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About The Georgia Jeffersonian. (Griffin, Ga.) 18??-18?? | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 1854)
VOL. XV. THE GORGH .PFERSOIi&I. IS PUBLISHED EVERT THCUSCAT MORNING BY WILLIAM CLINE, At Two Collars and Fifty {'Cents per an nnQi or Two Collars paidiin advance. A .>VKHT|Sh.M KNTS are Inserted #t ONE DOI.T.AR |>or so tin re, (or I lie first insertion, arid FIFTY CEJV TS per square, for cadi insertion t hereafter. A reiso-s .• rWsicoon will he made to those who n;tvr*f : >’ • tiv tlie year. Alt ,-rv.lisemeots e,t otherwise ordered, will beeort r. ,el till I’nrhtrl. 1” * .’.'7/. F.S OF LANDS hy Administrator.*, Mw-i'ors nr Oimdinns are required l>> law to he held oti tlie first Tuesday in the. month, between lh.* hours o ( ten in this forenoon anti three io tin f:ernoon, nl the Ooiiit-Monse, in the county in wtiidi the land is situated. Notice of these sale, itvi( he iven in ■> nnhlic gazette FORTY DJI IS pre*>ion ‘o tlie dav of SiI.ES OF NEGROES must he mar’cal p.if In: ntu'tmn on the first Tuesday of the month, l> tween tlie usual hours of sale, at the place of piih It sdi's in the county where the letters Testa tien'.iry, of Administration or Guardianship mti have been first .>ivin” FORTY /v7l notice ll.etcnfin one of the puhlte ii7.ettes ol ll S'a’i , an i at the court house w lune such paleaoi to kr held. Notice for sh Pile of Persona! Property must b e;,-,.'! in likmanner FORTY DAYS previous ; >t ne dav of sate. Notiee t. Debtors and Credi*nrs of an estate must he published FORTY DAYS. v 0 tieo that application will he made to the Court i Ordniarv for leave to pell i.ajcd must be pub- j lisiied lor Tiro MONTHS, No’iec for leave to re it. negroes must be ■ puli ‘sh ‘d Tiro MONTHS before any order ah- j srdule shall ho iiiaOe thereon hv the ('ourt. CITATIONS for Lett-rs of Administration, must t>e pnohsh-'d tiiirtt pats; for Dismission fro-n \diniuistration, monthly six months; for Dismission from Guardianship, forty day-. RnlesTorthe foreclosure of Mort "ns 1 ’ must b* puMished mokthi.t for four months, estnh psli:n lost nanerp. lor the full space ol three months; for eornpcllino titles from Kxeentorois Aduiinistrators.wheie a !>om! tmsbeen “ivenhy he a -I'd ttie fu'l p-aee of THREE Month®. C rrespon Jence of the Charleston Courier. ißterostint; Account of F!otldn. Wfi.aka. (Fta ) Dec. 12, 1853. The frequent inquiries made relative to j Florida, especially by South Carolinians, | induces me to address you a letter contain ing some general information upon the subject, and if you think it will prove in- j foresting or valuable to any who are di-! recti tig their attention to our State, you | are authorized to copy it into your paper, j It is an enigma to many who observe; the geographical position of Florida, that j with an area of 38,000,000 acres, she had j in 1850 but 349,000 acres of improved J land, and a population of only 68,000; 1 about 4T,000 of that number whites. A review of her history will explain it. For the last century Florida has not en- j joyed repose uuder any government, of j twenty years’ duration. In 17G3, the Spaniards gave, up the Floridas to En gland. In 1783—4, the English return ed them to Spain, by which government they were held until 1821, a treaty having j been made for their cession to the United J States in 1819. While these political changes were tn- j king place, internal difficulties occasionally ; occnred with Indians, and invasions were j made up in the provinces several times.— In 1812 and Ihl3, East Florida was iura ded by a body of quondam patriots, who ■were protected by rhe United States’ flag, under pretence that it was a republican movement on the part of tlie inhabitants; but it was an arranged plan to obtain -possession of the peninsula— our govern .ment apprehending its oecupa ion by the English during tlie war then pending. This invasion was most disastrous to Fast Florida. Every plantation in the district was devastated, either by the U. 8. Troops and patriots, who were togeth er, or by a lawless banditti, who remained in the province after the troops left ‘he province did not recover from this, before the cession to the United States, and upon the change of flags iu lb’2l, ! almost every Castilian departed lor Cuba The chief reason why a wealthy and enterprising population did not at once follow c .r flag into Florida, was that titles to land were uncertain. Grants and do nations having been made by England and Spain to their respective subjects, upon many of which conditions had been impo sed, and no evidence could be readily ob tained to show whether or not they had been