Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-04

countryside as Samson's Maui. TO the
pranches OF these old cypress cling
small wisps of Spanish moss and the
gray boards of lichens that resemble 1t.
nus we found the swamp in May.
In III July very different was its seeming.
ihen itfwas less trouble to appreciate
the significance OF Its time honored
name Dismal. which can hardly be
very inappropriate, since in Eastern
North Carolina 1t has come to be the
generic appcliation for all timbered
swamps. Every day heavy rains fell
and drenched us soreIv. Surely tha
Dismal Swamp is at such times the
wettest of places, for not only do tor
rents descend from the skies, but the
long, flexible stems OF the cane are ex-
luisitety adjusted so that the water
tripping from them can nicely slip
GOWN the backs of suffering humanity.
AND the yellow flies, Speak of yellow
liies TO him who has visited the Dismal
swamp in midsummer. and YOU shall
listen to real eloQuence Something
might also be said upon the subject Of
mosquitoes.
Inc INITIATED are likely to bear Won
derful tales of the SERPENT life of tho
great Dismal Swamp. and there is II
certain amount of foundation for them,
although one must allow FOR the sad
tact tnat III the presence of snakes MS
OF hsh the most ardent lover OF truth
is likely to so as;ray. In spring one
sees Few snakes in the swamp. But
IN July. especially upon u summer day,
they crawl out upon The ends of tho
canes and bushes that overhang the
canal Then. as one poles along. there
Is Il series of quick spashes as snake
after snake drops into the water One
We!i-%rown water moccasin made IL So
rious characterization and landed in our
boat. There he remained an hour or
A. IN
bolder. he crawled our 10 meet his fate
| in the shape of Il paddle blade More
pleasant 10 the eye are the small turtles
or snappers. no larger than our COM
mon tortoise. that abound in the
| bitches. Their back shells are be-
| sprinkled with spots OF orange.
The water of the swamp is one Of Its
| most interesting features. The color OF
it is n rich dark coffee brown as seen in
| the canals and in Lake Drummond, but
| nearly that of sherry when II small
amount IS taken up. This is due to the
| vast quantity of finely devlded vegeta-
Bile matter ii contains. Notwithstand-
| ing. II makes an excellent. hcalthful
| drinking water, pleasant in flavor and
| II one may believe the local sagcs, tonic
| III It's properties by reason of the parti-
| cles OF Juniper wood suspended in IT,.
| it was formerly much i'm request for
supplying ships about To depart on long
| voyages. The antiscptic virtue of this
| water is marvellous Stumps and logs
| ot cypress that have long been buried
beneath the surface of the swamp re-
main in excellent preservation: and,
now that the best of the standing tim
| Der has been removed. they are being
sought by lumhermcn. Berries keen
| their color and Dlumpness for months
| i'm the water.
The Dismal Swamp. contrary to pom
uiar impression. is not an unhealthful
place Malaria is said to be unknown
lhere ana we were told TINT people
| visit the swamp in order to ret rid of
II. IN that distant time which the
south knows as before the war" when
SeiioW FEVER was n periodical scourge In
Norfoik. an enternrisng hotel keeper
put up frame building on the shore of
LAKE, Drummond and advertised n
healtn resort. The place was soon
crowded with refugees from the pcsti-
fence. and throvc for Il while Rut p,id
summer came and with it the yellow
llieS ana mosquitoes. when straightwuy
quests ana employees left that botni
never more to return
autumn Is a delightful season for "a
VISIT 10 the Great Dismal csreciail,, IF
one is In search of sport with in,. or
,io'suh: Up to Thanksgiving, at least
'he air is soft and mild a light hnyc
rests upon tho lake and forest throurb
Wn'cn SioWs the brilliant scarlet M The
req maple foliage, the bronze nurnIo
ol me swectgum anu the ycllows and
browns OF other dying leaves. Tho
small ponds scattered through the
swamp are visited then by MANY ~ nocl,
o. brant and geese and ducks on thoi,.
way TO the sounds of North Carolina
ihen the 'possums grow sleek and f,t
upon persmmons and papaws, or nos
sum POCKET apples, as they are called IN
.ne DISMAL swamp. Then. TOO. tho
pIack fruits of the cotton gum. or To-
caily panaw. attract the hungry eyes
or Master Bruin. Uncle Joshua, a kind
~ OLD coiored man, who leads a her
mits life ina shack on the lake shore
deiighting with his simple humor nnd
snod nature every visitor to the swamp
gave us a graphic description OF the
way pears cimb the trees and feed up
on these fruits. an YOU can hear dem
poppin' 'em 'atween their teeth q Iorr
way off"
II we were content with such honest
~ comedy food, Bruins life would h,
happy ana respected TO great old age.
Tor the odds are somewhat heavily
against his career being terminated NV
hunters rifle. But. when the heauti-
ful golden corn stands ripe beneath the
autumn MOON, and the field seems
abandoned to his pleasure. it is not in
bear nature TO resist the temptation TO
go marauding. Then. as he ambles
ciumsily along, he is likely to cncoun-
ter the cruel wire which pulls the trig-
ger OF n cunningly set gun. and 10 get
skin full OF sluss and bullets for his
pains. | saw one day bears hide
nailed up on a barn door on one of the
large farms that border the SWAMP
The sight recalled to mind many a de-
lightfully shasliy tale of heads display
ed on Temple Bar and OF thieves creal
l0g, III Ma ms al - Z rpccrnnj-
rake il when one will or can. the
Great Dismal has a charm that fails
upon all who go on pilgrimage thithcr.
The very loneliness and vast wlldncss