The Coolidge examiner., 1933-01-20
Prepared by National Geographic Society
Gar..lcn

NM HEN the eastern HuHllHe
w season is at its height, the
usual quiet of the Dismal
Swamp, one of the famous hunting
grounds Of the eastern seaboard, is
broken by the crack of sportsmen's
guns.
Since it was first explored. Dis
NAL Swamp has remained a mystery
place. Its last Indian disappeared
around the 1790s, but in its depth II
is almost as wild today as it was
then. Neither fire nor ak has tanned
it. Though it has yielded about a
third of its original area TO the
plow. much of the remainder is an
unbroken wilderness on the Vir-
ginla-NOrth Carolina border.
George Washington's name is per-
manently linked with Dismal Swamp
and Lake Drummond. Soon after
the French and Indian war. Wash
ington and others, attracted by the
wealth of Juniper" in this region,
obtained a grant OF land and organ
lied the Dismal Swamp Land COM
pany. Washington made at least
six visits TO the great wilderness. to
which he refers In correspondence
as a glorious paradise"
One of the six bitches connect
ing Lake Drummond with the outer
world bears his name. IL extends
FIVE and a half miles from the
northwest shore of the lake to a
point on the White Marsh road, and
was dug to get timber from the
swamp to the Nansemond river,
near Suffolk. Thence the timber
went by ship to its destination.
Some went TO England.
A hamlet known as DISMAL
Town" grew up at the White Marsh
road end of the ditch. II has dis
appeared completely and the roads
course has been slightly changed.
In his will Washington valued his
1900 acres of Dismal Swamp hold
ings at about $4,000.
Today, to all except a very few,
the swamp's interior is as much of
a mystery as Yucatan. Men are
born. live, and die in towns that
touch Dismal Swamp's very edges
without ever having entered it.
Has a Bad Reputation.
The name given to the swamp by
Col. William Byrd in 172S; stories
of the ghosts of Lake Drummond /;
of venomOus serpents and poison
Gus plants; of savage descendants
of runaway slaves still roaming it's
depts; of fugitives hiding out and,
in recent years, of moonshiners that
kill on sight; of wild beasts and
"the noxious vapors that infest the
air'-all have created a feeling of
fear that has contributed to the
grim atmosphere that enshrouds
Great Dismal.
There are miles of dry forest
around Lake Drummond. but here
and there along the west "shore"
are holes that would mire you to
the waist. Near the headwaters of
PasquOtank river are holes that
4 would engulf you: Quicksands. also.
All over the peat areas are deep fire
holes. When the swamp is full OF
water and covered with vines. travel
is difficult and dangerous.
Dismal Swamp canal, connecting
Hampton roads with Pasquotank
river and Albemarle sound. begins
at the village Of Deep Creek, six
miles southwest of Portsmouth. It
Is 50 feet wide and navigable for
vessels with seven-foot draft.
However forbidding many people
regard Dismal Swamp's exterior
few can view the mouth of the
Feeder ditch from the George
Washington highway without be-
coming enthusiastic. While it passes
through the wide. reedy. treeless,
and vine matted expanse the Feed
er's banks are lined with stately
trees for most of it's three miles.
In springtime there are jasmine.
honeysuckle, and other fragrant
flowers. In places it resembles n
sylvan tunnel. as. enchanting and
alluring, it runs straight as an ar
row into the mysterious and roman
tic depths toward Lake Drummond.
Otter slides along the banks, and
bear trails where old Bruin swims
the canal in passing from open
space to open space. add zest to the
journey. In summer the logs and
roots that jut from the banks, and
often the overhanging limbs, swarm