, 1877-08-29
THE DISMAL SWAMP.

I<aisr 10 Aikfands1o tu.1 Gazette.
know Of no trip moro full Of excitement and
varied pleasure than visit TO the GREAT Dismal
Swamp. The strange, the beautiful, tho weird
and solemn In nature are ali blended together,
forming sccnic panorama attractive and inter-
estins to tbs highest degree. There IL nobody
who has not actually been through tho " Great
Dismal that has the slightest conception Of
what kind Of place II IL Judging from IT.
name, tho popular Imagination makca It vast
swamp, quagGtre aud unwholasome fen, dark,
silent, and damp, wl.ese the light Of Tho blessed
sun never fntefs-a spot that scema cursed, and
from whose block, murky surface notsou,e
vapers artae that breed disease and death, Thls
y the popular belief, und it Ia po1allar fallacy
No idea tan be 1nors csruneous-
The dismal Swamp Is not vsst bog sunk low
iu the ground, Into which all the dssiutpg ot the
surrounding eountry doEa; on tho contrary, Il
IL above tho teyel ground soma fifteen or twenty
tcct, as was demonstrated BY actual surveys.
Instead OF being receptacle Into which rivers
and streams enter and dow, It 10 ia reality an
i.a1aense reservoir t!lat, ln IT, yss: spouus:!ke
heavens, aud pours them iDto i've DID; ;rent
rivers, which dow Onward 70 the sea. Auy ous
would imagine that the Dismai u was vcsit-
aole charpe!.house that spresls Ms mIas.ua
throughout the country on thy contrary it y,
the healthicst place on the American continent.
Tbs ssamp u forueA entirely OF green timber;
there Ia absolutely no decoolpostd wood; one
4tt& lfEG4 LYING al 8iuuNU' Ill tuG I0TE&t8 2Bu
swamps. Tbs Two principal woods that grow in
this place arc the lunioer aud cypress, which
never rot. They fill promo IN the gruund llka
other trees, but instead Of thu wood lseompos-
Iii and water Tor sses perfectly sound.
There 10 nothing In tla swamp 10 create NIL
aIma; no rising of tho tidcs aud 0ec,upo.ltion
Of rank vegetables; NJ marshrs exposed to the
sweet, and thc air Is laden with - sweet odoss
aa the fraasnt woods IN Muy, whsn the sweet
perfume Of aoweFs lninEles with the pun2ent
scent Of the pine and doswood. Ia the ante
their slaves to shangle.makers In the swamp On
| account Ut its health. Nr. lsstlltrk, : we'll
known contractor, says be worked Kanz Of
atty hands for htteen years IN the Dismal get
| : s!ugls Gaze of ague anA fever. | haye geen
numerous ahldaylta Of ovcsseers and ageuts
WHO Lave lived In the swamp their whole liis-
time, aud they never knew death caused By
mllsnat or solitary tnstauco vt ague' &nd
fvser. The air 1. pu1e ind sweet, aud the
water, ttnRed u falnt-wlaa hu~ by the juniper,
y u potent mciiciual driuk ~ L that u Tie
spas osn aaeI ta. ~ nay.i
going on = lonR foreign cruisc, on account Of
the healthful properties. and also becAuse 1t
keeps fsesh and clear for years. It Ia strong
and tnsigoFsslnx tonic, with very pleasant
| The soil Of the Gfeat Dismal l. composed Gu
tircly u clay aud vegetable peat. 1t u apongy
and loose. a polc tlLty, tes& long was .l.oy Sd
steadily down by NY guide, alal did not hcgin
| 10 touch bottom. Ihs swnlnp IL alive with
game, aud the lake with ash. Tho au,mals ars
Bear, deer, racroons, a.Al squirrels. Tho dsh
| are tue bl2ck bass, Or ehuh, ~ they call them
hs1e, shish tho readily to ~ ~. :p<sslsd oh,
beach tlsh, gart, satuah, aud pefeh- They vi
Lite freely al 1Ait, ah1 niaku gatna Gght X
booked. fi5hin. u entirely dons With sol and
! reel Though thr bear pound tn tho 4wamp, it
u very h411 t. get . shot at them. You can
often hear theln Grabbing through tho caoe-
brakes, but ra1<ly ses them. 4 fs1 mouths ago