complied wifcn. in 1828, our gov ernment appelated a Board of Commis sioners, to attend to the investigation of claims for grants and donations, and •those were confirmed which were perfect ed. ALer this Board ceased to act, other •claims of the the same character were acted cm by the U S. Court The most important grants were the Arredondo grant of 20 iniies square, and that to the Duke of Aiiagon, of about 17,000,000 acres. The former was confirmed, and the latter rejected. Titles to laud in Florida can now be easily ascertained. The war with the hteniinoles from 1835 to 1842, was a serious drawback upon the prosperity of the territory generally, but more especially upon the Eastern Dis trict, it being the scat of war- Many sugar and cotton plantations were destroyed upon tlie Atlantic as well asiu the interior, which were in beautiful operation. When the war ceased in 1b42, a verbal under standing was had with the Indians, that they might remain undisturb and if they remained peaceable in certain boundaries assigned them 1 heir conduct has been such as to give confidence of their intention to be quiet, and the public mind generally is at rest lespecliug any hostile action by them. It is true that some are found who appre bend the State is unsafe while any rem nant even remains in it.; but I atn im pressed fully with the belief that it is from mistaken views of policy, or from sefish motives, that any will advise hostilities against them at any time when the pop ulation and prosperity of the Mate is so rapidly increasing and advancing. Indeed, was it not referred to, it would not be known that there are any Indians in the Mate, as tuey never mingle with the whites, and with the exception of a few ‘‘outsiders,” who straggle about to hunt, tiiey remain continually within their boun dary line. Another objection to capitalists invest ing money in Florida, previous to her be coming a Slate, was teat bonds had been issued by the Governor, (uuder authority of law,) io the amount of several millions of dollars, tor certain, banks in the terri tory. The blanks failed, and it was sup posed that the inhabitants would be taxed to redeem this pledge of their territory The question, however, was definitely set led hy a provision in the Constitution of the State, when she was admitted into the Confederacy in 1845, which states dis tinctly that the people of the State shall not bo taxed to pay them. Thus hare all scriouß difficulties been adjusted and confidence in the resources of Florida is shown by the tide of emigra tion which is now flowing within her limits The principal planting counties in East Florida are Columbus, Marion, Sumter, Hernando and Levy. The three first named are the most populous and thriving. Marion county, within the three past years, has added several thousand to her population from South Carolina alone, and tlie result of the planting interest gener ally has fully met the expectations of those engaged in it. The settlers in tlie vicinity of Ocala and Micanopy, being chiefly from the South State, that district is given the soubriquet of “New Carolina,” and the number of wealthy and respectable p'anters there form a nucleus highly desirable for annex j ation 1 In this vicinity, the Ends are fertile i and in large bodies; but equally good i lands may be found further south and west j at much lower prices than sales ara made iat there. i I think a moderate estimate of the wild land in East Florida fit (or general culti vation is 2,500,000 acres—one half of this first quality. At present the improved land in the State docs not exceed 600,000 acres The products of the Sta'e are sugar, long and short staple, tobacco, turpentine and yellow pine, live oak, red cedar and cypress timber. The shipment of yellow pine lumber from St- John’s river the ensuing year will reach 50,000,000 feet, the value of which will be at the mills about $600,000. I he ensuiug crop of East Florida, which ’ will pass out at the St. John’s, will amount !to about $*150,000. More than half of | this will come from Marion, Sumter a: and ! the lower part of Alachua counties. The succeeding crop will be much increased, jas lands are being opened to a large cx ; tent, and every steamer from Charleston j is filled with emigrants at.d hands for the planting district*. Within an area of twenty miles square around M canopy t'm r* are prairie and swamp lands which could he reclaimed at an expense of from SSO,OOO. sufficient to raise 100,000 hogsheads of sugar, and notwithstanding the cultivation of long cotton is so favorable, I believe that the principal crop of East Florida, befute ma ny years', will be sugar. Os the towns in East