The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-08-15

Inc mouth OF the Latter is about ak miles
north OF Monroyia, Tor in the direction;
of Sierra Leone,) where it emptics into
the sea over heavy bar. Bushrod Island
Is therefore about ak miles broad at It's
base By FIVE long. couldn't help think
ing that it would make splendid rice
crops, as the tide rises and falls on both
rides, and :hs. water is fresh Within q
mile from the bar. Such an idea seems
never to have occurred to anybody in
Liberia. Stockton creek ia stream of
generally uniform width, about one hum
dred and fifty yards, I should Judge. Its
flow Ia quiet, end its surface placid. On
either side 1t spreads away omong the
roots of the mangoye and other trees,
and through the thick growth of 'dra-
gon's biood," Ia plant resembling our
sword grass, only stronger, sharper and
more sayagely barbed.) The vegetation
forms o jungle which not even the eye,
much less the body, can penetrate. The
view is varied by the featherly tops of
the pain, cocoanut, or banana or mango,
cotton and other treea, with nm occasional
iindiarubber vine dropping from tho
branches: In one or two places tho ever
useful palm grows in what are apparently
plantations. The palm, by the way, is
the crest Of the Liberian coat of arms,
being stamped on their ugly one and two
cent coins. 30 precious 10 the tree held,
that the wanton destruction OF one Is
punishable BIZ a fine of So. The view on
Stockton Creek is generally monotonous,
and description of one portion of il
will answer for all. In one or two places
the foliage is varied by beautiful trees,
Like giant ferns, of which my companion
did not recollect the names, while q few
large, white water or common weed how-
ers, and the white leaves of the "tooth
plant" gleam out from the dark green
bordering TO the quiet water. There Is
nothing especially beautiful about the
scenery Of the creek. Il is one of those
streams that one dreams about sometimes
amid the hurly-burly, wishing that he
could drift down forever on its tranquil
bosom shut out by the leafy screen on
each aide from everything except laziIy
floating clouds and blue skies above. For
a picture Of perfect rest and repose it is
beautiful. Even the brightly hucd par.
rots and blue kingiishers that fly about
among the branches across, seem to move
languidly as if infected with the general
silence.
ESSENCE OF MOSQUITO.
But, like all the poetical dreams,I ever
heard of, Stockton Greek is q delusion
Rnd smart. 7 wouiidd hate li;hs;i Ili;h.,ss;.i.7 :;
float forever down its tranquil bosom.
In the frat place the floating would have
to be accompanied by the unpoetic access
Gories Of "ingun rubber overcoat an gum
elastic Shoes" and an umbrella. In the
second place, the swamps are infested at
Intervals by an insect who seems to be q
cross between a sand fly and musquito,
possessing the concentrated vices of both.
Il would like TO stop here to write q
chapter on the proneness Of ants, sand
flies, gnats and others of that ilk to per-
wade the realms made beautiful by po-
etic fancy, and knock the romance out of
tender situations. Space forbids, how
ever, and any young gentlemen who has
walked on the Battery with his adored
one during sand fly time can appreciate
~ Then, sa:.e-- acss..:ag down Stockton
Creek for q night or SO, the aoater would
probably have African fever, and COM
plete his floating with shaven head,
taking immense quantities of quinine,
Altogether, would prefer allowing
somebody else to do my hoatieg. While
on this subject, however, I must pro-
pound one question over which my Eind
has often been exercised: Is it presuma.
bic that the insects above referred to in
tested the Garden of Eden? If 80, can
it be supposed that the state of our frat
parents in their unprotected condition
was one of unmized happiness 2 A reply
is anxiousiy awaited. When about two
and q half miles up Stockton Creek, the
rain began to sall as if the Aoodgates
were indeed open. It did not seem to
fall in drops, but in continuous streams.
Il was literally "nonring" rain. The
Kroomen rowed on through it all very.
nnconcernedly, while rubber clothing
turned the watar from the bodies of us
passengers, and allowed it to flow in
st1eamlets into the crackers ard cheese
in the lunch basket. So wa progressed.
BY and by ! noticed at one OF two places
on the right 5ank slight cleasings, in
which native canoe was generally tied
up. This, / was informed, was a
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT ABOVE MON.
RoyIA.
1t is called New Geoigia, and runs
along the banks for two or three miles.
the houses being built far apart. The
number of inhabitants in this munich
paiity is sttiiuiattsdd at Eve hundred souls.
Through the openings in the bush I
caught occasional seeasie, gglsmnEaes &c the dark
green coffee trees, or bananas, surround.
ing some house. Then, after awhile, we
swept around bend, and were
ON THE ST. PAULs,
which is hero about tyYo-thirds OF q mile
wide. The banks OF the riy5r are more
elevated than those OF the creek. and
generally rise In miniature bluffs from
three to ten feet above the water. The
land speedily begins 70 assume a mora
cleared appearance, tbe view being un-
obstructed by large tees. The grass and
undergrowth, however reraily come
down nearly to the =, edge. The
banks themselves seemed to consist of a
hard, gray clay. MARI is Eaid, to be
abundant along the river. Most of the
vlsi,lsss.s s.a =s.s..s .;, =lse:,, I. A !. here
OF brick. q large proportion being two
| story. ksOut FIVE miles up the river we
stopped ct o landing The Glgldings''
invariably consist Of either few steps
| cnt in the clay from the waters edpe TO
the top OF the bank, or of cut down
| slope into the bank itself. Such thing
as comfortable wooden or stone steps, or
o wharf, seams To have occurred to none
Of them, and the Liberians 90 on stuna-
bling and sliding on the elippery clay,
/ and falling down and muddyiDg their
good clothes, and swearing Just as their
Iatnef5 uiu. IL may DO Toi5is.I sIid SItdi alec ss,sc
that their sole means of transportation to
| MOnrovia seems to consist of the native
canoe. lwhat ve call 8 "dug out.nl
| Everybody who can afford is keeps from,
one to five of these craft of different sizes,
lying either ct the "landing' or turned
! hnltnna nm ON the osnnnd in the neigh,
/ boghood. When they want to so aflv-