The steamer Champion brought us in nine hours to Pensacola, well known as a United States’ Naval Station. We took the steamer Leroy for Lagrange, with three passengers, passing through Santa Rosa sound; the island of the same name rose in the distance, by moonlight, like a walled city, with some verdure and shrub trees, and the beach of white sand appeared like snow; the main land, covered with live oak, has been purchased by Government, for ship building. We left Pensacola at five P.M. and arrived at Lagrange in time for breakfast, and took stage for Choctahatchie, Dead Lake, where we left the conveyance and went a mile and a half in small boats to connect with another stage coach. This Dead Lake is surrounded with cypress trees, and abounds with alligators; a huge fellow, with distended jaws, showed himself beside our little canoe; we fired a musket shot and he sank. We crossed the Choctahatchie, a rapid stream, in a small boat, walked up the hill to a barn, and found a stage to proceed. Magnolias of immense height were found in the everglades in abundance, and in full bloom. A day’s ride from Lagrange brought us to the village of Mariana; we stopped at Holmes’ Village, P. O., and dined by the road in a log-house, in a wilderness of pines; we could look through the sides and roof of this dwelling. The woman said she had nothing in the house for dinner, which was true: salt bacon, corn bread, and buttermilk, were the prominent articles. At Mariana, twenty-seven miles from the Chattahoochie, we found supper and the first signs of a town since we left Pensacola. Leaving Mariana, the stage had seven passengers inside and three outside, with heavy luggage; coming down Chipola hill, the equilibrium was almost lost; we were going over when the driver let the horses go to save an upset, and they ran away. A refractory horse has given us a good fright. We crossed the Apalachicola river in a flat, poled up the stream, and took the current to the opposite bank; negroes lay by a camp fire waiting for the boat. Walked a mile to Mount Vernon, and stopped at Scott’s new Arsenal and Magazine; the steamer coming in view, we heard the puff of steam fifteen miles. I took the steamer Commerce for Apalachicola; we had undertaken to haul a raft of timber, when we saw the Irvington coming. Come on, boys, says the Irvington. Don’t be alarmed, says the Capt. of the Commerce. Firemen all anxious, passengers hurried on board. Cut the hawser, cries the Capt.; now go it. The vibration of the boat was excessive; we could scarcely raise a cup to the lips at table; boilers and flues almost red hot, the upper deck grew so hot that my clothing in the trunk was heated through. The scenery is pretty, the trees and growth of underbrush and cane-brake, down to river bank of this serpentine river, are picturesque.
We beat our enemy, and he was obliged to round to, as a make-believe, for wood.
I found Apalachicola a small place, with some good brick stores; the shipping lies below, brigs and schooners only get over the bar. They are trying to make St. Joseph a rival, with a railway from Iola to the junction of the Chattahoochie and Flint rivers, but it is not probable that the river trade can be diverted from its natural channel. I visited cotton plantations to see the young plant growing, and the gins for dressing; saw the poisonous moccasin snakes, five feet long, and alligators in abundance. Visited Quincy, a county seat, in Florida; the stage had eleven passengers, nine inside, among the rest a gentleman’s black servant; in the night I found him fast asleep, quietly resting on my shoulder. I supped at Bainbridge, and tolerably well, and one man offered a Watumpka bill, to which the woman objected, and he said he could pay when he came along again. He left his card to the amusement of all concerned. We halted at a place in the piny woods, where the man had his wife and a dozen white-headed, flaxy children, dirty as pigs; he said he was from North Carolina, and could give us corn bread and molasses, fat bacon, and three cups of coffee, for the whole party.
At twelve at night coming to a station, I found a part of my baggage and valise missing; I put a negro on the track and went myself in search through the woods; detached one of the lead horses and sent another negro in hot pursuit. I heard or saw some wild animals in the brush, and hurried up and found the boys who had found my baggage by the road-side, where it had fallen. Arrived at Macon, on the Ocmulgee river; it is a pretty city, with several churches, a young ladies’ seminary, one of the largest in the Union, besides several banks. Rode from thence to Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia, thirty-six miles; a rough country, scenery different from that of Florida. A State Convention was being held to reduce the number of representatives in the Legislature. The public-houses were crowded. The Government House and States Prison are prominent buildings.
The heat and dust were overpowering. I took supper at Sparta at twelve at night, arrived at Warrenton at four A.M.; went to bed and slept for the first time in three days. I was rejoiced to find the first railroad since I left New Orleans; rode fifty-one miles to Augusta, on the Savannah river. The yellow nankeen cotton is produced in this section. They are now raising 20,000 bales of staple annually. The city has ten thousand population. There are many northern people among the residents; the markets, wharfs, public buildings, and society give evidence of thrift and progress. The Morus multicaulis speculation is now the rage. This reminds me of meeting a northern man in Matanzas, who proposes taking out plants to get the winter growth and profit by the advance of the cuttings. The bubble will soon burst. Hamburg, in South Carolina, lies on the opposite bank of the Savannah, connecting with a bridge, where are seen the fortifications of nullification days.
VI.
TRIP FROM AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, TO NEW YORK.
I left Augusta by the South Carolina Railroad for Charleston, stopping at Aiken, a dining station on the road, where a hurried dinner was taken, and the bell rung when the party was half through, which induced one of the number to snatch a roasted fowl, to the amusement of the passengers and chagrin of the landlord. The distance was one hundred and thirty-six miles, mostly in light soil and pine wood region. There were some good plantations. When in sight of the Four Mile House I recognised the spot which I had visited some years previous. The great oak trees were still standing as if clad in mourning, with the moss three or four feet in length hanging from the branches.
In the low humid regions of Texas, and upon the banks of rivers, are found large quantities of this material, which is dried and used for mattresses, cushions, etc., and is quite an article of commerce. My mind was carried back to my former retreat on Sullivan’s Island, upon which is situated Fort Moultrie, and which is the resort and residence of many who fly thither to enjoy the sea air, and to escape the fevers produced from the low banks of the Ashley and Cooper rivers, and the marshes in the neighborhood.
I tarried six days enjoying the hospitalities of numerous friends whom I had known there, and in Cuba. My health had suffered some from exposure, and I was happy to repose myself. The steamer Gov. Dudley took me to Wilmington, N.C., upon Cape Fear river.
The great quantity of saw-dust from the steam mills and bark from the tannery, filled up the low places. The trade of the place is in pitch, tar, and turpentine. I crossed over the river to look at the rice fields, which at will are flooded from the river. Gangs of negroes were engaged in hoeing and pulling out weeds.