Florida, Jackson ville is the most tbriring. Population about 2 500 The business of the place is chiefly from the influence of sis een steam saw mill*, in its vicinity, their shij>- tnents amounting to about 40,000,000 feet. S'. Augustine, scout 5,000 population, floes but a small business It is the most healthful city in the United Stales, both summer and winter. Middleburg, on Black Creek, is a small village, but ships lrge quantity of cot ton Irom AUchua and Columbia coun ties. Pnlaika is the county site of Putnam county, is the terminus of the steamers from Charleston and Savannah, and the depot for the produce and merchaadise received and forwarded for the inletior counties, and upper S'. Johns. It is pros pering. The population was about 150 a year since, it is now about 500. Welaka, about 25 miles above PMat ka, is a place just springing up. which bids fair to become a depot for the pro duce from the Ociawaha River, as it is situated immediately opposite the mouth of that stream, upon a high and pleasant bluff. Big L ike Gft’O'ge, and Auzia Is land. lies 12 miles above Welaka, and about 80 miles furher is Lak< Monroe, upon whidi are situated Enterprise and Millervilie. Ocala, the county site of Marion county, is in the Interior, 55 tt iles Irom Palatka, and 80 tnrfe- from the cele brated Orange Springs. Tnis is a busi ness place of about 800 population. Tlie-e is a seminary under good direction, with about 100 male and female pupils. Micanopy i-t a village of 140 population, surrounded by a very respectable com munity, and most fetile lands. Upon the Ociawaha, Sdver Spring is the head point of navigation, and ships the produce from the country around 6- cala Fort Brooke, on the Ociawaha, is of some importance, as it will be the ship ping point of most of the produce raised in the vicinity of Orange Lake, Micanopy, and the Alachua prairie Newnansville, the late county site of Alachua county, is further interior, about 70 miles from Palatka, and some 45 from Middleburg. It is a town of g >u.e stand ing and trade, and ships her produce and receives merchandize at Middleburg. Gainesville is the new county site of Alachua county, situated about 15 miles northwestei ly from Micanopy, and is in the midst of the richest section of plant ing lands. Lands in Eust IGorida, hut more par ticularly in Marion county, have ad vanced from 100 to 500 per cent. Some tracts of land held at $3 per acre, thiee years since, have been lately sold at from sls lo S2O per acre. Tuere is much good land to be had now, at from $3 lo $5 per acre, but it must be hunted out. Land seekers should not trust to steam boats and stage< wheo they want land, but bring with them their saddle horses and camping blankets. Business capital is small in East Flor ida, compared with the amount of trade; but as tlie country is prosperous, it suffi ces tor ordinary purposes, there being no extensive operations in produce. Tuere is not a.iy bank in Florida, nor will there probably be any, os the banks of South Carolina and Georgia are in good stand ing, and can supply all the money facil ilies required by legitimate business trans actions, and an agricultural country is belter without banks. The population of Florida increased trorv 1840 so 1350 fifty six per can', Jt GRIFFIN, (GA.) THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 10, 1854. will increase more than one hundred per cent, m the present ttrm of ten yeaiS: To refer to the climate of Florida would be superfluous, as it is so will known •<> be salubrious and heat.hy. The census of ISSO reports her as the most healthy State on the Atlantic and the fourth in the confederacy, including the new Wes tern Slates, which are not on an equality, as their population is chiefly of a lb trier character. In mv endear or to be brb f in this communication, and yet wishing to be general, 1 feel I have not done justice to Florida, nor, indeed, to myself; but it is so lengthy I must conclude it, and shall do so with a few comments. There is no State in’ the Confederacy w hich presents greater permanent induce ments to the emigrant or capitalist than does Florida at this time. Ev t ry one who is industrious, prudent and attentive to their business is prospering, no matter in what channel his energies are directed. Florida is yet but a wilderness —every day develops some new source of interest or profit. With a soil and climate adapt ed to the productions of most northern, as well as most tropical plants and fruits, the advantage over Cuba is a great one, because social relatioi a are better, and the facility of communication with every place is easier. The connection with the North, affotd ed by