The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-07-04
,corresnonaencc of The Richmond Disratch.l

,corresnondencc of the Richmond Dispatch.l
RANBLEs IN JUNE.
day after my return from St. Louis, Mt
Gardner station, in Weakley county, Tenn,
was occupied in preparation for visit to
..Reel Foot lake" close upon the Mlssis-
sipp;-a lake not so old az I am--whose
history is interesting and whose waters are
stocked with fish, and in season with num-
erous aquatic birds: moreover, whose
shores and hills abound in game that draws
the hunter from along distance. A wagon
and team, and stores OF bread, bacon, con-
diments, frying-pan, etc, with coVer-lios'
and sporting equipments. made my compa,
Mons and myself quite independent, and
we set out upon journey of thirty or SO
miles, feeling somewhat Of the spirit OF ad-
venture OF the early settlers, and / quite
buoyant with the idea OF introducing my
recl-foot to the Reel-Foot lake.
TEE JOURNEY TO REEI-Fo0T.
The tourney was through country not
wholly level, but having in great degree,
from the absence OF rocks, ETC., the appear
ance OF alluvial deposits. The streams in the
more level portions were flowing in crooked
beds, with deep shores formed OF sand and
mold with wide flats on each side OF them,
which, when the streams overflow, are sub
merged, aud immense surfaces OF water ap-
pear in many parts OF the region.
The Obion river, which empties into Reel
Foot lake, il in cur. route. 1t has been
lately overlooked, and we travel through its
bottoms with no small amount OF appealing,
with voice and whip, to our sturdy team.
There was an excess OF mire and water
rarely witnessed by an eastern Imam. AT
times the water in the flats OF this little
stream extends for two miles; yet the river
at water,mark is only OF the dignity OF
one Of the Virginia creeks.
WESTERN TROY.
There is q county also named ObioD, and
we pass through its connty-seat. which is
called Troy / saw its Priam, but neither
Hector nor Helen; butI was informed that
fair inhabitant was worthy OF the name
so far as personal charms are concerned.
Passing through the village with the classic
name we got into limited district OF sharp
hills and narrow rarines, and are quite
overdone with it before we reach the real
"ReeLFoot" river. How these hills with
their irregular cross-and-pile" shapes
were formed was more than the fishing
party winding amongst them could tell
whether out OF the original surface and
water-worn or by upheaval they left to
others; but a part OF them 1T least are due
to the earthquake of 1S11-of which more
anon.
This region OF Wcakley, Gibson, Dyer,
Obion, and Lake counties formed the baili-
wick Of "Davy Crocketfs" great exploits,
and these and other counties sent him first
to the State Legislature and next to Con-
sress. 1t was in about the Lake region
that he performed some OF bis greatest
ieats. We cross the Reel-Foot river near the
lake in, the very midst OF the locality OF
chem. The river is crooked, with deep,
muddy shores. And here We see most de-
cidedly the marks Of the great earthquake.
THE EARTHQUAKE OF 1911.
This earthquake was perhaps the severest
that has occurred in this country since its
habitation by white people. 1t happened in
the fall Of 1911, and it's shocks at intervals
continued for several months, until the Goth
Of March, 1872, when they ceased, it is said,
coincidentally with the great earthquake OF
Caracas. Humboldt said that this earth
quake OF the Mississippi presented one Of
the few examples OF the excessive quaking
Of the ground for several successive months
far from any volcano. 1t is called the earth
quake Of Madrid, having been seyerest
about The locality OF Madrid, in Missouri.
WHAT THE EARTHQUAKES DID.
uc SuIIaC6 Ol Tue NIliey eAteuCitlS iIOul
the mouth of tie Ohio southwardiy for
about three hundred miles rose and sank in
undulations. Lakes were formed and filled
up. The. earth cracked, and from the
assures mud and water were thrown high
up in the air. The people were filed with
terror and left their homes. The Missis-
sippi is said to have ''rnn up stream for
while. The agitation was upwards and
sometimes laterally, which was most de-
structiye Of the two. a...
THE MADRlDs. 80,
The town OF Madrid, in Missouri, upon
the shore of the Mississippi, was destroyed.
The ground was so completely altered with
basins, filled with water and mounds, that
the site OF the place was abandoned, and
place higher up the river became the site OF
New Madrid, which is the county-seat Of
New Madrid county. On the eastern side
Of the river was formed the lake whittier
am going. The earthquake filled I'D the
mouth Of the river Reel-Foot and formed the
lake upon the borders Of the Mississippi.
THE |" CRACKS"
In our journey afterzwe crossed the Reel
Foot river we proceeded along the high
ground which oYerlooks the lake for some
few miles. The way was marked by traces
OF the CONFUSION. Flssures OF considerable
depth ran near the road. Hills misshapen
and t0rtuous rayines showed the wild
dance OF terra jirma hereabouts.. Gentle.
men Of yeracity told me that in some in
stances large trees were split by cracks in
the earth: their roots holding fast to esch
side Of the crack, their bodies split foi
some distance upwards, and where the
crack in the earth was not too wide they
stood up and lived for years, and some are
said to be living yet.
CRocKETT's BEAR-FIGHT.
1t was in one of these assures that Crock
Ell had his great bear-fght. I find it stated
in the simple style OF the hunter SO briefly
that quote his own account. His dogs, he
said, had forced the very large bear into the
crack" as he styles it. He continues: 4'
81 had laid down my gun in the dark,
and now began to hunt for it; and while
hunting got hold Of a pole, and 1 corclu-
dee would punch him awhile with that.
! did so, and when ] would punch him the
dogs would Jump in on him, when he would
bite them badly, and they. would jump out
again. fIt was this biting by which he
said he knew which way the g biting end"
was.] I concluded as he could take punch
ing SO patiently 1t might be that he would
lie stsll enough for me TO get down In the
crack and feel slowly along till could find
the right place to give him a dig with my
butcher. So got down, and my dogs got
in before him and kept bis head towards
them TIL 4 got along easily up to him, and
placing my hand ON bis! rump felt for his
shoulder, just before which intended to
stick him. made iupge with my lpng
knife, and fortunately stuck him right