The Penn's Grove record., 1885-04-18

l.8a IhiAALtB G|AHaAlt - A"@
a distance OF one hundred and iiy
miles from its mouth, auf affords an
outlet for the products O. g large part
OF Eastern North Carolina. To an oh
server entering IFS mouth from Abe
marie sound, its appearance sin7j2nli-
0.ant. The banks are low and covered
bya swamp growth of cypress, c'ue
and gum. The current IT, sluggish, aud
the water usually coiared adcep yellow.
Tine s'alarl is narrow and the couf
crooked,
But as one a5ceudsthe prospect chan
ges. The river expands to an ample
width. Little towns appear upon It's
borders, and its banks rise in steep
bluffs. Yet the woodsdo not give way,
but throughout lis eh.ire raFigaole
length fringe it continually. From
these hang festoJns Of gray moss, pre-
senting a wind appearance. Occasion
ally tracts OF cleared land are seen Odl
the greater part Of the country IS cover
ell with timber. There are Itch bottom
lands extending upon each side OF the
stream from Il half mile, 10 mIl2 ana
a half in width. During the winter
season they are often h%oodcdby tresheto
and the sediment deposited renders
them inexhaustibly fertile. Before the
war, in many places, they were protec-
ted by vast levees, raised by slIyelabor,
but since, have fallen into decay, and
in what we're cleared fields, q young
forest is now growing.
The towns are usually bailt back
from tie river upon tie highlands, out
J; of the reach OF the water. On the land
ings, warehouse are provided, bulls
| up from the ground on piles, to secure
| the freight. The high bluffs make 1t
| impossible to construct whaT,s upon
the upper part Of the river, and a /
freight is obliged To be rolled or CART
| ed by hand up the hills. Steamers lay
alongside of tue banks and by the aud
Of long planks discharge and receive
their cargoes. No bridges span the
| stream Tor over one hundred miles, al
though at no point is il over three hun
| bred wards wide. Crossings are made
| by means of ferries. Usually the boat
! is nothing more than a common Scow,
drawn across by a rope, and is owned
BY II individual. When the current Is
! swift alter heavy rain, the passage IS
attended with considerable difficulty
and possible danger,
A large amount OF capital Is invested
in the lumber and single business on
the river. Saw mills are located at
various points end legs arefloated down
| 10 them nom The woods above. Tie
! shingles are manufactured by bands OF
colored men, directly in tie swamps,
| an . are wheeled out 10 the banks On
~WLeelharrUws, ton shipment. y tact
The width Of a simple plank, is laid tur
this purpose some times over a hai.
/ r.ile in length. The staple products o.
vlle country IS cotton, although wheat,
corn AMI otAer grains could We proiiIa-
| Div cultivated. The farmers however,
prefer to plant cotton alone, seldom
raising enough else to feed tLeir stock.
Instead OF raising her Owl neat they
buy il in Norfolk OF Baltimore, ike
wise flour and potatoes. No manure Is
slvcd uuou the farms but expensive
guauos are used il its pace. Drafts
are made upon a commission merchant
FOR al these, It's tiley aIe needed, from
time to time during the year, and Sc
curlty IS given upon the crop. When
this is gathered it is Shipped to HIM
for sale, and deductlng The amounts
due him from tie sales too often moth.
ing remains.
TIC plantations are usually Of I'M
mense size c0ntaniuglrom seyeA hun
drcd 10 five thousand acres. Thee
large tracts are usually leased in pUr
lions to terants, the owner furnishing
the stock and utensils OF hall the crop,
or are rented to persons providing all,
lhe materials, for onetourtn OF the prI-
ceeds. Cotton is usually planted bout
tile lat,Hr part of April or the first OF
May and is gatheredas it opens, from
the first of October 10 the first OF jan
uary. 1t is picked from the bail and
taken to the gin, where it is separated
from the seed, and there pressed AID
baled and rendered ready for shipment.
The climate is exceedingly variable
in winter. The wind, blowing from
the South across the gulf stream, but a
few miles from the coast, brings a warm
delightful air and then in a few n,urs,
shifting to the North, nay produce "a
change of thirty degrees in tenpera-
ture. Snow and sleet however never
! remain over a few hours on the ground,
and this spring, following the uioSt Sc
we're storm Of the season, the first yi0-
lets made their appearance At tbi
writing the Windows and doors are ali
open and Dire is not needed Tor cautort.
The leaves are b STEERING upon Ii trees
and all nature Is rejoicing over his le-
lease from waters rhalaom. III sum.
mor it is oppressive warm in the low.
.ands upon the river.
Quauti,ies Of deer and viii tm}.ey,
roam through the swanps aud il j.
not an unusual sight to see one IF them
swimming The s;ieam. Smaller gam,
such as cartridges, ducks, miuks. musk.
rats, oi o ms AMI coous re ahu dant
and, in s,maor lie secluded mill ponds
a few beavers sill remain. F|Ielueutl,
the marks of their teeth can Ire seer