Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-08-04
NOTES AF00T.
Progress Of Jasper Ry and Duplex
Through the Arkansas SWamps
Surrounded Hill and the Con-
tiguOus Country.
Arrival Mt Des Are-SeparatiOn-The
GOund-Builders and the Old Canals
Value Of the Railroad TO
Memphis.

From an Occasional Correspondent.
: LITTLE Rock, July 29.-Raugh as ha
| been some of our tramping eXperienc
2 heretofore, this capped the climax. Tin
water with which this bottom had bee
OveTfiOwn earlier in the season ha
drained of, leaving a bed of soft mud
5 through which we dragged our wear,
footsteps for eight miles, in the hot sun
! the swarms of ravenOus mosquitoes no
: permitting us TO pause for moment
rest. The only incident which brok
tie mOnOtony of tine weary walk, an,
which did not contribute to the serenity
of our feelings, was encountering fresl
bear-tracks, crossing the road from on
cane-brake to another. There wer,
several bayous, too, which had no cross
ings, and through which we were obliged
to wade, waist-deep. We were five
hours plOdding through this wretcheC
bottom, and when at length we heard s
cock crow in the distance, giving tOkeI
that human habitation was nigh, il
was the most welcome sound that could
have saluted our ears. Our muddy road
was ended abruptly at the foot of high
hill, which you will find on your atlas
opposite Des Arc, designated by the
name of
SURROUNDED, Or NEGRO HILL.
1t is a long elevation, entirely surround
ed by canebrake swamp, and was at
one time inhabited principally by ne
groes, but has now quite a large white
population, with a number of plantations
in prosperous cultivation. At the first
of these plantations, tenanted by ge-
nial emigrant from Alabama, named
Harvey, we found excellent accommo-
datiOns for the night, being too much
broken down with fatigue to think of
crossing that day the fOur-mile swamp
on the other side of the hill. Mr.. Har-
vey informed US that the Cache river
bottom abounded in deer, bear, turkeys
and other game. Last year, owing to
the Scarcity of mast in the bottom, the
bears invaded the hill, despoiling the
cornfields and destroying the young
porkers. Every adult on the hill could
boast of having killed his bear last sea-
son, and several of them as many as
three or four. If you have any sports
men in Memphis who wish to enjoy
few weeks hunting this fall, in a country
ABOUNDING IN GAME,
let them take a boat up White river, to
Surrounded Hill, opposite Des Arc, and
inquire for Harvey. They will find at
his hospitable house excellent entertain
ment, pack of good dogs, and an
agreeable and accommodating guide.
Crossing the hill next day, We came to
a short stretch of bottom, from which
we emerged upon White river. Here
the road forked, and finger-post point
ing to the right hand was thus lettered:
To HEPs-
FAIRE.
'TO Hepsfairew iterated Chrome. "Tve
been up White river several times, but
| never heard of such a place as Heps-
faireW The solution of the mystery
flashed upon my mind. '"That is, prob
ably,n l suggested, "the Arkansas or
biography for Hep's ferry, the crossing to
Des Are" And so it proved. l sub
met with another rich speci-
men Of the spelling for which sign
painters are proverbial, but which it
would be unfair to give as peculiar to
Arkansas. Passing the battle-ground
near Pine Bluff some weeks afterward,
saw painter giving the last artistic
touch to an inscription on the arched
gateway, which read, "ElmwOuld Sem
itary." / could not refrain from accost- |
ng him with, "That's curious way of
spelling cemetery, my friend" The |
PAINTER Strengthened himself up on his |
adder, scanned his work, which was
eally well executed (the orthOgraphy |
and deliberately reading off
ZACH letter, triumphantly asked: Don't |
hat spell seDldtdTy?p eyes, but not /
to Webster" 1 replied. |
Look here, stranger" +" returned the man,
II ATNrfr
sTER;
Ike Smith hired me to letter this gate
Sematary, and I've done it"
We'll, it's probable you will have to do
t over again." l remarked, and left the
Irtist, who was not working fol Web
ter, sitting on the top round of the
adder, plying his brush with vexed
md puzzled air. Whether he erased his
work, and adopted the proper spelling,
IT whether it still stands ''Elmwould
L am not advised, but the
Incident occurred exactly as 1 have
tated it. During this description, l
lave left my crOnies, the Chronas, stick
ng in the mud at the road-fork. TO re-
urn to them: The right-hand road was
AIKEN, according to my suggestion, and
ed us to the ferry, by which we were
transported, for the consideration of a
lime apiece, to
DES ARC.
Des Are is fine old town, built upon
bluff on the west side of White river,
perhaps three thousand in
abitants. 1t has large scope of thickly-
ettled and fertile back country to sustain
) Is the shipping point for a large
mount Of cotton, and has an extensive
rocery and dry goods trade. Resting
ere for day, | had time to review my
amp through the swamps, and to make
THE FOLLOWING DEDUCTIONS:
be submerged lands of the bottoms be-
yeen the Mississippi and White rivers,
to my own observation, and
formation derived from intelligent !
tizens, are only covered with water !
nring the wet season, averaging few
lches in depth, except where natural
or mistaken improvements !
ave created marshes or lagoOns. Dur
lg the drouths of summer, the waters
re often so dried up that in the fall the
yamps may be traversed in every direc-
ON dry-shOd. From these facts sys-
m of draining, as employed by the !
would seem to be prac-
cable, at no exorbitant cost, of canals
hich would be navigable, and reclaim l
Om the water most of these swamp s
nds, and add
THOUSANDS OF ACRES
the productive area of the State. Ca
.ls dug through the bottoms, with !
ykes and drains emptying into them,
.bouching into the rivers at the proper !,
'ints, would accomplish the purpose. 4
ne overflowed bottoms are covered with
agnificent timber, conspicuous among
hich are oak and cypress, whose gigan- S
, trunks tower up with arrowy straight r
IS TO great nights. This timber, if it C
uld be got TO market, would be of in b
lculable value for building, shipbuild- C
g and manufacturing purposes. The b
mails suggested might be so constructed
to float, in the wet seasons, so much Z
this timber into the naYigable 8
reams, whence it could be RATED to Il
arket, as would almost pay for the cost u
the enterprise, leaving out of the ac- o
unit the value Of the lands reclaimed q
MEMPHIS HAS A DIRECT INTEREST
the reclamation of these lands, for Y
ey would constitute a rich and fertile y
rritory that would always be tributary
the Bluff City, and would contribute
much to its permanent prosperity as A
e far-reaching railroad schemes, the in
nefits to be derived from which depend I,
'on so many contingencies In the un- b
rtain future. Might not this work be N
complished by private enterprise, with a
little Arkansas State and county aid, II
ID is 1t not worthy the consideration of Il
emphis capitalists? %