The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-06-09
VOLUME Ono. SO.
From the Memphis appeal.
An Extraordinary Probable Discove.
ry of De[SOtO's Body.


There is no incident of the remote past more
interesting to the people of this city than that
which the mounds at Fort Pickering suggest
with vague memories of De Soto and his armed
followers. Here they are said to have executed
atreaty of peace with the Indians, and traces
of De Soto's march are alleged to be found
north of the city, in the vicinity OF Fort Pill
low. Of that tradition we will tell hereafter.
Very certainly, he was the first white man who
beheld the Mississippi, and, very certainly, if
we may accept as true the story written By a
priest who accompanied him, De Soto's body
was committed to the keeping of the great riv-
er which has never ceased to chant sad re-
QUEEN over his last resting place. The recital
that follows has direct reference to these facts,
and, therefore; is well calculated to excite keen
interest among those who delight in recurring
to events of the olden time.
WHAT LED TO THE DISCOVERY.
Some time ago we recited facts incident to
the avocatons of Capt. John Cowdon, who de-
votes himself to the task of dragging up wreck
ed vessels from fathomless abysses along the
Mississippi. He has studied the pecularities
and wonders of the mighty river as none have
done before. He travels up and down the in
land sea, and ascends its tributaries and studies
the shores and beds of streams, above and be-
meath the water His diying-bell-boat is one
of the curiosities of naval architecture, the
like of which was never known before. 1t
consists of two fat boats, wholly unlike one
another, connected by heavy beams, from
which the diving-bell is suspended. With
this rude machinery Capt. John Cowdon makes
his endless voyages, and with this he dragged
up, not long ago. from the bottom of the Ar
Kansas locomotive and train of cars, now
running from Little Rock in the direction of
Fort Smith. We stated that Capt. Cowdon
was cognizant of facts which might lead to the
recovery of vast wealth resting beneath islands
everywhere along the course of the mighty
river When steamer sinks and is anchored
at the bottom of the river, an island is formed
by >depositions of sand made by the broken
current Higher and higher, and broader and
broader each month and year becomes the
cumulus that constitutes the grave of the
steamer, until it Lifts its summit above the nv
er's surface. Then.it is kissed by the sunbeams
and luxuriant vegetation, rich as blessings that
nature lavishes on this matchless valley, crowns
it with garlands of yerdure. Time rolls by,
noiselessly, unmurmuringly, unlike the heay-
ing, boisterous pillows of the mighty river.
Trees spring up and grow with a rapidity not
known elsewhere in the world. There are
countless forest-crowned islands which owe ex-
istence to simple facts here recited Beneath
one of these rests a steamer 1--WE are not per-
mitted to give its name on which there are
five hundred barrels of brandy and at least
three hundred of whisky Within fifteen
years, the chimneys of this boat, wrecked in
1874, still portruded above the surface of the
island formed about them. Capt. Cowdon has
often marked the spot, and now that he has
somewhat recovered from shocks given his for
tune by war, he proposes to invade the great
rumhole of the dwellers at the bottom Of the
Mississippi. If'he enters this whisky chute"
in safety, he will come up one of the richest,
as most come out of the other poorest, gentle
men in Memphis. Another steamer, the Ten
nessee, was sunk about thirty years ago, having
0,000 in gold in an iron safe on board. She
rests beneath another island which Cowdon
has often traversed. Fer several weeks past
Capt Cowdon has been making a survey OF
He has examined islands and the river shores
about the mouth of the Arkansas, where he
knows that valuable wrecks may be discovered
HOW IT HAPPENED.
While inspecting the water line along the
eastern shore last Wednesday week, he discov-
cred the bow of small copper-fastened vessel
protruding into the river. Having no tools,
and traversing the river in Narrow "dugout,"
he could do no more than make critical, ,ex-
animation of the boat and of the. place where
it was discovered. He observed that trees from
five to seven feet in diameter grew Immediately
above the buried boat, and that the roots OF
these gigantic expresses were twineds about the
ancient vessel. When boats sink in some To-
calities the current drives or lifts them up an
inclined plane, and violent flood sometimes
leaves them above the rivers surface on an is-
land or sandbar. 1t is, however, as above sta
ted, generally true that islands are created by
sunken vessels heavily freighted, and having
iron machinery The semicircular shape of
this boat, found last Wednesday by Captain
Cowdon; its high PROV its dimensions, twice
as great as those of modern yawl its copper
fastening; the length of time it has rested be-
meath the soil and water, as shown by the
mighty trees that stand above it; these axe
facts which have excited Capt. Cowdon's won
der to the last degree. Who had such vessels
on the Mississippi before those great trees
sprang into existence? Three hundred years
ago De Sotos body, at midnight, was placed in
a vessel, Spanish built vessel ~ and sunk in
the midst of the river. His soldiers feared
that their Indian enemies would assail them if
it were known that the great chieftain was no
more. De Soto, so the old Spanish chroniclcr,
whose story is reproduced by Irving, tells us,
died near the mouth of the Arkansas andhere
Capt Cowdon discovered the boat which ex-
cited all these surmises. There is more than
yerisimilitude in this recital. Capt. Cowdon
is in the city, and proposes at an early day 70
return TO the spot where the supposed Spanish
vessel is buried He has agreed to bring 1t TO
this city. and if he find within it the skeleton
of a Hidalgo will not the name OF Jonn Cow,
don and that of De Soto be inseparably linked
too, together her through all coming time? De Soto
discovered discover the Mississippi, and became immor-
tai T John Cowdon achieves infinitely greater
wonder in the discovery of De Soto. Who
doubts
The Two ANeE1s-A traveller, who spent
some time in Turkey, relates beautiful parable
which was told him by dervish, and it seemed
even more beautiful than Sternes celebrated