Columbus index. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1869-1893, 1874-05-08


and freight, and take along side a
barge Of coal for our steamer; this
was unl0aded while we kept on our
course; soon as It was all aboard, the
barge with two nell was "turned
lOOser and left 10 float with the cur
rent to its landing.
The next point of interest on the
river is Port Hudson. a place Of
some interest during the 'late IN
pleasantness,u but like q great
many other places, not much now.
At 40 miles from New Orleans a
small town. Bayou'Loral under water
so that all the streets are seemingly
impossible, except in a skin; the
water occupies the lower stories of
the houses, while the occupants re-
move to the rooms above, or. retire
to high lands further back; as we
advance up tho river, the waters ap-
pear to cover the whole face of the
earth, trees look ilOurishiug and
beautifully green; it is a forest on
the water We noticed several Of
those pests of this river termed
"snags,y large trees which were up
rooted aud flOated for awhile down
stream, until finally the top becomes
fastened at the bottom of the river,
while the trunk remains on the sur.
face or . few feet below it, so that
when a boat strikes one OF these
there is danger If making at least a
large leak perhaps sinking the YES
sci. We are having a charming
"trip 'tAns Gar nearly to tire mouth of
Red River; Il p. m, 215 miles, all is
quiet on board; the passengers are
scattered about, many on the for
ward deck; reading, smoking or
chatting, others in the saloon, like
MYSELF and some doing away the
day in their berths. No gambling
allowed, and there are no sharpers
in our crowd; every one seems to be
attending strictly to his own bust
ness-gOOd practice everywhere.
The further up the route we get,
the higher the water is; we pass
houses where water is almost up to
the floor, which are several feet
above the ground, and all is water
for miles around them; the people
move only ia skiffs. As we approach
Red River, we notice quite q range
of hills, the largest seen since We
started-nOthing however to com
pare with those around Vicksburg
where our boys used to burr6W
while Gen. Grants army had then
surrounded, and they had that
"mule soup" and other like inviting
dishes.
AS we proceed it is water, water
and still higher water; in sOmC
places the river is forty miles wide
quietly occupying all the buildings
below its level, having driven The
owners out and taken fOrcible pos
session; we see scores of such in
stances. From what little you have
seen Of high water along the noble
TOmbigbee and its tributaries, you
know nothing about a rise in th,
Mississippi; it would require a thou
sane of such streams to make ont
like this, an actual fact, no "Califor
MIA tale" it is a mighty big creek
To say this river is very crooked,
will nOt.express it at all-it is tang
led; we make nearly every point o
compass in two hours.
Shall have to terminate this
sketch rather abruptly as night ha.
Overtaken u.s. We have said moth
ing of the scenery for the
good reason, there is none, almost a
dead level country, until you reach
the highlands some 20 miles below
Natchez; we arrived at that city
about 8p. M, and Vicksburg Z a
m where we were glad to step out
upon the everlasting hills. S.
April %, 1874.