The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-01-19
Port Royal.

A correspondent ofthc Charleston Ncsrs
! has been on visit to Beaufort and Pert
Royal and finds some points of interest
worth mentioning. We extract the Col,
lowing from his letters:
Byron awoke one morniug and found
himself famous. Just so Port Royal shook
off her slumbcrs the other dav and
found herself an object of interest to the
newspaper readers ofAmcrica. Centuries
had c!asped since the old explorer report
ed the discovery of Port Royal, in whose
capacious harbor could be assembled all
the argosies Of Venice, before the astute
naval department of the United States
learned that this same harbor was admir-
ably adapted to the accommodation of
the North Atlantic squadron Port
Royal herself had lorg ago been aware
OF this fact. Long had she realized that
she possessed all the qualities requisite for
great commercial city. The difficulty
was that her merits were not appreciated,
and she could only sigh and wait for the
Gay when blind eyes should be opened to
full realization of them. That day she
fondly hopes has como, and already
visions of future greatness fit before her
The concentration of the navy here
brings population; population begets
wants. and in supplying these wants n
liberal supply of grcenbacks is disbursed
Whether these fond anticipations will be
realized, only time and war with Spain
will decide.
The question naturally arises why man
has not made use Of the gifts of Mature.
thus lavishly bestowed in broad cxpanse
OF placid water, n channel of rcmarka bic
depth, and an extensive area of level land
But accidents control the growth ofcitIrs
as we'll as the lives of individuals. md
adventitious circumstances W ere unfuyor.
able to the locality of town here in ear.
ly dnys. The Spuniards were too near
neighbors, and with the Indians, compel.
led the first settlers OF Carolina to seek
safer homes. Thus was Port Royal pre-
vented from asserting her claims until
other localities had stripped far ahead.
And wnen settlers were finally dro wn IN
this spot and located in Beaufort thew
led patriarchal life and preferred case
and retirement to the busy hum of CITY.
Those werc grand old days in Beaufort,
when tho planters lived like princes
But one morning the inhabitants of the
place had their rest broken by the boom
Ing OF artillery, and n few hours later Il
was announced that the yankees" had
passed the forts and were steaming up
to town. The entire population fled for
safety, leaving everything behind them.
Nor did they return until after the pro-
ciamatlon of peace. Then the place
that once knew them knew them no more
Their family mansions, in which tbcv
had been born and reared, had passed
into The hands of strangers and alieps-con.
hscated by "the best government the
world ever saw" 70 these people the
place was desolation. MANY moved
away, and there are now in the Tow of
INV hioiC tldn IiICeen or tWpn-
ty families ofall the former population
The place fell into new hands. North.
crn capitalists came down and embarked
IN agriculture. The princely possessions
OF the planters were divided out into
ten acre lots for the freedmen, and for
awhile apparent prosperity reigned. But
the Immigrants died from fever or bc-
came bankrupt, while the blacks were
unable to take care of themselves. They
are now in state of destitution. and but
lor nsh, oysters and crabs would prob.
ably starve. 1t is said however, that on
st. Helena the freedmen seem to he more
and many have erected
houses and exhibited evidences of thrift
The town of Beaufort, besides mauy
private residences, has number Of
stores and several hotels, of the largest is
the Sea Island Hotel, ,Gormerly the rcsid-
ence of Mr.. Nathaniel Heyward,) which
looks dowu the river towards the la rbor
and commands beautiful prospect.
-
Judge Mackey made this ASTONISHING
statement in q recent speech: "W1thin the