the elegant and safe steamers from Charleston and S-ivanuah, is of great consideration, and the comforts of the voyage alone induce persons to visit Florida; and to see the noble St. John’s “J he Uiver of Lakes,” flowing in its majestic tide from a source over 300 miles from its outlet, will well repay the voyager foi the time expended. To Charleston, East Florida is jusdy becoming a district of much commercial inpotlance. The character of her | ro duee is adapted to ’.he Charleston market, and the sympathy be’wven the two places ! is strong, from the citcun.s.auce of so j m.ny of Florida’s best citizens being emigrants from South Carolina. The internal imorovements of Florida have not yet commenced, but she will not long slumber. The proposed rail road from Cedar Keys, on the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic ocean, will soon be carried on, and must prove of the high est advantage, not only to the peninsula of Flotida, but to the commercial inter ests of the couotrv at large. Other plans are maturing for the developement of the planting interests as well as commercial. With much respect, &c., J. D. BUY ANT. An Incident of Hunter Life Some years ago, while residing in Lou isiana, I was told a squatter’s story, which I have reason to believe to be true in every particular. I had it from the squatter himself, and that is ray reason for endorsing its truth, as I knew the narra tor, rude creature though he was. to be a man of undoubted veracity. As an inci dent of hunter life, the story may possess some interest for the general reader; but to the naturalist it w ill be equally inter esting, as illustrating a curious trait in the character of a conger, as well as all other preying animals, when under the influence of fear—the fear of some common danger. These lose at times all their ferocity, and will not molest even those animals upon which they are accustomed to prey. I have observed this forebearance oftentimes myself, but the story of the squatter will fully illustrate it. 1 shall give it in the language that fell from his own lips, as nearly as I can remember it: “Wal, stranger, we hev floods hyur in Loozyanny, sich as, I guess, you’ve” never seed the like o’ in England. England ain’t big enough to hev such floods. One o’’em ud kiver yur whole country, I hev heern said. J won’t say that ar’s true, as 1 ain’t acquainted with yur jography. I know, howsoindever, they’re mighty big freshets hyur, as I hev sailed a skift mor’u a hundred mile acrost one o’ ’em, vvhar tlmr wan’t nothin’ to be seen but cypress tops peepin’ out o’ the water. The floods, as ye kuow, comes every year, but them ar big ones only onest in a while. Wal, about tcu yeers ago, I located in the lied River bottom, about fifty mile or thar a bout below Nacketosli, wliar I built me a shanty. I had left my wife an’ two young critters in Mississippi state, intendin’ tc go back for ’em in the spring; so, ye see, 1 war all alone by myself, exceptin’ my ole mar, a Collins’ axe, an’ of coorse my rifle. “1 lied finished the shanty all but chink in’ an’ the buildin’ o’ a chimbly, when what shud come on but one o’ ’em tarna tion floods. It war at night when it begun to make its appear; ue. I war asleep on the floor o’ the shanty, an’ the first warn in’ 1 hed of it war the feel of the water soakin’ through my ole blanket. I hed been a dreamin’ an’ tliort it war rainin’ and then agin I tliort I war bein’ drownd ed in the Mississippi; but I wan’t many seconds awake, till 1 guessed what it war iu reality; so 1 jumped to my feet like a started buck, and groped my way to the door. A sight that war when 1 got thar! I hed clurred a piece o’ ground around tlie shanty-a kupple o’acres or better. I hed left the stumps a good three feet high • thar wan’t a stump to be seen. Aly clearin’’ stumps an’ all, war under water; an’ 1 could see it shinin’ among the trees all around the shanty. Os coorse, my first tliorts war about my rifle; an’ I turned back into the shanty, an’ laid tny claws upon that quick enough. I next went in search o’ my ole mar. She wan’t hard to find; for if ever a critter made a noise, she did. bho war tied to a tree dost by the shanty, an’the way she war a squallin’ was a caution to cats. I found her up to the belly in water, pitchin’ an’ flounderin’ all round the tree. She hed nothin’ on but the rope that she war hitched by.