The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-09-15
VOLUME Xiv.

George not far from the junction Of the
1azoo and Sunhower rivers, and he is now
opening It up to cultivation He has one
nfty-acre field which is a broad group of
contiguous mounds reduced almost to a level
Dy ihe wear and tear of many centuries.
he dug we'll and found human skeleton
complete at the depth of twenty-five feet,
and has plowed up large quantities of toma-
hawks, arrow heads, pot ware and human
bones. Early writers tell US that La Harpe,
French officer, in 1922, "aseended the
azoo as far as the villages of the Karoos
and Chocchumas, who built their cabins
upon monuds." Mr.. Harris farm is no
doubt the site of the chief town of the
Karoo Indians. / suspect that La Harpe
and his soldiers burned this pretty town,
killed all the men and carried off the wo-
men and children, and the Chocchumus feel
ing sorry for their unfortunate neighbors,
came over and buried them where they had
fallen with their tomahawks and arrows,
and thenceforth changed the name of the
KaroO to YazoO, which means DEATH The
witty French historian failed to record this
part of the expedition, but the Indians have
tradition that sounds something like it,
and the Imagination can supply the
balance
Although settlement was made on the
Yazoo, under the governorship of Bienville,
about one hundred and fifty years age, still
this vast, alluvial region is, agriclturally
and otherwise, the
MOST UNDEvELoPED PORTION
of the State, and from national standpoint,
it is forty years behind the times. The
poor piny woods of the east with scarcely
native soil enough to sprout COW pea, has
left it far behind in the way of enterprise
and industry. The owners of the large
plantations, with the exception of few
who reside on their estates, make their
homes in New Orleans, Vicksburg, Green
vile and YazoO City, collect their rents and
pay liCtle attention to their lands. The ne
groes are fat, slick and lazy; work little,
make an easy living and care for nothing
more; while the small farmers, of whom
there are many, have made as much as their
fathers had before them, and, as rule, are
satisfied with their ship-shod mode of farm
ing which brings them in a half bale or
three quarters to the acre, and serves to
keep their heads above water.
THE AVERAGE swAMPER
is totally Oblivious Of the outside world, i'm
perviOus to argument, jealous OF innova-
tiOns, and don't care a cent whether "school
keeps" or not. He sells his cotton seed to
the oil mill boats for five dollars ton to
get them out of his way +; he would kill an
imported Jersey bull, or thoroughbred Ken
tucky stallion as a nuisance, and the sight
Of an improved cultiVatoF or moving ma
chimes would throw him into fits, 1t was
long time before his merchant could in
duce him to use sweeps ;and he looks on
scraper to this day with eyes of distrust.
But this State of affairs will soon pass
away. The level face of the country is par
tianlarly adapted to the use of improved
machinery and the exigencies of the labor
question especially demand it. The expert
ence of the great State Of Georgia practical
| ly demonstrates the theory that cotton fac
! tories and diversified farming are the real
msaGs of bringing prosperity to the South,
and all these things are bound to come.
The eyes of the wogl9 have at last turned
| to the rich harvest shut up ig this great
/ Valley; and some day the throb OF the 10.
comoiize, the clatter of factory wheels, and
/ the lingo of che inevitable Yankee, will
! wake up these Rip Vap Wrinkles to rub
| their sleepy eyes and wonder what all this
racket is about anyhow. W.