Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-26
NEW OIlLEANs LErrER.

Eds, 7sL--Ieaying New Orleans on
Che evening Of The Oh, the "Guiding Star"
has brought us safe 10 this city, where we
arrived AZ noon on The 10ih. Our home.
ward progress was impeded BY fogs and
The heavy drlft wood on the rivers. The
second night out the steamer was tied up
10 tree, ill daylight, as darkness COW
cred the face Of the deep and rendered II
impossible 70 see the logs which 50 fre.
quently struck the boat with thud which
hushed our merriest laugh and jest
Henceforth when read Of high water on
the Mississippi, shall be able 70 picture
to myself just what II means, and how Il
looks. shall see the turbid water and
the trees along what once was shore but
now their roots are many feet beneath the
waves, and you seem 10 be sailing in some
strange aquatic forest -shoreless- as
eye can reach. The country is submerg.
ed in many places for fifty miles into the
interior The gray patriarchal moss Of
the southern forest trees has disappeared
and clumps Of mistletOe have succeeded
it, The foliage has become more tender
green. Red-bud trees are in blossom,
looking like peach.trees Of more grace
ful growth than any we have known and
the contrast Of the soft pinks and greens
is perfectly loyely"-as we ladies all ex.
claim.
Plantation buildings along the shores
are poor and sparse. They are elevated
on foundation Of logs driven into the
ground-with broad stairs leading to
an open porch in front Here, in many
instances were grouped the domestic ami
mails belonging to the place. Occasional
ly an island knoll had been fenced in with
rails and here were huddled horses, mules
and cows, ready to be taken of in skiffs
should danger come from further rise
The levees were in many places threaten
ing to give way and some slight bEeakages
had already occurred. These are often
weakened by the the cruy.hsh, which per-
forate the soil everywhere at the south /;
throwing up in their descent a hollow
cylinder Of mud, sometimes a foot in
height. In the filthy cutters of New Or
leans 1 have seen them unearthed with
spades, and carried away for food, and
had wondered what might their flavor be-
Even break In levee is not always
unmitigated evil, for the deposit left is a
strong fertilizer and abundant crops are
sure to follow unless the upper soil 10 all
washed away. Yet there is sometimes
great disaster and loss oflife. Even now
we saw many animals doomed to death.
Upon a log which had begun prepare.
tory rocking for departure down stream,
were two small white pigs, and on slight
rise Of ground stood an old COW, disoonso.
lately viewing the rising tide which had
just reached her feet; still further on we
saw drowning sheep drawn into dug
out just in time to save her innocent life.
How we queried about the domestic and
social life of a people content to live in
such surroundings as these. We wonder
about the toilet of Mrs A. as she started out
lor call upon Mrs. b. and fancied her leav-
ing her room and winding her way through
tile group Of mules and COWS upon her
porch TO set her dainty foot into the sklff
I
At Helena and Arkansas CITY half the
street. were under water. At Memphis
the city of Egyptian name, we had expect
ed large accession Of passengers. But
the railroads were so inundated, but few
had arrived. Here, too, small mystery
was solved. In the dead of the previeus
night we had all been awakened by fear
ful crash, the instant ringing of bells and
a sudden stopping of the boat, immedi,
ately there was an opening Of state room
doors and frightened ladies en- dishdbilIe
had congregated in the saloon, demanding
of the watchman knowledge of what
had occurred, and the extent of the dan
ger we were in. In vain were all his ex-
plantations and assurances, not one word
was believed until after Changing of
hammers and grating ofsaws, the machin-
| cry was once more In motion. Then after
laughing disclaimer of any fear, one by
one had said good night and the ''recep-
! tom was over. Next morning all enuui-
ries were answered by smiling Captain
Miller saying that when he wanted any
news he always came TO the ladies cabin.
But now we learned that nine hours would
be required at this city In which to mend
a broken wheel and clean the boilers.
Soon after leaving Memphis, in passing
near a row Of trees one of them uproOted
by the food had fallen so near the boat
that its top was broken on her guards. and
lay upon the deck. At F'riar's Point, be-
low that city a young lady had come on
board in a skif, the cab from which she
had alighted being Just visible on rise of
ground a quarter Of a mile away. The
levee In front Of the town was mOmentari-
ly expected 10 break, and thesteamer had
made a landing at ware house in the up
per suburbs. At Cairo the flood was
eleven feet above the "danger line" and
the Mississippi could be seen for many
miles as we glided along the Ohio river.
At a point intermediate below Mound
City, only the levee was between the
waters of the two rivers, and if ever a
crevasse should occur, Carlo would quick
| ly be "among the things which were, hut
are not Upon the Ohio the scenery is
beautiful, but the atmosphere was chill.
In the saloon were warmth and music,
and the pleasant chat Of delightful people.
The return trip has been novel and stirring
and its memory win be a "loY for ever"
To all friends who have followed me so
far wouldsay 60 to New Orleans, and
go upon the "Guidlng Star, NJ. c. w,P.
| NFADnUnD