— < Both saddle and bridle lied been washed away; so l made the rope into a sort of halter, and mounted her bare backed Jest then I begun to think whar I war a goin’. ihe hui country appeared to be ; under water; and the nearest neighbor I hed lived acrost the parairy ten miles off. I knew that his shanty sot on high ground, ‘but how war 1 to get thar. It war night; I mout loose my way, an’ ride chuck into the river. When 1 thort of this, I con- cluded it mout;Jbe, better to* stay by my own shanty till fhornin’. I could hitch the mar inside to keejl.hcr from bein’ floated away; and for meself, I could climb on the roof. Howsomdever, while I warthinkin’ cm this, [ noticed that the Water war a deepening, and it jest klm into my head that it ud soon be deep enough to drownd my ole mar. For meself, I wan’t, fright ened. I mout climb a tree, and stay thar till the flood fell; bnt I -fluid a lost the mar. and that critter war too valleybie to think of sich a saerifize, sb 1 matje’uj) my miiul to chance crossing tlie pa fairy. *Tliar wan’t no time to be wasted—never a uiinnit; so f gin the mar a kick or two in the ribs and started. “I found the path put to the edge o’ the parairy easy enough. I hed blazed it when I fust come to the place; an’, as the night war not a very dark one, I could see the blazes as I passed atween the trees. My mar knew tlie track as well as meself, an’ swaltered through at a sharp rate, for she knew too thar wan’t no tune to be wasted. In five rainnib; we kiin out oa the edge o’ the parairy, an’ jest as I expected, the lml thing war kivered with water, an’ lookin’ like a big pond. I could see it shinin’ clur acrost to the ot!mr side o’ openin’ As luck ud hev it, I could | jest git a glimp o’ the trees an the ljur side! o’ the parairy. T har war a big clump o’j cypress, that I could see plain enough; I f knew this war dost to my neighbor’s j shanty; so I gin my crittcrdke switch, an’j struck right for it. As I left the timmer, the mar war up to her hip’s. Os course, I < expected a good grist o’ heavy wadin’; but! I hed no idee that the water war agwine j to git much higher; thar’s whar I “made j my mistake. I kecin’t got morn a kupple j o’ miles out, when I diskivered that the thin a; war a-risin’ rapidly, for I seed the j mar war a gettin’ deeper an deeper. ‘Twan’t no use turnin’ back Yjdw. I but loose the mar to a dead sartinty, if I diu’ut make the high “round, So I spoke to the critter to do her best, an’ keep on.— The poor beest did’nt need any whippiu’ —she knew as well’s I did meself thar war j danger, an’ she war a doin’ her darndest, I an’no mistake. Still the water riz, an’l kep a risin’, until it come clur up to her! shoulders. 1 begun to git skeart in aim-; est We wan’t more’u half acrost, an’ 11 seed if it riz much more we’d hev to! swim for it. I wan’t far astray hout : that The rninnit arter it seemed to i deepen suddintly, as if thar wan a hollow in the parairy: I heard the mar give a loud gouf, an’ then go down, till I war up to the waist. She riz agin the next uiin nit, but I could tell from the smooth, rulin’ that she war off o’ ttie bottom. She war 1 swimmin’, an’ no mistake. ‘ At fust I thort o’ headin’ her ha'ck to the shanty, an’ I drew her round with that j intent; but turn her which way I would, I; found sue could no longer touch bottom. 1 I guess, stronger, I war in a qnandairy | about then. 1 ’gun to think that both my I own at/ my mar’s time war come in airnest, j for I had lo idee that the critter could i iv-er swim to the other with 1 me on her back, an’ particularly as at that \ time these hyur ribs had a sight more! griskin upon ’em than they hev now. 1 • wan’t much under two hundred at the ! time, and that ar no light weight, I reck in. Wal, I war about reckinin’ up. 11 hed got to thinkin’ o’ Mary an’ the chil-! der, an’ the ole shanty in the Massissippi, an’ a heap o’ things that I hed left *un-j settled, an’ that now come into my mitul | to trouble me. The mar war still plungin’! ahead; but 1 seed she war sinkin’ deeper’ an’ deeper, an’ fast loosin’ her strength, ’ an’ 1 knew she could’nt hold out much longer I thort at this time that if I got! off o’ her back, an’ tuk- hold of her tail, she mout manage a leotle better. So I; slipped backwards uver her hips, and? grupped-her longhair. It did do some! good, lor she swum higher; but we got 1 mighty slow through the water, an’ 1 lied but leotle behopes we should reach land. ! “1 war towed in this way about a quar ter o’ a mile, when I spied somethin’ fioat in’ on the water a leetle ahead It hod growed considerable darker; but thar war still light enough to’ shew me that the thing war a log. An idee now entered my brain-pan, that l mout save meself by takin’ to the log The map- ’nd then have a better clianct for herself; an* maybe, when eased o’ draggin’ my carcass, that war a-keepiu’ her back, she mout make lootin’ some whar. So I waited till she got a little eloster; an’ then lettin’ go o’ her tail, 1 clasped the log, an’ crawled on to it. The mar swum on, aperintiy ’itont missiu’ me. 1 seed her disappear thro’ the darkness; but 1 did’ut as much as way good-bye to her, for 1 war afeared that my voice mout bring her back agin; an’ she mout strike the log with her hoofs, an’ whammel it about, bo I lay quiet, an’ let her hev her own way. “1 wau’t long on the log till 1 seed it war a driftin’, for thar war a current in the water that set tol’uble sharp acrosst the parairy. I had crawled up at one ccnd, an’got stridelegs; but as the log dipped considerable, I war still over the hams in the water. 