The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-06-19

aud Return 0a Night AgnInsl
slae Ttde-'Ehe Mysseriou. Mu
sic and I'm Ancient Legend, etc
BY PAP.
Pascngonla deserted! Twas til.
morning after tho Press Association
had adjourned; R. H. Henry and my
self were the only members of the Ae-
ISOLATION left behind, and we had SON.
clnded TO remain another day. Pro-
curing a skiff and engaging a coloret
oarsrnan we left, with a good wind il
our favor and a stseng tide against us
Tor the home of Col. Aired e. Lewis
situated on q point to the Southwest
side of Pascagoula bay, and about foul
miles to the Southwest Of Scranton.
Our colored man pulled q very good
oar and the sea being calm we made
good time across the bay, and arrived
at the bath house Of Mi. Lewis abou'
10 o'clock A. N. Securing our boat We
assembled the steps to the bath house,
and proceeded up the long wharf to the
residence, which stands upon a bluff,
commanding a beautiful view Of the
bay, sound and surrounding scenery
Off to the south lies the long stretch
Of sond known as Horn Island: to the
left of which, with its lark green foil
age, rises the bluff form Of Round Is
land. while to the east aud directly in
front. you look far ont bn the sparkling
waters Of the bay. beyond which,
EMPOWERED in its anei4at live oaks. Is
seen the village Of EAst PascagouIa.
Surely this liz a beautsfm spot, ard
here. did circumstances sdmit, would I
gladly pitch my tent forlifs. Magnif
cent live oak trees shade the grounds in
front OF the house. which is a fine
commodious structure with its exten>
sive verandah fronting the bay, and,
at a short distance, reminds one of Mt.
Vernon. On entering We were met Oh
the verandah by Mrs. -, a daugh.
ter of Mr.. Lewis, who informs us her
is absent, but will soon return,
aud invites us in. We found her a
very amiable lady and at once were
quite at home. We were soon
introduced to Miss Kate Lewis, the
Colonel's youngest daughter, also to
her brother who is a military cadet,
then in turn to their Aunt, Miss Lewis.
and young gentleman relative, whose
name now escapes me. After a very
pleasant chat of o half hour or more,
concluded to catch some fish. Procur>
ing some lines and bait we proceeded
TO the bath house and fshed for an
hour or more without success, when We
again repaired to the house to prepare
for dinner, which was 0 announced.
It was o sumptous meal, and I am sure
our hostess-for Mr.. Lewis had not re-
turned and his affuble wife did the
honors of the table-came to the con
ere we finished, it would be
more profitable to board us a week than
4 fortnight. At any-rate, I felt We
were gormandizing, but how could We
help it? Every thing was so good aud
were SO hungry. W. were not to
the salt dir, and morning exer-
,ise had given us a prodigious appetite.
dinner we were shown around the
place; went into the extensive vineyard,
which owe acres, supported by One
arbor. The grapes are of
.ne scupperuong variety, and produce
fine. We then visited the orchard and
ate some very uice ripe pears. Fruit of
ali kinds are produced here in abund-
We had not tg1e to 10 10 the
water melon ground but the Colonel
informed nre he bad about forty acres
to water-Telons alone. We
returned to the honse. Miss Lewis, her
sister and the two gentlemen, to n
gage in a game OF croquet while l road
from a scrap book the legend and sew
eral poems of the mysterious music OF
bay, aud AS the sceneo OF the
is laid at this Identical spot. yes
even beneath the shadows of these
gigantic oaks under which now the
ladies' and gentlemen ar, playing cro-
vuet, the event has a strange ia scination,
4 weird interest which at q distance,
it would not possess. The
runs, that long before the fleets.
IF Bienville, had whitened the bay
their sail, Altama, q young chief.
Of the Pascagoulas, with his beautiful
bride, Anola, together with q larR'
of braves and maidens of tl..
tribe, had assembled under the large
oaks above referred to. Twas shortly
after nightfaIl in spring time. The
crescent moon hing h~igIiabove them;
the bright stars sparkled like gems i'll
The blue vault above, and alinted down
the branches of the immense
oaks which served as n shelter from the
damp night air. A light wind blew
from of the gulf aud raised the white
on the sound to chase each other
to the shore. Breaker after
breaker dashed upon the beach or in n
subdued thunder met with harder
the bluff almost beneath the feet
Of those who had met to celebrate the
nuptiais OF their chief. The torches
had been lit, aud while in the midst of
The festivities, the terrible war whoop
Of their dreaded foes, the powerful
Biloxis, came down like a whirlwind
upon that happy and transporting as
To arms sprang the brave
Pascagonlss. with q whoop Of desoera-
tion. The fight lasted but a short time
q Thousand Biloxi braves lay
dead upon the ground, while only fifty
Of the heroic Pascogoulas remained
alive, and they we're nearly all wounded.
The few remaining B,loxis unable to
prolopg the contest had retired a short
distance. Altama endeavored to rally
his men but they were too badly
wounded to renew the contest. But
bark! What sound ia. thai2 Ills O
shont of exultation. The Biloxis have
received reinforcements. Altama knew
his star had set forever. Calling his
few remaining braves around him he
r-H =
"My braves you have fought nobly,
but our foes are too strong for us. Five
hundred of the flower of our tribe who
hut an hour ago were full of Joy aud
now lie cold in death. The wall
Of their wives aud mothers can he
heard on the other side of the. Lay.
The bodies of our foes strew the field
and outnumber our dead two to one,
yet as numerous as the shells on yon-
der shore, they come fresh from the