The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-17
The Dismal Swami.

J. Boyle O'Reilly In the Boston Herald
The region of the Dismal Swamp was I'M.
tended by nature to be a pleasure ground q
health resort and agame preserve for the east
ern side of the continent. In spite of all that
has been done and left undone to destroy it,
the swamp itself is probably, the healthiesb
spot in America. Its delicious juniper water
prevents malaria more etfectually and perfect-
ly than the famed eucalyptus of Australia.
The flying game of the continent centres in
this region, and the lake in winter is tho besb
shooting ground in the country. Now that
wealthy clubs and individuals are buying up
the coast shooting, this Incompatible natural
preserve ought to be secured for tho nation or
the state.
Its original undoing was probably some acct
dent or cataclysm of nature, changing q water
course or opening q crate-like spring or num-
Der Of springs. But the remedy from the first
was as easy and as open to intelligence as the
tapping OF vein to prevent plethora. The
lake. it is probable, was the centre and the
cause of the swamp, and is proved by The
streams flowing out of, instead Of into it, Its
overilhWing waters, when swelled by rains or
springs, find no natural channel of escape, rose
foot by foot to tho very lip of the cup cover.
ing the beach and threatening the densey
wooded shore.
IN this way has been brought the singular
conditions Of the lake, which instead of being
the lowest, is tho highest portion of the Dis
nal Swamp. 1T could be pierced and drained
at any point and reduced to natural and beau
tllui proportions. ltS Overflow, instead OF cons
stantly deluging the surrounding land, could
be guided in 10000 sparkling channels to en-.
rich and adorn Its wonderful environment.
The lake of the Dismal Swamp is, by survey,
about twentv-three feet higher than the sea,
and Is not fifteen miles from tide water, the
intervening land being level slope, and ex-
cept for the trees, exceedingly easy to channel.
And, stranger still, tho channels have been
dug for over one hundred years. but they are
locked up ut the outer ends with wooden
gates.
Ponder ON this marvellous fact The lake OF
the Dismal Swamp, miles by q in extent,
and from TO Is feet in depth, is situated on
yet it creates by overflow all around il for
about 900 square miles one of the densest and
darkest Increases on the surface Of the earth
In 1863 George Washington surveyed the Dis
NAL Swamp, and discovered that the western
side was much higher than the eastern, and
that rivers ran out of tho swamp, and not into
| it, He then wrote that the swamp was ''neithcr
| plane nor hollow, but hillside" A mem
| Der Of the national geological survey recently
entered the Dismal swamp, proceeding west
ward from the Dismal Swamp canal toward
the lake, and found that the rise in the land
Yves 81 feet in seven miles. We met this gem
tleman, Mr.. Atkinson, within the bounds OF
the swamp, and ON hearing his statement
asked him: Gould tho lake be lowered and
the swamp drained with such an incline 20
"Certainly,' he said, at is q very decided
water shed. An opening from the lake to the
tide, on the Elizabeth river ON the one side
and the Pasquotank on the other, would have
o fall Of % $40 feet in distance Of less than
fifteen miles"