The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1910-11-05

UUIQUE RELICS AT PASCAc0ULA.
Interesting Story Of Discovery Of Paseagoula
River by D'lberville Graveyard.

River BY D'lberviIIe Historic Graveyard.
In the month Of July, 1899 LIE Moyn'
D'Iberville, who was cruising along th'
shores of the Gulf of Mexico, hunting
for the mou4h of the Mississippi river
entered the broad estuary of the Pasca
goula river thinking it was the objec
of long search, We say "the broad es
tuary of the Pascagoula river" for i
must be borne in mind when the French
explorer came to this place there wa
no such things as the "East and Wes
Pascagoula rivers" and the broae
marsh islands that now separate these
two rivers and is known as Lowry:
island, had NO existence, and was moi
found on any map prior to 1922.
So that Lowry island, or the Delta Of
the Pascagoula, must have bean formed
some time after the visit of D'Iberver-
vile.
The explorer ascended the river and
on coming to anchor and going ashore
found only two natives-a man and a
woman-who told him that they be-
longed to the tribe of the Pascagoulas,
who had ascended the river On hunt
ing expedition.
Now, as to the name Pascagoula, Rev.
Father Ten Brink, a missionary priest,
who had spent ten years among the
Choctaw Indians of Neshoba county,
told the writer that no such word as Pas
cagoula is found in their language, but
they have the word "Pascaokla, which
means bread-eaters, and this is doubt
less the entomology of the name Pasca-
goula.
HEARD STRANGE SOUNDS.
D'Iberville kept journal while at
anchor in the Pascagoula, and in one
entry he says, that at night he heard a
mysterious sound coming up out of the
waters of the river and bay that sound
ed like someone was strumming guitar
or like the murmer of many voices. On
inquiring of the aborigines, they told
him that it was the voices of the dead of
the Pascagoulas, who great many
moons before had sought death in the
waters of the river to escape from their
foes, the Alabamians.
This mysterious sound has long since
become celebrated as "The Mysterious
Music of Pascagoula," and has formed
the subject of innumerable poems, good,
bad and indifferent. Scientists tell us
that this music is made by fish of that
Umbrina (drum) type but the "oldest
inhabitant" boots at this idea, and wants
to know "What did Darwin and g..
Browne Goode" know abont the fish of
the Pascagoula;;" and then he advances
theory of his own, but as there are as
many theories as there are inhabitants,
it is useless to discuss them.
After leaving the waters of the Pasca-
goula D'Iberville sailed along the coast
until he came to the Bay of Biloxi,
where he established his first settlement,
leaving it in charge of his brother Sau-
velle. So far as we are able to learn,
there was no settlement made at Pasca-
goula until 17l7, when a French eDgi-
neer, Colonel Dupont, came to Pasca-
goula and ascended the river until he
came to lake now known as Krebs lake
where built his fort of abode.
A STRANGE SHELL MOUND.
This fort is builded on an Indian shell
mound that rises some fifteen feet above
the level of the lake. This shell mound
is composed of an immense mass of shells
that the Indians threw away after eating
the contents. One digging down into
these shell mounds or heaps frequently
comes across human skeleton, bones
of animals and fish, pipes and pieces OF
Indian pottery. The strangest thing
about these heaps is that while they are
composed of clam shells, CLANS are not
found in the waters of Pascagoula bay
or river, though oysters are abundant
Oysters are found in these heaps, but it
is always near the top, and as you &c
down the oyster shells disappear and
only clam shells are found.
Colonel Dupont, having builded his
fort, began to trade with the Indians
returning TO France some years after
wards, leaving his colony in charge OF
his son-in-law, Augustin Krebs. Near
the fort and within stones throw of it,
Col. Dupont established a cemetery
for the members of his garrison, which
yet remains intact, and is the private
burying grounds of the descendants o1
| the two families of Dupont and Krebs
though at times they have permitted
| strangers to be buried there, but since
! the establishment of two public ceme-
teries there that privilege has been
withdrawn. The cemetery contains about
half an acre of ground and stands on 6
shell mound overlooking Krebs Lake
It is regarded as one of the show place;
of this city. From its northern gate
one can obtain fine view of Krebs Lake
and the Pascagoula FLYER, which flows
near by.-Chas. Z. Chidsey.
1t is said that President Taft's nexi
message will be written at sea he vii
not be the first President, however, tc
write a state paper while at sea.