The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-09-05
a Quaint Spot off the South Carolina
Coast.


neither be stepped upon nor sailed
upon. The birds know the place.
1t is set down in italics in all the
guide books for bird travellers going
South, and there is bound to be moro
than one foot note as to the quality Of
the food to be got there and the points
Of interest most worth visit. The
wild duck and wild goose legations
always patronizc Jchosscc. The wild
turkey dotcs on it. And the marsh
hens, Poor Jocs, the garnets, cranes
and other delicate stcppers with a
taste for fish like the locality so we'll
that they keep lodgings there all the
year round. AS to the rest of the
world, the island is Of importance be-
cause Of the fine quality rice it grows,
and the long fibre cotton, first cousin
to silk, that is coveted by European
manufacturers, there being also a
handful Of people who know the place
as an old Governor property, famous
for the beauty Of its grounds and the
admirable management which kept
500 slaves together there in comforta-
bic temper and condition, yet so we'll
trained and habituatcd to system that
the fertile lands were made to yield to
the utmost.
You can't take Jehosscc by surprise
and walk in on her whatsoever you
will, as you may walk in upon New
York or the National Capital or other
places betrayed to greatness. No
tickets are to be got having Jehossee
stamped as destination and guaran-
tceing to land you there. The way is
in cipher, known only to the initiated,
and the visitor must make sure he is
wanted and have his camping prepared
for. Thence, once under the agents 8
care, landed safe on sandy little
bluff among the rushes, where stout
horse and buggy wait in charge Of
negro who will pilot the way, unique
experience is in store. There is this
about thc rice field horse to begin
with:
Hold her sort of tight, sah," the
man cautions as he turns over the
reins. "Rice field horse does move
quick less'n he bog. Highland horse
now will slow up for place, but dis
here kind will step off faster the worse
he find the road"
And sure enough the powerful,
willing creature strides over the ground
quite reckless Of consequence, no mat
ter how dubious the way.
The road through the woods is tor
tuous, soggy, doubling itself to avoid
fallen trees and quagmires; then it is
explained that this is the back en-
trance to the plantation proper, and
that the roads used commonly for
hauling the stores and provisions for |
the planter lie on the othor side of the |
island. "Dis here cook kitchen woods |
and dey is powerful feared up from de
Storm" the guide observes. "Fore
freedom the black people was fetch
out here to camp whenever there was
sickness breed 'mongst 'em. Den
derc was good clearin' made and de
road keep de right course, but nobody
come through here much now 'ccptin'
to hunt
The cook kitchen woods are stocked
thick nth palmetto, laurel and bay
trees, great, sincwy cypress knees and
keen-bladed Spanish bayonets glisten-
ing over ground black and productive,
but SO stiff and sticky that it is no
Wonder the horse steps gingerly and
GETS over it as fast as possible. The
oalmettos shoot upward as tall as the
zines, their trunks tough and resist
,nt, their shocky crests we'll aloft to
catch the light. The last turn in this
most shut in of forest ways brings the
house place into view, and the horse,
certain now Of footing, trots free and
clear over q level roadway winding be-
tween wcll-tended cotton fields and
past cabin doors where shy.eyed pick
aninies look out and timid hens mar
shaling the years brood take alarm at
the vehicle and scurry for shelter.
1t takes years on years and good
stock and laying out at the start to
give place the look of these Jehos-
see. grounds. The island is all one
patrimony Of 1000 acres. It has
never been divided up into ten and
twenty acre lots and parcelled out to
negroes, as was the case with neigh
ss..:::s leland, where the var;ens
estates were confscated. And it has
never gone into the trucking busineso
and had bridge run over on it to
connect it with railroad system.
= ~