Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-09-30
Correspondence Delaware Gazette.
A JOURNEY TO LITTLE ROCK, AR
KANSAS.

Sitting on the vine-covered veranda
Of a southern home. amid soft airs
freighted with the fragrance of the flow
ers, l am lost for a few moments in
dreamy Inconsistencies of the present,
and in memory journey again from home
in Ohio to the Sunny South.
There was the early mornings swift
flight across the valley to Columbus, on
the first of September, the dusty after
noons's ride to Cincinnati, the moon
light on the Ohio river, and the waking
next morning in Louisville. I had only
bird's-eye view of the city, in passing
from the steamer to the depot, and a
glance in the direction of Indiana as the
train moved off, We arrived at Gave CITY.
and passed with a feeling of annoy
ance at being so near Mammoth Cave
without time at command to explore its
reCesses; but soon became interested in
the red soil and cornfields of Kentucky.
After being deprived of daylight a
number of times in passing through tun-
nels, night closed about US while cross
ing the Cumberland and Tennessee
rivers. The train was three hours late.
and we took cold supper in Paris. not
being more welcome there than will be
the Prussians in the French capital. We
spent Saturday in Memphis, which, with
its handsomely paved streets and pala-
tial southern residences, is a beautiful
city. Took a drive around the parks
and visited Elmwood Cemetery. 1t is
not so well kept as Spring Grove. but
has a beautiful location, and contains
handsome monuments and a profIsion
of vines and flowers. The English ivy
grows in luxuriance. Many beautiful
a - Il.
graves, and walks are made of them.
A wooden monument stands temporari-
ly on a knoll in the midst of the sol
diers' lot, appropriately lettered with
evergreen on last Decoration Day.
In the evening we went on board the
steamer Pat Cleburne, and as the sun
went down l sat on deck and watched
the crew bringing the freight on the YES
sci under the harsh commands of the
mate. When all was done and the
planks taken in, the mates command
was, Forward there, some of you, and
the negroes, according to custom, stood
under the great flag and, clinging to the
ropes, sung such wild, sad farewell as
I never before heard and thus in the
gathering twilight we went out on the
Father of Waters.
We passed down the Mississippi to
the mouth of White river, then up the
windings of that deep, narrow stream to
Duvalls Bluff, where we should have
taken the train for Little Rock, but, the
train having gone, we remained on the
steamer, went to Augusta and returned
Wednesday evening.
Not much was to be seen along the
portion of the Mississippi over which we
passed save the grand old forests; the
plantations are some distance inland.
The entire country from Duvall's bluff
to Memphis is sometimes overfoWn.
Forests. chiefly of sweet-gum and in
habited by bears and deer, border White
river the wild morning-glory clinging
to the branches and the great willows
dropping in the water make weird fan
tastic shadows when the moonlight plays
upon the river. There are canebrakes,
tell many a story.
The steamboat landings are wild look
ing places sometimes there is a freight
house or two, and a grocery containing
plantation supplies, whisky, &c.
sometimes only a number of negroes
with mule teams, and the crew unload
several barrels of whisky, a roll of coarse
cloth for wrapping cotton bales, some
baskets for cotton picking. a sack Of
bacon, and perhaps a barrel of meal.
They are picking cotton now on the
plantations, and will continue to gather
it until the last of December as it Tipens.
During the first night out on the Mis-
sissippi our pilot was intoxicated, and
thus aided us in making the discov-
cry of several sand bars. That night
too, the watchman observed two ne
groes breaking open box Of shoes
and slowing the contents in their car
pet bags he took charge of the car
pet bags and one of the men, the
other was supposed to have jumped
into the river but was discovered next
day, in the wheel house. his head pro
truding and the water pouring over ms
body. He had been hanging BY ms
hands during all that time and his nm
orers ,,,ere worn to the bones.
Affer leaving Memphis we had one or
,,,ore bridal parties on board, all the
@;ourney @ had delightful fare, and music
during meals each evening. From Dur
wallis Bluff we crossed. first a prairie,
then a swamp. and afterward the Ar
kansas river, on a ferry. arriving in Lit
tie Rock on the evening of the 9TH.
M. V. +.