1 thort Lmont be more corafutftble towards the middle, an’ war about to pull the thing more under me, when all at once I seed thar war somethin’ clumped up on t’other eend o’ the log. ’Twan’t very clur at the time, for it had been a growin’ cloudier ever since I left the shanty, but ’twar clur enough to show me that the thing war a i varmint: what sort, 1 could not tell, it mout be a bar, an’ it mout not; but 1 lied my suspects it war eyther a bar or a pain ter. 1 wasn’t left long in doubt about the thing’s gender. The log kep makin’ cir cles as it drifted, an’ when the varmint kiin round iuto a different light, 1 caught a glimps o’ its ejes. 1 knowd them eyes to be no bar’s eyes: they war painter’s eyes, an’ no mistake. 1 reckin, stronger, 1 felt very queer jest about then. 1 didn’t try to go any uearcr the middle o’ the log; but instead o’ that, 1 wriggled back until 1 war right plum on the eend o’ it au’ could git no further. Thar 1 sot for a good long spell ’ithout movin’ hand or foot,. 1 darn’t make a motion, as 1 war afeard it mout tempt the varmint to attack mo 1 had no weepun but my knife; 1 lied let go o’ my rifle when I slid from the mar’s back, an* it hed gone to the bottom long since. 1 wan’t in any condition to stand a tussel with the painte* nohow; so l war detarmined to let him alone as long’s he ’ud me. “Wal, we drifted on for a good hour, I guess ’ithout eyther o’ us stirrin’. We sot face to face; an’ now an’ then tlie cur rent ’ud set the log in a sort o’ tip an’ down motion, an’ then the painter tut’ I kep bowin’ to each other like a pair o’ [ bobsawyers. I could sec nil the while { that the varmint’s eyes war fixed upon mine, nn’ ! never tuk mine from hisn; 1 knewd ’tw tv the only way to keep him ! stili.■ “1 war jest prospectin’ what hid be tlie I endin’ o’ the business, when I seed we war gettin’ closier to the timmer; twnn’t more than two miles off, lot *twar all under water -’ccpUti’ the tops o’ the trees. I war thinkin’ that when the log shed float in among the branches, i mout slip off. an’ git my claws upon a tree, ’ithout savin’ anythin’ to my travailin’ companion. Jest at that minnit somethin’ appeared dead ahead of the log. It war like a island; but what could hev brought a island thar? Then I recollects that 1 bed seen a piece o’ hiah ground about that part o’ the pa rairy—a a >rt o’ mound that hed been tnadu by injuns, I ’spose. This, then, that I looked like a island, war the top o’ that j mound, sure enough. The log war a ! driftin’ itt sich a way that 1 seed it must l pass within twenty yards o’ the mound I I determined then, as soon as we shed git ; alongside, to put out for it, an’ leave the j painter to continue his voyage ’ithout me “When T fast sighted the island I seed somethin’ that I hed tuk for bushes. But thar warr.’t no bushes on the mound —that I knowd. Ilowsomedevor, when we got a ietie closer, 1 diskivered that the bushes war bechts. They war deer; for I spied a pair o’ buck’s horns, atween me an’ the sky. But thar war a horse I war right ’bout that, for a horse it war, sure enough, or rayther I shed say, a mar, an’ that mar no other than my ole critter! A.ter partin’ company, she li?.cl .turned with the current; an’ as good luck ‘ud hev it, lied swum in abe line for the island, an’ thar she stood lookin’ as slick as if she hed been greased. The log- hed by this time got nigh enough, as I kulkclated; an’ with as little rumpus as possible, I slipped over the eer.d an’ let go mv hold o’ it. I wau’t right spread in the v a ter, afore I lieerd a plump, an’ lookin’ round a bit, I seed the painter hed left the log, and tuk the water too! At fast, I thort lie war arter me; air I drawd iny knife with one hand, while I swam with the other But the painter didn't mean fight that time. lie made but poor swimmin’ himself, an’ ap peared glad enough to get upon dry groun’ ’ithout molestin’ me; so we swum on side by side, an’ not a word passed atween us. 1 didn’t make a race o’ it; so I let him pass me, rayther than that he should fall i behind, an’ get among my