The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-12

731.
public park; but the promenade known as
the Battery Is an enclosure which, If email,
has 'some advantages that very few parks can
supply. Like our own New York Battery, 1t is
on the waters edge; It. commands view, OF
the extensive bay, and Is famed 6y winds tnat
come laden with the salt odors Of the ocean.
It is surrounded by fine private mansions, and
at early morning, at twilight, or on moonlit
nights, is thronged With people seeking rest
and recreation. -. .a9
-Afser one in Charleston, has promenaded
on the Battery; has visited the churches; has
seen all the ruins effected by war and by fire;
has examined the handsome new Custom
house now erecting; has admired all the
stately old residences; has visited the fne
Military Academy; has watched the various as
poets of negro character, which In these Soutn-
ern cities Is an endless source OF amusement
he must sail downthe bay, and he must visit
the rich lowland scenery of the suburbs.
Down the bay are many points Oh niStor,c n
Sullivan,s Island, at the sea-line, Is the IA
mons Fort Moultrie of Revolutionary fame.
Here. before the war, was the Moultrte House,
watsring-place resort for the Charlestoniaus.
Sumter Is q, ruin, as all the world knows; but
possibly aIEthe world does not know thai on
the highest point of its walls q lighthouse has
.been erected, thus utilizing the historic ground.
one experiences something of sensation Rs
he picks his way over the broken bricks and
stones of this fort, and, If alone, would be apt
to drift away into far reaches OF incubation;
On the piled: up rocks without the walls, amid
the debris of masonry, surrounded oy remains
ofcannon, shell and round shot, we picnlokea
Ia party. one 1noiety of which represented
those who assailed, and the other molety those
who defended, the walls. After clambering
over the ruins; penetrating the dark UNDER
ground passages Visiting the classmates that
Still remain, 1wes returned, ahigh wind giving
animation and expedition to the sail.
Perhaps the greatest charm to the Charles
ton visitor is the loWland scenery OF its sub.
,urbs eThe city is situated: at the confluence Of
the Ashley and. Cooper Rivers; and the banks
of these streams have all the characteristics OF
Southern landscapes. Oaks, n,agn0llas, myr-
ties, and jasmines, give splend dor and profqSion
to the picture, while rlce-felds and COTTON:
feldsvary and enrich the scene. Here once
resided, during part Of the year, asWeait!ny
is In ruins. The destructive arm OF war fell
upon this. .paridise With all Its force, nearly
every one of the fne old houses having been
fred by Sherman's soldiers.
Cur expedition to the ashley we shah long
remember. 1t was by the Invitation OF Charles;
ton friends, whose hospitality justified the social
composing the party were as antagonistlc as
possible; but, regardless of North OF. South,
the Ku.Klux, or the fifteenth amendment, we
rathered In peace. There were In our amaH
Company Northerner, who had fought under
the Union flag, descendant OF one OF the
proudest names Of Revolutionary fame; Yir-
ginian; a. of a family Of renown, whose love
Of daring and danger had led into many a
strange adventure under Mosby; an En-
glishman, whose enthusiasm for the
Confederate cause had brought him all
the way from London 10 do battle under Lee;
another Engllshman, whose sympathiea tor the
Federal cause had been marked all during the
war; son of q distinguished journalist OF New
York, whose name has been notably identified
with the Republican party; and, lastly, the
writer: of whose political complexion 1t is not
necessary to speak. But, In the face OF all
these elements Of difference, the company was
supremely harmonious; and the day. IN the
estimation of at least some OF US. must be
marked with white stone.
country has been frequently highly praised,
and, although some Of the fine trees that bor-
dered 1t have been destroyed, 1t is still an ave-
nue. of singular beauty. The road emerges
from Charleston almost Immediately into q
green wilderness, and for q long distance 1t Is
;canopled BY the boughs Of pines and oaks and
magnolias with rich effect. There are no signs
Northern section, OF the proximity OF great
city. No houses or villas line the way; you
seem hundred miles from town. Youmee
occasionally queer, slight cart, drawn by. an
OK or donkey; you pass group OF sports
men; you encounter now and then on the road
side group Of negroes.
We reached Ashley River by o sort of by
road. Here bridge once spanned the stream,
but it was destroyed during the war, aud now
there Is q boat propelled by the lusty arms OF
negro ferrymen. rope would aid the pas
sage greatly; but our Southern Africans take
usually the most. troublesome means possible
to accomplish their ends. They are proficient
In the art of how not TO do.a thing. When we
reached the bank, the; boat was on the oppo-
Site shore. The current was swift; 1t took,
fully half an hour to get the boat over to us,
and then the vessel could only sacc0mmo
one OF our two vehicles. We were nearly two
hours getting our. Forces to the opposite side
ofthe stream. Once on the opposite side, we
were driven through o. striking scene..a mar
row road winding through superb Southern
forest where the mammoth ltve-oak and the
tall pine and princely magnolia (MdgnoHa
UranGi ifora) unite to form vistas of rare beauty.
The liVe-oak of the Southern lowlands Is the
most picturesque of trees. The famous Califor-
MIA trees are Of interest solely on account OF
their magnitude. Their gigantic proportions Inn
pose upon the Imagination 1t Is true;s but they
lack altogether the quaint fantastic and pictur-
esQue form Of the liVe-oak. An artist could
make series OF studies of these trees In which
every one would be essentially peculiar In
form.
We were shown an avenue Of live oaks,
standing In the very heart of tie forest, that
would make superb approach to the finest
palace In Europe. But, atas here 1t leads only
to ruined waste. A romantic story Is connect-
ed with this avenue, which some poet should
put In verse. The young owner of the estate
this was many years ago-had brought q fair
bride from foreign lands. A bridal cavalcade
swept out of Charleston to- escort groom and
bride to the n;snorial mansion On the Ashley.
The proud ard eager groom, anxious to
show his young wife the charms of her
new home, urged her steed ahead OF the
rest, and, when they reached the avenue OF
oaks, called upon her to look and admire.
Almost as they spoke cloud of smoke appear
ed at the other end of the avenue, and In
etantly flames of fire shot up among the tree.
tops. The old manor was In blaze, and the
bride arrived only In time to see the destruc-
stion of her promised paradise. The young
husband was 30 cast down, by this calamity
that he carried his wife abroad, and nayer re.
turned to his American estate. Trees and
bushes have grown up around. the old oaks,
but the avenue retains all its distinct majesty
amid the encroachlpg growths of THE forest.
:1Of all the planters houses that stood along
the Ashley, but one remains, and this is aban-