New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-08
THROUGH THE SOUTH.
THE CAROLINA rtpr arno
TIT VhNUIINA UPIANIt9
CONTRAST OF THE COTTON COUNTRY AND THE
BLUE RIDGE-ARRIyAL AT TIE MOUNTAINS
JOURNEY THROUGH CLOUDLANn '
fVRDx OuR spRctAI

pleasure not only because the cool breezes th,f ~
from the mountains were grateful relief after wet,
spent in the swelterng low country, but bec,u, 4, -
TO be for me point Of departure for bourne, -,
the great Blue Ridge range that had seen on ,ov
vious visit 10 the place, lying like huge cumulns cI
stretched along the northern horizon. Besides tho Tow
Is exceptionally pleasant and the people and hos,
pitable. Although they hold 10 their old opinions Sill
! like most people at the South wto were convinced
against their will by the logic Of war, tioy
! are friendly 10 NOrhcmers cherish no nwiL ana
seem to be In earnest In the desire they uniformly
press that emirlnts from the Northern states should
settle IN their midst. They have culture than % Is
usual 70 hnd among the inhabitants OF Southern villages
ana they sustain little relding-room where one can
ma most American periodicals aud English magazine.
ana reviews The are famous all over tho sat,
Ior teIr Deau'y' ana justly The appearance OF the
men does MOI, however confirm the assertion that
climate Is one OF remarkable heathfulness They or,
much inferior TO the Perhaps the causo 4. te
much whisky and tobacco and too little uork ~
! is marvellous with what an cir Of perfect con,ep,
ment the men In Southern villages will sit all
| day in groups upon the tavern porches. moving
| only when driven by the sun from their hrst posi-.
! tons, for occasional visit to the bar They
have little conversation, for they long ago talked each
other dry and they seldom troubled with what ux
ley calls the maady Of thought that doth nfes ~ ALL
They enjoy the luxury OF perfect deness. thing
fully experienced by men Of Northern races
left Greenyile Tuesday In company with gente
from Chicago, who was returning home from A
health seeking tour in the South We Travelled north.
ward, through what would be called in South Carolina
thickly settled country-hat is, where there Is
house every mile along the road and where per.
haps fourth OF the land Is clear OF timber. We were
out OF the cotton country which reaches mp to Green
vile but further, and passed through redcay
country with n rather thin SOIL that produces fair crops
OF corn and meager yield OF wheat and oats. In
fields where the wheat had been harvested, men
at work running burrows through the stun.
bic and planting corn, thus raising two crop,
in the season from the land. They told me that
the would pen before the rots set In The house,
along the road OF distinct classeshe large
frame dwellings OF the landowners. usually Rather
weaher-beaten and out OF repair, and the little log
cabins OF the poor whites. We white mon working
in the corn field with negro and women all ho'ing
side by side. In three hours travel met but two
vehicles buggy full OF rosy-checked country girls and
cracker stretched out in little cart and driving f
single with pair Of rope rcns fastened to the ami
mails horns. In thing at least tho sOuthern far-
mers have made improvement the customs preya-
lent at the North-they drive cattle with rens with AZ
little trouble as horses, instead Of whacbng the poor
beasts with n big Ox-gad and bowling "gee,' NAV
and whoa" In different sections different ways Of al
taching rcius employed; sometimes the cattle
wear lorscbrdcs and bits and sometimes the reiEs rs
fastened TO the horns OF TO halter about the nose
Either method to be equally electual Indeed,
he little, stunted, l-condioned cattle look as If they
might be controlled with a tape string.
About noon TO a long, low house, with vine
covered piazza and large dooryard filed with roses
and athea bushes. The genial face Of an old man.
dressed in homespun, who sat upon the porch, gave
promise OF hospitality We stopped and at once received
an invitation dinner and introduction 70 the family
The parlor, into which shown, was large room
with low ceiling aud rag carpet on the floor Among
its furniture piano and wcllhIed bookcase.
The dinner excellent, and the people very cordial
old gentleman would take pay for our entertain
,F.,F,rr
neghborhood and found afterward that the road
passed miles through his land He talked OF the
heavy and the bad State Government but he
hopeful OF better times and believed large part OF the
would henceforh be cast with the whites and
that the rule OF carpet-baggers was nearly over. The
country became more broken as we approached the
mountains, the road following the narrow valley u
little stream. In places the valley only
wide enough for the road, and in Others
gave space for cornelds in the bottomauds. In one
field negro woman was driving mfzzed OK, attached
by harness made OF old ropes. rags and bits Of leather
To a kind of small cutvator formed by joining three
pieces Of wood together tran gular frame I'm which
holes bored and harpened stakes driven for teeth
Two handles completed the implement, which seemed to
answer ndiereny well to scratch the dirt little and
uproo the weeds. We passed country church built Of
unhewn logs, with the cracks between unchinked. II
had no windows and no door, and tie slabs.
with four pegs driven in each for legs. little further
on came upon IL men Ostensibly working upon the
road. One held pow, another was shoyeling dirt
the other u sat upon the fence and looked on They
all tall gaunt hatchetfaced stupid looking fellows
Of the type that universal in all the mountain country
from Virginia 10 Georgia Much OF the land had
been cleared by cutting down he underbrush aud grns
trees which, standing naked and skeleton like, had
melancholy, CHASTITY look.
AS evening approached we inquired OF a man working
by the roadside If it would be possible for to reach
the top of the mountain before daEs "Wall reckon
We mought eff yed drive up right part" he answered
driver. black fellow, who rejoced In the singular
name of Dogeye, objected to doing any pear driving
and said the horses about done for So coming 70
large implanted frame house, asked old white
headed man, dressed only in shirt and home
spun pantalOons, II he could accommodate for the
night He went in and consulted his wife, and return
ing said he reckoned he could We would put up with
what he had In honor he opened the parlor an m
PAINTED room. with mud-coOTed plaster on the walls
having caco-covered lounge, three chairs and small
table for furniture stalks OF brOomcorn tied into
sheaf that nswered for a broom, stood in corner
and an Old copy OF The N York Day Book lay upon the
table At the supper table the Old man spoke despair
ingy Of the condition of the country The only hoPe
which he thought would result in taking the tlsn' 10
away from the negroes; ne nt beI,eytip
the Sew- Departure! The Old lady sala te hTt t6ors
elected another President she hoPeu @d ne me-
most downrodden people IN the word Inc ga i hri
owned 1900 100 acres wa. wild aiHo mountain land
He made 80 bushels OF corn 70 tne ne a SirI a
bottoms When land sold In ths uiith.ollloo.h
was the custom sell only the bottom anu Iu sND "
mr. ms much OF mountain land as ne wanted
He didn't know what would become OF the negroes tl
,r,ra so szy He reckoned people would have 10 stop
rrir Ibc,1 altogether They would not work steadily
and enid not be depended upon Times were not Whist
~ nssd 10 be- he said. and the white men well a.
,be had dcgenerated since the There wa
a law which exempted property 10 the amount OF 500
from execution for debt, and as there we're i,M men
win could escape paying their debts uhueI ,Nis law
n was not safe to trust anybody-thef sctneg 10 D' o
honesty among the people. We supped on ied chicken,
bacon eggs hOminy, cOrn-brcad ana hot Dhstult ana