The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-05-21
LOG OF The GOOD
ship MERCEDES" :"
CAPT. CONSTElN GIVES AN INTEREST.
ing ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP UP
The RIVER.
Editor COUNTY RECORD:

town up BLACK river 10 CnlS piace OH
my gasoline boat, the "Mercedes"
1.-THE name you gave to l). think of
IIt1iaking a change in the name of the
Fboat, and if | do, | will call it the
Pastime, as the boat is like company
for nj and when | am tired of the
land | take to the boat and that is
the best pastime Can have. So now
l will begin to tell about my trip
from here to the upper waters of
Black river. NV fortress is the
good greenwood, my trust the
cypress tree. and the great Brewing
ton swamp my old time hunting and
fishing grounds, something l like to
talk about as we'll as the warm
hearted friends | have on both sides
of the river from Kingstree to Man
ming, Sumter on the west side, and
from Kirgstree to Brick church and
Mayesville on the east. Many have
gone to their reward, some of them
long ago, and | will name some of
them in this letter; some who were
,well-t, do and had an abundance of
this worlds goocs and some In very
humble circumstances, but all treat
ed sPoor Conrad" kindly and gave
him warm welcome whether he came
atJsupper time or before breakfast.
>NOur boat left the landing at
Kingstree at half past two p. m,
April 27. | had for company Mr..
Henry Reardon, of the Mouzon sec
ton, Harry Britton and Johnny
Reardon, of this place. The boat
glided along quite lively and we
made the mouth of Montgomery
lake, distance of sixteen miles, i'll
one hour and fifty eight minutes;
the distance from Montgomery lake
to Mouzon's bridge is said to be
eight mi es. The time made from
Kingstree to Mouzon's was two hours
aud fifty five minutes. We would
have made the run of twenty-four
}miles without a single stop, or the
tleast slack of engine, but Mr.. Henry
Reardon had us to stop to get a mess
uf fine fish out of his traps. He lives
near the bridge and his land joins
the place that I owned once, but be-
longs to MIR. VIM. Young atpresent.
We spent the night with Mr.. Henry
Reardon and his wife, one of the
smartest little women, gave us a well
come and hot supper of fish and
several cups of stimulating coffee. l
was made to feel so much at home |
had to practice old Mr.. John Rear
don's habit of pulling off my coat,
shoes and socks and warming the
bottom of my feet at the fire, as it
had began to rain and our shoes
were pretty we'll soaked by the time
we got to the house. We had had
quite pleasant nights rest, had a
big feather bed all to myself and
slept until awakened in the morning
by the scent of fish in the frying
pan. We had the kind of meal de-
scribed by an Irishman by the name
of John Kinney, from Sumter, who
was member of my company in the
Civil war. John was a great talker
ard could palaver well, and when he
would go out on foraglng cxpedi-
tion in the army in Virginia and
would happen to get good square
meal in the country he would boast
of getting "beautiful dinner that
day. Poor Johu He, like many
others, gave his life for the Cause
that was lost.
On April 2Sth We left Mouzon's 5
bridge about half past 5 o'clock Il,
m. The river was pretty high at
this place, but the boat could pass
under the bridge, the engine missing
the bridge st,rngers by two inches.
We took oar time and arrived at
Epps' bridge in about half hours
rgr. We blew our foghorn TO let
fhe folks know that We We're coming
n.y. Mr.. Dan Epps and some Of his