legs. Ofcour.se, | lie landed fust; an’ I could hear by the stompin’ o’ hoots, that his suddiut appear ance hed kicked up a jolly stampede a ntong the critters upon the island. I could see both deer an’ mar dancin’ all over the gronu’ as if Old Nick himself hed got among ’em. None o’ ’em, liowsom dever, thort o’ takin’ to the water. I hey hed all lied enough o’ that, 1 guess. I kep a leetle round, so as not to laud near the painter; an’ then, touchin’ bottom, I climbed quietly up on the mound. I hed hardly (lrawd my drippin’ carcass out o’ the water, when 1 hern a loud squeal, which I knew to be the whigher o’ my ole mar; an’jest at that minnit the critter kirn ; runnin’ up, an’ t übbed her nose agin my j shoulder. I tuk the halter in my hand, an’ sidling round a leetle, I jumped upon her back, for I still war in fear o’ the painter; an’ the mar's back appeared to me the safest place about, an’ that v,airt very safe, I reckiu. I now looked all around to see what new company I hod got into. The day war jest breakup, an’ 1 could distinguish a ieeile better every minnit The top o’ the mound which war above water wan-’t over half an acre in size, an’ it war as clear o’ timmer as any other part o’ the parairy, so that I could see every iuch o’ it, an* everythin’ on it as big as a tumble-bug I reelin’, stranger, that you’ll hardly be lieve me when 1 toll you the concatenation o’ varmints that war then an’ thar can cased together. I could hardly believe my own eyes when I seed such a gatherin’, an’ I thort 1 hod gut aboard o’ Noah’s Ark. Thar war—listen, stranger fust my ole mar an’ mescif, an I wished both o’ us anywliar else, L reckiu -then thar war the painter, yur ole acquaintance then thar war four door, a buck an’ .hree docs. Then aim a catamount; an’ arter him a coon an’ a possum, an’ a kupplc o’ gray wolves an’ a.swamp rabbit, an’ darn die tiling! a stiukin’skunk, Perhaps the last w wPt the most dangerous varmint on the groan’, but it sartiniy war the most disagreeable o’ the hull lot, for it smelt on ly as a cussed polecat can smell. ‘T’ve said, stronger, that I war mightily tuk by surprise when 1 fust seed this curi ous Ganjamfrey o’ critters; but 1 kin toil you l war still more dut.ifoended when I seed thar behavoyar to one another, kn. w itP thar uuLrent tutors as I did. Thar war the painter lyin’ (dose up to the deer -•■its nathvd prey; an’ thar war the wolves too; air thar war the catamount, standiu’ within three feet o’ the possum an’ the swamp rabbit; an’ thar war the bar an’ the cuuniu’ oid coon; and thar they all war, no more riihidin’ one another than if they lied spent all thar days together in the same pen. ’Twar the oddest sight I ever seed; an’ it remembered me o’ a bit o’ Scriptur my ole mother hod often read from a book called the liible, or some s;ch name—about a lion* that war so tame he used to squat down beside a lam’ ’iihout layin’ a claw upon the innocent critter *VaI, strenger, as Pse sayiu’, the hull par ty bell ivod iu tiiis way Tney all appear ed down in the mouth, an’ badly skeurt about the water; but for all that, 1 lied my fears that the painter or the bar—l wan’t afeard o’ any o’ the others mout git over thar fright afore the flood fell; an’ tliariore I kep as quiet as any o’ them durm’ the hull time t war in thar compa ny , an’ stayin’ all the time close by the mar. But ueyther bar nor painter showd any savage sign the hui o’ the next day, nor the night that tbllored it. ■‘Strenger, it ‘ud tire you war I to tell you all tiia movements that tuk place u nioug these eritturs durln’ that long day, an’night. IS’e’er a one o’’em laid tooth or claw on the other. I war hungry enough myself, an’ ’ud a like to her taken a steak from the buttocks o’ one o’ the deer, but 1 darn’t do it. 1 war afeard to break the peace, which mout a led to a general shin iy. When day broke, nest mornin’ arter, I seed that the flood war a failin’; an’ as soon a* it war shallow enough I led my mar quietly into the wa ter, an’ climbin’ upon her back, tnk a si lent leeve o’ my companions. The water still tnk rny m- r up to the flanks, so that I knowd none o’the rarmints could follow without swimmin’, an’ ne’re one seemed inclined to try a swim. 1 struck direct for my neighbor's shanty, which 1 could see about three miles off, an’ in an hour or so 1 war at his door. Thar I didn’t stay long, but borrowin’ an ex ra gun which he happened to her, an’ takiu 1 him along with his own rifle, 1 waded my mar back to the island. “We found the game not exactly as I bed left it The fall o’ the flood hed gi ven the painter, the cat, an’ the wolves courage. The swamp rabbit an’ the pos sum war clean gone—all but bits o’ tiiar wool—an’ one o’ the does war bettcr'n half devoured My neighbor tukoue side an’ 1 the other, an’ ridin’ close up, we surrounded the island I plugged the painter at the fust shot, an’ he did the same for the bar. We next layed out the wolves, an’ arter that cooi.ey, an’ then we tuk our time about the deer—these last an’ the bar bein’ the only valley'ble things on the island ‘1 he skunk wm kilt last, as we did’ut want the thing to stink us off the place, while we war a skinnin’ the deer. Arter killin’the skunk, we in mut ed an’ left, o’ course, loaded with our bar meat an’ venison. 