bur gap had been made. and the rail-
road from Weldon to Norfolk, passes
through it. AS the train reached the
west side of the swamp, it stopped, and
the passengers, who wished, had the
privilege of going down to q small creek
that ran from the Swamp, and drink of
the water, which it was claimed, possessed
medicinal properties. The water was of
wine color, and had taste of cedar or
balsam. It's color doubtless originated
from the decomposing vegetation in the
swamp, and its taste was probably affect
ed by the same cause.
As we were riding through the swamp
we saw considerable pond of water, and
were told by the engineer that the year
before, during day time, the water Of
the swamp became nearly dried up, and a
fire started and burned for weeks, leaving
large hole, which, ON the return of a
wet season, was filled with water and
formed the pond.
1t is fact. though it may not be gen.
orally known, that the great Dismal
Swamp is an immense peat bed. When
it gets on fire it is hard to extinguish.
From the Norfolk Journal we learn
that fire is now raging in the Swamp
and doing much damage to some of the
farms that have been established on that
peat foundation. It says:
Almost every year there is a fire in this
swamp. When one breaks out it increas-
es until it is put out by rain. As there
has been SO long continual drouth this
year, the confagration has extended al
most beyond precedent. 1t has burnt
about sixteen miles, almost without in
terruption, in G line from the Northwest
to the Southeast. 1t is still progressing
in its work of devastation, and we fear
that it is destined to do much more harm
before it is arrested by rains. We learn
that several fine farms have been burnt
out, and where there were formerly the
richest fields there are seen now acres
upon acres of pits of ashes, some of which
are fifteen feet deep.
The drouth has been SO severe that the
swamp is in many places dry down to
the subsoil, which varies in depth below
the surface from four to fifteen feet. All
above it is vegetable matter in greater
or less degree of decomposition, which has
accumulated and become itself the bed of
innumerable swamp plants until the
whole is matted together by their roots
permeating the entire mass. When this
is thoroughly dry, it catches like dry tin
der, and burns from the surface down to
the ground beneath, requiring great
deal of water to put it out. If a small
shower falls, enough to wet the surface to
the depth of only three or four inches,
the fire is not stopped, for it burns away
underneath. When this is the case, the
soil is underburnt often to great dis
lance, and people walking on what they
think firm ground, sometimes sink down
many feet into the ashes below. If they
should still be hot, woe be to the I'M
lucky wight; his growth is stopped for
ever.
Persons unacquainted with the fea-
lures of this country express surprise at
the existence of Lake Drummond so far
above tide-water, at the summit level of
the swamp. This is easily accounted for,
however, when we reflect how that whole
swamp was formed. 1t is raised up many
feet above the original soil by the accu-
mutations of vegetable matter for ages
upon ages, until some parts of the Dismal
Swamp are much higher than any of the
surrounding country. Hundreds of years
ago the middle of this great swamp caught
fire, and the burnt district is now Lake
Drummond. This is shown by the fact
that all through the lake are found char
red stumps, and its whole appearance is
that of other smaller lakes that have been
formed in the swamp within the memory
of men now living.
There is no doubt that at one time the
waters flowed freely from the southern
branch of the Elizabeth river to the sound
in North Carolina, aud that Princess
Anne county and part of Norfolk Coun-
ty composed an island. The land seems
to have gradually risen several feet reach
ing from the Great Bridge miles to the
southwest, and to have separated the
waters. This is shown by the shells
found so very near the surface of the
earth just south of the bridge. 1t was
on the shallow, marshy edges of the water
thus divided that the swamp arose, and
in time extended all through the district
it now occupies.
GRINDsTONEs. - These articles are
found only i'll two places within the limits
of the United States-Berea, near Cleve-
land Ohio. and Huron Cnupfy Mjchi-