Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-07
In THE DISMAL SWAMP.
There Is No Healthier Spot In the
World, Says a Scientist.
washington Post)

'sThe public at large has very erro-
neous idea of the Dismal Swamp saio
Professor William Palmer, chief taxider-
mist Of the Smithsonian Institution, who
has lust returned from trip through
the swamp.
"The idea seems to be that the swamp
is a low, marshy waste, with an uh-
healthy. fever breeding Atmosphere
Mace one enters at the peril OF his me-
both from the foul air and from the
sting of snakes. In point OF fact, ihere
is not a healthier place In the worid
than the Dismal Swamp. There are no
unhealthy, or even unpleasant, ooors'
Swamps. as generally known, are wastes
poorly drained and rendered unhealthy
by the rotten vegetation which Is le-
nosited IN the damp depressions. In the
Dismal Swamp the drainage Is perfect
THO coil Is sandy, and the water perco-
lates through the sand, making the InoSt
annroved system of drainage. The water
i'm the bitches themselves u not uhpiea
SAINT 70 the taste. 1t is dark in color
and rather thick, much OF the consistency
80 oor,ea vet we drank the water du-
ring our entire stay, and'slfered no III
effects In fact. we grew to like 1t. ana
/. for one, 1Cuhu IL hiu~i '''N'N f
than our Potomac water
"There is very little land; one might al
,,,ost cay there Is no land at all. The
soil. as / have said. is OF sand' ana rom
30 crows a vegetation OF considerable
size and of great density. rms satlu
,s few inches below the surface OF
Tho water and the woody vegetation,
growing and falling during generations.
has gradually formed a layer Of wood
and leaves. which rises a few inches
hove tho water in some portions In
the dry season this built-up layer Is OF
sufficient stability TO permit II beng useu
in the great lumber industries.
CT ake Drummond Itself is nothing more
than a depression in the swamp 1t Is
obIong i'm shape. being about three and
a balf miles long by three miles VIDE
ord I'm no Mace is It deeper than thirteen
Got Tie lake is invaluable for trans
norting the lumber, and is now being USED
as feeder for the ship canal being puii'
20 connect Elizabeth City with Ports
mouth ,,. ,be
.This will not drain the swamp; the
-, viii never be drained; ii would DC
~ little use II 1t was. Some enorts were
made to drain the great area put tn'
scheme only succeeded in lowering th'
u,ater In places ten miles from the pouN
daries of the lake The SOIL tnus uls
closed is very sandy, and although II y
being cultivated to some extent II Is no
sufficiently valuable TO render such
scheme financially profitable.
"Tbe great commercial value OF th'
svaron Is its inexhaustible supply OF TIM
her The region is covered TO such ar
extent with a thick growth that one find'
the swami dark on the brightest days
Tho trees are OF enormous size, and We
found some cypress stumps which mea
sured fourteen feet In diameter "a
,hose sturps had been cut of years aii'
years ago. one can only imagine'what tn'
size must have been before the sturnp'
were worn down by the water. Diche'
hove heen Tug which traverse the swami
In all directions, and by these ditches ln'
lumbermen transport their logs 10 I'ah'
Drummond, and from there throush a,
outlet to Albemarle Sound. Inc iuiiipel
industry is by no means IN us INFANCY
there. over hundred years ago SOM
of the same bitches which are no" Il
use to-day We're dug. George NaShiiis
ton controlled heavy interests III ~
lumber industry, and when ne uieu nc ie
con ooo worth of stock in the several com
nj
rs exercised here for many years ah'
one of the principal waterways III use 10
So, was commenced and finished uhuel
his supervision and from plans iorniu'"' ''
by him. ...-oroel,, mar
.,. ond their great age IS evident from
H. Great mass Of moss overhanglnS 'h'
a-t,aciaI hanks on this moss, and afnOit
- hrapches on the banks, are 10 %
saoc enormous numbers Of snakes, VIII
,,hich the region Is infested. The SNAKES
are not poisonous. ana are hdIilie9S
Stfu few persons care TO see SNAKES a.
~ time The snakes are OF the specie'
,,rou,n &c the king snake, like this one
- Mr. Palmer drew from pox
anaLo about & feet long and or the GU
o,,n,ference of an ordinary inkweN ln'
snake Immediately coiied itset 'isn,l,
around Mr.. Palmers arms, ana VIZ
hrIpht sun brought into view All ln'
beauty OF the firm, black scales lhee
with white. The darker scales wei
beautiful in the iridesceht raihDo" 80
ing. and Mr.. Palmer explained no" Wv
rings and head easily showed IL 10 NC
harmless snake. -,.,,.ha-
20 no seen" continued Mr.. Palmer, "tneA
80 not nests No snake is pest, ana
,,arson should never kill a snake wantoh
l., Tbev are OF lncalculable value FOL
the unceasing war which they way
against mice and vernlin. Every barn IL
the country has a blacksnake ana ever
farmer will tell you that IL Is worth III
weight in gold for the good 1t does durlnt
tho wear The pests Of the swamp regloi
are the mosquitoes and nies, wnlch ar
uncomfortably numerous during TINS sea
son ~ the year. Mosquitoes are Da'
enough hut they can be borne. The Mes
however are murderous IN their intent
They go forth in swarms, ana woe pet'u
The nerson or animal on whom they SET
lie Too small to be kept out by nettihs
tbav nenetrate every portion OF one
cIothine. and the only relief Is by Jump
ing into the water. ..,s..
"To return TO our original suoJee.'
said Mr.. Palmer. In conclusion, IN
s;cbt which was viewed by the first mai
Who entered the Dismal Swamp by wa
of Lake Drummond must have been on
Of the most beautiful which nature MAJ
shown 10 man. As Is evident from TN
stumns 10 be found circlng the lake, IN
an,ira lake was lined with a forest
enormous and beautiful expresses. 8, II
and IA feet in diameter. The branches IN
,aymingled in an impenetrable mass, ano
covered with tropical moss and foliage
toe scene in all its silent grandeur we.
che most stupendous spectacle OF God
nature | can possibly imagine