The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-11-01
DISMAL SWAMP.
A Strangely Constructed Canal
That Penetrates Its Depths.
A Lake That Was Dug by q
Flash of Lightning.


more Sun, the Dismal Swamp Canal ia
Virginia was ono of tho most important
artificial waterways in the United
States. In these days Of rapid railroad
transportation, however, aud owing to
the competition of tn, Aibemarlc and
Chesapeake canal, which parallels it, it
has dropped somewhat out Of sight,
though it is still considerably patron
lied. it is ono of the oldest canals in
tho country, ard its management is
probably the Oldest incorporated COM
pany of its kind. George Washington
was prominently connected with it, and
he found it a very available mean, of
obtaining supplies when he was con-
tending with CORVALLIS at Yorktown.
There was no Eastern Virginian Of
prominence aud wealth until tho begin
ming Of the century to the beginning Of
the late war who was lot in some way
or other identified with it.
Mr.. Marshall Parks, the Supervising
Inspector G ,neral of Steamboats,, whose
early days were passed in canal con-
structioq in Virginia, tell, an interest
ing and remarkable coincidental story
of the building of the canal. Nearly
two centuries ago the large land owners
of Virginia began to penetrate the dark
and gloomy wilds of the Dismal Swamp
in search of juniper and cypress shin
giles. The greatest difficulty with which
they had to contend, however, was the
soggy condition of tho soil, in which
the wheels of their carts sank to the
hubs. Tho further they penetrated the
swamps this diff ,ulty became greater,
and at last they resorted to the expedi.
ent OF digging a narrow and ill-shapen
ditch just deep enough to float small
fat boat. Down this canal the timber
wa, foated to D,ep Creek, tributary
OF the Elizabeth River and thence to
the market at Norfolk. Year by year
the timber was cut away along the
banks of the ditch aud each year, as
tho demand for juaiper and cypress
shingles became greater, it was extended
further into the almost impenetrable
wilds of the forest.
The work was done altogether by
slaves, with shovels and pickaxes. The
use OF steam shovels was then uuk known
and unthou3ht OF. The towering cy-
press trees were also fclled and spit into
shingles by slaves, who were given
tasks each day by their overseers, and
for all shingles they made over the re-
quired amount they were paid extra.
One Sunday atterno oon they were visited
by their overseer, who was much sur
prised to hear several voices singing
away off in tho swamp. Their voices
sounded like faint echoes. He asked
the slaves who lived constantly in the
swamp il they knew the men who were
singing, and was told that they were
North Carolina slaves An investiga-
tion of their unexpected and rather in
truding presence was made, and the
fact was discovered that the North
Carolina landowners, like those of Vir.
giuia, about twenty miles away, had
experienced tho same difficulties oi
hauling lumber in the soggy and trcacher
Gus swamp, and had sent their slaves
into the wilds to dig a ditch to aid
them in their transportation of shingles
and lumber.
For years these two forces worked
Independently of each other and each,
strange to say, was digging unawares
towards. the other The two sections
Of the canal were joined, and the point
Of connection is marked by an angle.
The government and tho state Of
Virginia finally became interested in
the work, and the waters of Lake
Drummond were brought into requisi-
tion for feeding the canal. This lakc is
situated in tho ceatre of the swamp, and
the depression in which tho placid
water sparkles was made by fire cen
turies. perhaps thousands Of years, ago.
The whole swamp, in fact. represents
in modern age the conforming cpochs
of millions OF ysar, back in the goologi-
cal history o! the globe, a1d during an
exceeding y dry season-so dry, indeed,
that the Doggy soil was parched and
transformed into an inf immable clay,
flash OF lightning became the origin oi
big fire. Towering trees wero fclled,
the scrubby underbrush was laid low,
and then the flames ate their way, foot
alter foot, into the infammable soil,
and hollow circle was formed in the
ground. When the rains came this de.
preston became basin for the innum-
erable streams which trickled through
the forest, and was soon transformed
into lake.
The almost trackless swamp through
which the canal p,netrates is still valu-
able on account OF its ypress and juni-
per, the latter article becoming year by
year more and moro scarcs and exceed
ingly valuable. At one time single
shar, of stock of the Dismal Swamp
Land Company was worth as much as
$32 600. The tract originally taken up
and surveyed embraces 10000 square
acres. About half as many additional
square acres are now embraced in the
forest. Bear, wander unm olested iu
its tracklcs, depths. and thu deadly
rattlcr basks himself in the sun without
fear of man. Birds Of brilliant plumage
fly from limb to limb of the huge and
high cypress trees, and sing their carols
from dawn to dark unseen, visible to-
day in the course of the canal.