The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-09-18
Written for the Democrat Star.
THE MYSTERIOUS MUSIC"
or The
PAScAoouLA RIVER.

PASCA0ouLA RIVER.
Facts are facts and fiction is lct tiOn
With that truth rs our guide we de
sire to present few Introductory re-
marks In connection with the p0cm
below.
This c0untry's romantic history !.
replcte with many legends, both OF tlit
humorous and the pathetic class; bul
We doubt If, among them, there coult
be found one whose story could more
deeply touch the heart lcven OF the
nineteenth century "pale-face') than
the legend wherein is told the story
OF the unhappy, though heroic, deaths
Of the young chleftain, Olustee,
Mona, the Indian maiden, and those
undaunted warriors who yielded up
all that was near and dear to them in
Il grand but unavailing struggle mot
so much in their own behalf as III the
defense Of their young chief and his
hapless bride.
The legend embodied in the poem
below has descended to us from the
days Of our grandsires, who, in their
turns, learned it from the lips Of those
who were all that were left OF the
mighty Pascagoulas-one of the tribal
triumvirate along what is now known
as "The Gulf Coast"-a tribe cele-
bratcd for its fiery and undaunted
spirit, who, up to that black day of
their undoing, held lordly sway over
the land where now PascagOula,
Scranton and Moss Point stand in
peaceful repose.
The forests and shores no longer
echo and re-cclo to the "blOOd.curd-
ling" war-wh00p of the painted Indian
warrior: no more is the rcd mans
canoe skimming the waters OF the
rivers and the bays, the bayOus and
the lakes, but, in their places are
heard the whistles Of the mill, the
factory, the locomotive and the steam
boat, whilst on the river and out In
the bay, the white-winged craft sail
to and fro, an unauestioncd fact that
the mighty advancement of civiliza-
tiOn-tlie supremacy of the white
race-lias Overshadowed and buried
that of the "red-skin' forever!
Yes! those who fought and died
upon that wocful early morn for a
principle which made each OF them
hero and heroine indeed IA tribal holo-
caust upon the altar of loyal devotionD
have long since gone to "tlie happy.
hunting-gr0unds" Of their race-thc
rcd-man's heaven. Still, through the
power OF imagination and tradition,
they have left to us as a ceaseless re-
minder Of their glory and their
deaths-the as yet undiscovered origin
or cause Of the Pascagoula Rivers
Mysterious Music!
Still, with the glamour OF romance
cast upon us through the influence of
the Legend OF the Pascagoulas," it
pleases us to think and say IA harm
less bit Of localism) that the mys-
terious music which is to be heard at
different points along the river, are
the spirits Of the departed braves tell
ing, in mournful strains, the story of
their defeat and deaths. BE that as
it may, to hear it for the first time
creates within the minds of many
vague surmiscs as to its origin or
cause. and even so effects the nerves
as to create saddening feeling. Well
may the author Of the poem speak Of
it as
"wierd. ghosly notes no human voice could raise
Many have listened to it entranced;
they have compared it to some Of
'carth's sounds;' others, again, have
declared to the writer that no other
sounds that have ever fallen upon
their ears arc tn be compared to the
"wcird, ghostly notes" which, rising
from the rivers depths, soon fiji the
surrounding air. The nearest COM
parison to the ''n0tes" Of this most
mysterious Of strains, are those we
hear from an E0lan harp when play.
cd upon by not too strong a wind.
These parts of the river at which
"the mysterious music" can be heard
the loudest and most distinctly, are
in front of the villa Ada Place." on
the east bank Of the river just above
historic "Snakc Bayou at the mouth
OF which the remnants Of theunhappy
Pascagoulas met their .self-infiictcd
deaths; or, along the rock break-water
In front of the Lighthouse, which
stands upon point OF land on the
west side known as Spanish Point"
Just where the river empties into the
bay.
THE MURMURTNG-TIDE