The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-02-21
Our 0liu.
A Healthy Swamp.
From Country Gentleman.


partly in Virginia and partly in North
Carolina 1t is hard to tell where it begins
or where it ends. 1t may, however, be
said to begin at a point about eight miles
south of Norfolk, Va, and extends in a
general southerly direction for a distance
of nearly 40 miles. Its general width is
about % miles. 1t therefore embraces
about 1000 square miles, or 100000 acres
of territory.
The soil is of dark color and of peaty
nature, so much so that when a swamp gets
unusually dry the fires that are started there
burn for weeks in the soil, burning out
large holes in the ground several feet in
depth. II is brought down to the tradi-
tions of the Indians that Lake Drummond,
body of water in the middle of the swamp,
covering about % square miles of surface,
was burned out, making a large depression,
into which the waters flowed when the
rains came again, and which has been a
lake to this day.
Most swamps are on low ground, lower
than the land adjoining. But the Dismal
Swamp occupies higher ground than the
adjacent lands; it is q feet higher than
mean tide in Norfolk harbOr, and consid-
erable higher than the land to the east,
north or south of it. Only at the west
ward do we see higher land. Therefore
the water is held in this swamp as it is held
in sponge. Four or five good sized
streams and several smaller ones have their
headwaters in this swamp, and flow away
to the sea, TO the south, east and north.
If large bitches were ding from the outer
limit of this swamp to the lake at the cen
tire, the waters of the lake would run out
like the waters of a mill-race, and the swamp
would soon be drained
Strange as it may appear, there are no
influences emanating from this
swamp. Most swamps are hotbeds of dis
ease breeding, mosquitoes and malaria.
Not so with the Dismal Swamp. Its
waters are not only pure and sweet at all
seasons of the year, but have fine me-
licinal properties This swamp is covered
with iuniper, therefore the water is strong
" impregnated with the juniper, which
gives it color just like that of cold tea or
vinegar, and which deals very kindly with
the kidneys.
This water is used largely for drinking
purposes by those who can get it, and
Government vessels leaving Norfolk harbor
for long ocean voyages fill their tanks with
This juniper water from the Great Dismal
Swamp because of its purity, its medica
properties and its fine keeping properties.
l. Is . fact that it keeps longer and better
than any other water that can be obtained
by our seagoing vessels. We doubt if
here are three cities in the Union supplied
with better water for domestic purposes
han the water from this swamp. 1t is a
ract well known to the natives here, that
f n man is broken down with oyerwork or
almost any chronic disease, he can take his
rod and gun and plunge into the recesses
,l this swamp-drink juniper water-sleep
IN juniper boughs-and breathe the juni-
Der air; and come out in few weeks
we'll man. The fact is, this swamp breeds
neither mosquitoes nor malaria, and has no
1uhealthful influence on the surrounding
country.
The Dismal Swamp canal traverses this
rack nearly its entire length, north and
south. This canal is fed by the waters of
Lake Drummond. Three railroads also
,ut across its northern limits on their way
10 deep sea terminus in Norfolk harbor.
In addition to these we have the "Jericho
Canal and "Washington's Ditch.
In this connection | may mention the
fact that George Washington, with his own
real little hatchet, surveyed in this swamp,
and knew it better in his day than any man
has since. He surveyed and located the
Dismal Swamp canal, which was forty years
in building-the entire work being done
with spade and wheelbarrOw. 1t is un-
doubtedly the oldest canal, with one ex-
ception, in the United States. In survey
inc it there was found section of several
miles in length, where the ground was lit
eralIy filed with sunken timber in perfect
state of preservation. The process of re-
this timber was so slow and expen-
sive, with the simple machinery of those
days. that the canal was banked up, so to
sneak. and runs above the level of the sur
country The soil on the margin
of the swamp is very rich, indeed. Some
of the finest crops of corn and grass | ever
saw were grown on such soil. Bears are
still to be found there, and steal the farm
ers' pigs and calves and eat his corn within
Is miles of Norfolk, just as they did 100
years ago. The deer and fox also are
found here. Large areas of the swamp
are covered with reeds, which make fine
pasturage both in summer and during a
greater part of the winter. In excavating
in the swamp, workmen, after passing
through several feet of dark, rich soil of .
peaty nature, strike something that some
what resembles blue clay, but which is
undoubtedly species of mari.
This shows conclusively that at one day
the old ocean rolled over the area now GOV
cred by the swamp. When the eheaI
Government lands of the West shall hav,