The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-02-02
The Dismal swamp.

The region of the Dismal Swamp was
intended. BY nature to be pleasure ground,
health resort, and game preserve for
the eastern side of the continent. In spite
of all that has been done aud left undone
to destroy it, the swamp itself is, probably,
the healthiest spot in America. Its deli
cious juniper water proven malaria more
efiectually ard perfectly than the famed
eucalyptus of Australia The flying game
Of the continent centers in this region, and
the lake IN winter is the best 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 the nation
or the State. Its original undoing was
probably some accident or cataclysm of
nature, changing a water-cOurse or open
ing crater-like spring or number Of
springs. But the remedy from the first
was as easy and as open to intelligence as
the tapping of vein 20 prevent plethora
The lake, it is probable, was the center
and the cause of the swamp, and IS proved
by the streams flowing out Of 1t, instead OF
into it. Its Overlooking waters, when
swelled BY rains or springs, finding no
natural channel Of escape, rose foot by foot
to the very lip of the cup, covering the
beach aud threatening the densely wooded
shore. In this way have been brought the
singular conditions of the lake, which,
Instead of being the lowest, IS the highest
portion Of Dismal Swamp. 1t could be
pierced aud drained at any point, and
reduced TO patural and beautiful proper
tons. Its overflow, instead Of constantly
deluging the surrounding land, could be
guided in 10000 sparkling channels to
enrich and adorn its wonderful environ
ment. The lake Of the Dismal Swamp Is,
bv survey, about twenty-three feet higher
than the sea, and is not fifteen miles from
fide-water, the intervening land being a
level slope, and, except for the trees,
exceedingly easy to channel. And, stranger
still. the channels have been dug for over
one hurdred years, but they are locked
I'D at the outer ends with wooden gates.
Ponder on this marvellous fact the lake
Of the Dismal Swamp, ; miles by p in
extent, and from Z to 10 feet in depth,
Is situated on the side, and almost on the
top Of bin, aud yet it creates by overflow
an around il for about 1000 square miles,
enc of the densest and darkest morasses
on the surface of the earth. In 1853
George Washington surveyed the Dismal
Swamp. and discovered that the western
side was much higher than the eastern,
and that rivers ran out Of the swamp, and
not into It. He then wrote that the
swamp was neither plain nor hollow,
but hillside A member Of the National
Geological Survey recently entered the
Dismal Swamp, proceeding westward from
the Dismal Swamp canal toward the lake,
aud found that the rise in the land was
) feet in seven miles We met this gen
tleman, Mr.. Atkinson. within the bounds
Of the swamp, and on hearing his state
ment, asked him: ~Couid the lake be
lowered aud the swamp drained with such
an incline ?" Certainly" be said. at
is very decided watershed An opening
from the lake to the tide, on the Elizabeth
River on the one side and the Pasquotank
on the other, would have fall Of y Gle
feet IN distance Of something less than
fifteen miles.