The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-07-27
in our old age

was most delightfully."- spent in
watching the scenery on each side of
the Mississippi, to us new and charm
ing.
The grand old live oaks, how mnies-
tic they look with their drapery Of gray
moss foaiing gracefully in the breeze.
Could they tell Us their history, through
years OF peace and war, through SUI
shine and storm, how eagerly would we
listen to the recital. Their out-reach-
ing branches remind us of what O. W.
Holmes said many years ago of the
venerable elms in Massachusetts: 81
imagine they are saying, May the
grace If our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you all "a silent but impressive BEN
ediction.
Well cultivted fields of rice AMI sugar
cane succeeded one another, and fine
old homesteads, with neatly white
washed cabins, greet the eye on every
hand.
Just before night we passed Baton
Rouge, a beautiful place, though its
chez 0r,rament, the Statnhouse, has
long stood useless, the inside having
been entirely consumed by fire and new
err rebuilt.
On Friday, we entered Red River,
nearly two hundred miles above New
Orleans; but the chance was not ut first
r~erceptible on account of the back wa
ter of the Mississippi.
Cotton wood aud willow trees were
about our only variety for sightseeing,
ou'y n small alligator showing him
self to orr longing gaze. We had ex-
pected to see alligators on orr way to
New Orleans by rail, fer others had
seen them, enormous ones, but only
two infants were visible, and their
mouths were persistently closed, I'M
like the pictures we studied in orr
childhood. So the question, "Shall
we see any alligators on the Red River?"
was promptly answered, "Yes, plenty
of .hem;' though we were rather skep-
teal. As we remarked, we did not see
alligators on the Red River, though as
sured we should he treated to the sight
another time. That other time, We
quietly surmise, will be like going to
the next Centennial.
Finally, we see the line that divides
the waters of the Red from the Missis-
sippi, or rather that unites them in a
waving line, for they refuse to mix, and
we see that the river is truthfully nam
ed red as the soil that forms its bank.
And now the mystery is solved why we
take so much time in making the trip,
for such aqueer winding old river we
I'VE saw. Frequently we describe al
most a circle, and after piowing the wa
tiers for six miles come back to a point
but half a mile from our starting place.
Sometimes the river breaks through
one of these necks and leaves the bed
of the river dry for farmers to cultivate.
Now and then the Col. Kouns would
plunge into a sand bank, and question
ing the reason why, we were told she
couldn't help it, the curve vas so great.
Then she would back out, turn
around and take a new start. Now and
then a snag peered it's threatening head
above the water; but there is little dan
ger at this season with careful and
experienced pilots at the wheel.
Thus the days passed by, something
new occurring at intervals to vary the
monotony of our life on the steamboat
a sight of cranes with their long legs.
or a glimpse of mule cared rabbits,
whose name is suggestive of their pc
culiar appearance.
One evening we listened to about n
dozsn shots fred at a poor innocent,
soft shelled turtle by a lover of soup
at the front of the boat. At last it was
discovered that the shot had been vast
ed on a large brown leaf-rather poor
material for the best cook to turn into
appetizing food.
The scenery improved as we neared
our destination. Beautiful beech and
pecan trees, with hanging moss; fields of
cotton end corn, %unrivalled in their lux
~uriance, showed that the soil is rich and
productive. Comfortable homes he,e
and there tempt us to stop and rest
awhile, for we begin to weary of the
motion of the boat; but steam in mex
orable and on we go, stopping OCCASION
ally to throw off freight, long enough
to exercise awhile on land, a great re-
lief.
The towns we pass in our seven hun
dred mile trip, are but few and of little
interest, though the arrival of the
steamer twiceoa week is an event of
some magnitude to the people, especial
iy the negroes, who, in their ~grotesque
costumes, gather at the landing.