The Southern herald., 1882-09-02
BIocIkade-RunnInr.
SOME CURIOUS FEATURES OF THIS HAz
ARDOUS BUSINESS IN TIE LATE WAR.

Correspondents St. Louis Globe Democrat: 4:
During the war, and, in fact. for many years
after, many interesting stories were told and
written on bloekadsruuning, a majority Of
them being founded on wonderful escapes Of
swift vessels near Mobile and New Orleans
and many hard chase is recorded in ths
Gulf Of Mexico. 1t is not 50 generally
known, however, that almost Rll-probably
niue-tsnlhs-Of the eOntrAband goods taken
into or carried Out Of New Orleans, were
handled in very small lots. aud crossed the
lakes or traysrsed the bnyOus, swamps and
lagOons 10 small boats. skifs or piroguss
being Oftsusst used 10 their transportation
Your correspondent, 10 prolonged huutiug
excursion III the swamps in company with
several old residents who had been engaged
in blOckOderunniUg, heard some curious
stories from them, which the nsrratOrs will
doubtless be considerably astOnishsd to see ia
print
Westward Of the mouth Of tho Southwest
Pass of the river is a long, low lying swamp
and mud Jumps covered with cane grass ten
or twelve feet in height, and cut up by al
most innumsrabls bayOus, many Of which are
large enough to be uavigsble for goOd.sizsd
schooner. A few miles north, through net
work Of bayous and lagOOns, a s,unted growth
Of willows is reached, and within flty miles
Of New Orleans is found heavy growth Of
cypress, and water sometimes twenty lest OF
more 10 depth. The lagoons extend to with
in few miles Of Algers, across the river
from New Orleans. and tradition has it, were
favOrite hiding places for pirates Laftte and
Brandt, in years gone BY, when chased by
cruisers, none daring to follow into a wilder
ness out Of which they probably would never
have found their way. Fishermen and
Oystermen, however, became acquainted with
the lsbyrinths and used them as a shorter
route to the city With their cargOss. 1t is
no wonder that such place should have
been extensively used by blockade runners,
and millions Of dollars worth Of goods passed
through there before the Federal authorities
discovered it, aud SO thoroughly guarded the
Gulf coast and the river banks opposite the
city that the business became more hazardous
than profitable, The operators then turned
their attention to the other side Of the river,
where, from Mobile Bay 10 Pass,a.'0utre, a
swift, small sail boat could almost always
escape In swamps and bayous from any chase
made by gunbOats or revenue cutters. Ous
place 10 particular, known as Smuggler's
Canal, and lying within fifteen or TWEEN y
miles Of the city, is about thirty miles in OK.
tent, aud the marsh, 10 which person would
sink in quicksand, is SO cut up By bOyOu'
that a man lost in It, even could be see tht
waters Of Lake Borgne over the tops Of The
cane, might not make his way to them in .
week.
On one occasion q man who is now living
and widely known in New Orleans and wht
was constantly engaged in blOckade.runuing
was approached at Spanish Fort on the ole
basin. by large druggist and asked what b.
would take two barrels Of whisky to Mobil,
for. The runner, not being acquainted will
him at The time, denied knowing how to d
it, but was soon satisfied, to use bis own ex
! preston, that the applicant was square, ant
on being offered $1,000 accepted, prOvidst
the barrels Wers delivered to him at his land
! log place, on the basin near the lake. the fol
lowing night The runner was the possesso
Of several sailboats and yachts, among whc
was a fve.ton slOop 10 which he bad fire.
quonlly taken Federal officers out for sal
on the lake. New Orleans then being unde
Gen. Buffers rule. Through one Of thss
officers, under preteuse Of wishing to 60 t
Mobile to buy another boat be obtained
pass 10 take bis boat and assistant there an
return. The next thing was to dispose Of th
barrels SO that no inspection Of the boa
would discover them, Tom, for such wa
the name given him by bis friends, was equl
to the emergency, and along toward evenin
| With bis assistant hauled the sloop out on III
ways, and after day, unknown to the Otheri
bored holes 10 the planking aud ribs belO
The water line, adjusted two alings on 'eac
side Of the kelaou, and put the boat back
the water, How the bnrrsls reached the 81
pointed spotIhs following midnight Tom d.
clared be never knew; but get there the
did, aud Ton, sending bis assistant of on
errand. secured them in the sliugs, and b
one o'clock they were away before bris
breeze. They were stopped several tim
and the boat searched, but as nothing VI
found and the pass was regular, were allOw'
to proceed, aud arrived safely and dslivsr'