The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-03-20
THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI.
ZACHERY TAYLOR'S DESERTED
PLANTATION, AND OTHER
HISTORIC SCENES.
Natchez, the Ancient City. SIeeDetl,
No More, but is Wide Awake.

Z. No More, but is Wide Awake,
" NATcHEz, Miss, 1880.
$, To the Editor Of the Comet
j. A trip from Vicksburg to Natche
y is not devoid Of interest. The tourist
Is in his minds eye, can see more thai
tile long stretch OF sand-bars covered
o with growth of dense willow an,
|. cottonwood that fringe the bank OF
e either side, occasionally intersperset
# with plantations, dotted here anc
c there with cottages and creeping vines
+ and rows of cabins, where dwell the
+ dusky sons of toll, who, by their labor
0 year after year whiten these fields
, with the fleecy staple, which form the
principal product of this great valley
l OF the Mississippi. The Mississippi
river has history of its own. Like
the current of human life, it is forever
5 changing. To-day its tickle waters
: sweep away whole plantations and
: villages. Teeming with hands pro-
| fuse, it builds it's bars and covers them
with the forest tree and shrub, the
seeds of which its own swift current
has deposited in its life-giving soil.
How to prevent the constantly occur
ring change, and to confine the turbr-
lent waters into their own channel.
has veXed the minds of many, and
various have been the suggestions
offered, whereby these mighty torrents
Of the North and West might find
an cgress to the waters of the Gulf
through this great val 'ey of the Mis-
slssippi, without deluging the country
and sweeping away the beautiful
farms and villages which now dot its
banks, from Cairo to its delta. A few
years ago, Il man by the name of Con-
den, proposed to deepen the channel
by shortening the river; his PROPOSE
, ton was to turn the waters of the
river into Lake Bourgne. Still another
enthusiast insisted upon making the
venture by turning this great rushing
tide into Barataria Bay. But all these
schemes take money, and if done at |
all, it must be TIN ough the aid of the |
Government, and the Government |
be tn,CG t5ln;nf nf"sot1ahnenhu., II tnaau
their channel by this process of short
ening, but this ocean has way of its
own. With bountiful hand it gives |
and it takes. To-day it sweeps vii
lage away. Tomorrow an island is
formed, and like an enchantment
forest covers it, and the cattle browse
beneath the shade of the trees. But
enough of these theories. He has a
bold heart who would say to the
" Father of Waters" thus far shalt |
thou come and no farther.
We left Vicksburg on Tuesday
evening, on that elegant steamer the
Natchez, commanded by that veteran
steamboatman, Capt. Tom Leathers,
AS l looked upon this giant Captain,
as he walked the deck of this magnifi-
cent steamer, and then out upon the
broad eXpanse of waters that surged
past, | felt that each was the full
representation of its class. What
would river navigation be without
such boats as the Natchez; and what
is the Natchez without old Tom
Lcathers. Each is a necessary ap-
pendage of the other. Old Capt. Tom
Leathe S is a splendid specimen Of the
old kentucky gentleman. May his
shadow never grow less. For forty
years he has been a steam-boat-man,
and what he does not know of river
is not worth knowing. a
staunch Southerner and a Rebel to the
backbone. His contempt for the
downeaster has become proverbial.
l once heard him giving a description
of party that accompanied him on
some pilgrimage Of his. for what pur-
pose this dcponant saith not. He was I
describing the trip to a friend, and on
being questioned as to who cOnstitu-
ted the party, he replied there were
two Kentucks, three gentlemen from .
Virginia, a fellow from New York, {
and S-B, from Maine" 1t
may be of some satisfaction to the l
anxious citizens of Waterproof, La, TO l
know that Captain Leathers is Of the s
opinion that the waters Of the river
have about ceased to encroach upon |
them and that hcrafter they may rest t
quietly.
Two years ago the waters began I
cutting away the bank and the vii {
.ugc moved back. 1t continued TO cut |
and second move became necessary. c
Il has now about ceased its dtvasta- {
ions, but not until the waters leave t
,he shores in such close proximity to t
he houses that it was thought they ]
would have to beat another retreat. a
But it has ceased to cut, and Captain g
Ieathers thinks it will not interfere {
With the ;he town again, and his ;
opinion is worth something. [
To-day as we lay of Grand Gull !
Waiting for the train TO come out from
Port Gibson, stood upon deck and :
watched the ever changing sccUe, az
t broke upon the view like a shifting
panorama or the beautiful views Of
he kaleidoscope Far away to the
Sorth a forest Of dense cottonwood
TODD out in bold relief. As 1 gazed |
Ipon the deep dense gloom with !
which il was shrouded, a rift in the 5
louds admitted a ray Of sunshine, I
which crept along its outer edge, i
rowing more luminous until every |
rec and bush glowed with a light re- d
plendant, and a world Of beauty c
ecmed to unfold itself to the view. I {
hought that thus is the SON Of Right