Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-03-15

entitled to the prefix grand 10 3 small
Way, but nos lie glory hes vanished
lie EeW remaining hOnses are cad and
solitary ct the removal Of the railroad
depot about one mile below The town.
The Port Gibson railway is 9 stretch oil
eight miles Of track, passing through q
Wreiched belt OF hill and sWamp-land
belWeed Grand Gulf landing aud the
cosy town Of Port Gibson.
Tue latter place has quite en- ancient
look ; the spirit Of past ages seems 10
have left au impress on lie sHrrOnnd-
inEs, so that oaS cau't help feeling the
peculiar magnetism o antiquity, as II
we're, holding his senses 10 thrAll.
Apart from It's prehistoric surround.
ings, this locality Is class c In the his.
tory OF our country. Il 10 only q few
miles from the town where Banner.
hSSset, with bis charming and highly
cultured wife resided, in a sweet, wild
glade, q sort Of happy valley, where
Aaron Burr found him aid Crept into
The home to tempt is head 10 Join IL
hls mad design Of q Mexican Empire.
Here both OF them we're arrested and
carried 10 prison In Washington.
II wa through Port Gibson that the
old travelled road called the "Naichez
trace" passed ; here was 8 great trading
point with the NAtchez Indians, aud
the name Of the town, although 80 far
iDlAnd, IL supposed TO owe its origin 10
part to Its being such & trading post or
port.
The records preserved 10 the Clerks
Office are quite interesting; some 60
back 10 l7S9. before France had coded
any Of her Louisiana territory to the
United States. There Il 9 letter on
record ITO Nj. VIM. VOuSdam, Deputy
Surveyor Of this District" ordering
him 10 put Mr.. Ralph Humphreys in
possession of 900 acres Of land lying on
the Bayou Pierre, adding: "This will
serve said Mr.. Humphreys for title
until be presents his petition for
Others to his E%xcellency." And
dated st Natchez, 29ih January, 1888,
AnnOqus Domini. ("L Gus Signelll")
signed, - Grand Pre-. Who Grand
Pre- was we have no clue, but Mr.. Ralph
Humphreys evidently was 'put In p -.
session Of 800 acres Of land y ing on
the Bayou Pierre"
The next record 10 a commission
from VIM. Z. e. Claiborne, Governor
and Commander-in- Chief of The Terri
tory" dated I'VE 80 b day Of Jauuary,
Annoque Domini, 1902, III the 26ln
year Ofthe Independence of he United
States Of America" appointing "MAl-
thias Tlerney, Esq, to be Clerk of the
Inferior Court Of Law for the count,
OF Claiborne 10 hold said Office with
lite pro6ls and emoluments during the
pleasure Of the Governor for the time
being"
The irst deed on record is one from
"Wm. and Ann Smith, for 300 acres OF
land to David Smith for 1000 dollars,
lawful currency Of the United States,
well and truly In hand paid" with q
plot of the land annexed.
Doubtless the antiquarian can in this
neighbOrhOod fOd something for his
witS to work upon, In the examination
of o wall built Of Limestone, the top Of
which crops out q few feet and which
ia supposed to be buried ct least forty
feet deep. Il seems to be laid In regu.
lar courses, but no regular exploration
Of II has ever been made or attempted.
Some persons ct odd times have visited
the locality from curiosity, but not with
. view to excavation. The venerable
j. B. ThrSsher is much interested
in Il, and informs me he has traced lite
windings about two miles or more. A
portion of the rock forming the wall
was given to him aud by means Of
psychometry he says that the wall en-.
closed q city Of 100000 to 100000 In
habitanis that existed one million OF
yearS ago. He saw them manning the
walls to repel the attacks of
the enemy, and they were q stalwart,
broDzed people, apparently Of Egyp.
tian origin; their dress differed very
little from ours, and they used weapons
very much like our muskets. He says
be saw them raise their weapons and
take aim 90 our soldiers do, followed
by Q blue vapOr or fame, but no report
as II from gunpowder. He described
the appearance Of an officer who came
the walls aud mounted q pure
horse Of extraordinary size, up.
on which be galloped IN gallant style,
accommodating the enemy, etc. The
is writing q book on the subject
Of Psychometry, and Il 10 hoped he will
soon publish IL.
The town of Port Gibson enjoys a
healthy trade from the surrounding
country +; about 1900 or more bales
cotton are annually cold there. The
streets are laid off at right angles, bor-
dered In many instances with shade
trees. Church street is about one and
q half miles long ; here are most of the
neat and we'll kept cottages and grounds
of the inhabitants /; along this street are
all the churches, some Of them impos-
ing structures, particularly that OF the
Presbyterians. The sleeple is sur
mounted by q closed hand OF large size
with the index finger pointing heaven
ward the effect is pretty and a more
sensible finish 10 the spire OF a church
than Is usually seen.
Major Mason, your confrere Of the
Reveille, lie a gentleman of an immense
fund of local and general information