1 got my rifle arter ail. When the flood went down, 1 found it near the middle o’ the parairy, half bu ried in the suldge. “1 saw 1 had built my shanty in the •wrong plr.ee; but 1 soon looked out a bet ter location, an’ put up another. I hod ail ready in the spring, when 1 went back to Massissipjfl, and brought out Mary an’ the two young’ uns.” Thus ended the sq latter’s story. From Ihe Fuyeltevillc [Ark.] Independent. fllaiskey Jluiiitinsr in South Atao rica. [The following is from an 01. l acquaint ance who lias not given any item of bis whereabouts for nearly four years. It was not intended for publication, but the writer is a utilitarian, and would not object to any step that would afford infor mation.] Rio PaxdeMair, ) Columbia, 8, A. April 23, 1853.) My Dear Friend: I am now in the midst y of a heavy speculation in these tropical wilds. My camp is on a small tributary of the Oronoco river, about three hundred miles from the sea coast. — I have been here about three yeurs, and suppose that my old mother thinks 1 am dead, for l have not written to her since 1 was at Panama in ’49, and then I was on my way to California, and wrote her to tiiat effect. When 1 was at Panama I got acquainted with a Frenchman, a gen tleman from Paris, who led me to embark in my present enterprise by repeated con versations. The w either is hot here almost all the year round. We have a very long rainy season, but it is hot iu the hardest rains. My hut is covered with flags and plantain leaves about three feet thick. It is tho roughly wa'cr proof, and in the rainy season I be up like a bear, but in place of sucking my paw I suck a smattering of the Spanish language from Cubi’s Spanish Grammer, and Neuman and Barti’s dic tionary There are a great many vile tribes of Indians in the country that talk a kind of bastard Spanish, which is the cause of my studying Spanish in the win ter. Well, the great speculation I am in.— What do you think it is? Guess! lam engaged in monkey limiting. This may seem strange, when you recollect how sobersided 1 used to be. lam sobersided yet. 1 never forget m\ dignity. And I hunt monkeys with all the gravity of mor al and gentlemanly character. Not being surrounded with suitable companions, or a population of any kind that is worthy of close observation, I have turned my attention to other things. There being no worthy human nature to study, I study monkey nature, ancl you would be aston ished, my dear old friend, to see how near ly our races approximates iu numberless instances to. that annual. • But before proceeding further, I ought perhaps .to give you the reason why 1 am engaged in my present occupation. Men do not hunt monkeys for nothing. Least of all, do 1. The l'Touch gentleman whom 1 have just mentioned led me into a secret that determined mein the matter. He as sured me that nine tenths of the splendid kid gloves worn by the gay deceivers and killing belles of the e;,lightened world were made us pure monkey hide. I need not consume space by informing you of the means 1 took to dekrmine the truth of li;s assertion. But I was satisfied, and 1 am daily destroying tno link that (On* nects us with the great animal kingdom. 1 get from twenty to forty cents for every monkey I deliver to Carrerory Her mano, at the cry of Cumana, on the coast. I make only one trip a year with my peltries, and that is just before the rainy season sets iu. I have three pack rau es that carry in all three thousand skins.— Each skin averages about a quarter of a pound. 1 limit myself to twelve monkies a day. 1 could kill ten times that mauy were 1 disposed, but I cannot take care of the hides ofmore. You have no idea of the immense number of these animals that abound in the woods. I really believe 1 liave seen a thousand up one tree. They not only cover the limbs, but hang tail twined with fail, from the lopmost branch es to the ground. Early of a mornii g, nature seems one coutiuued scream and chattering, and you car. conceive that nought else was iu existance. Vv ere I with you, how dtdiglitfu ly we could wmleawayihe hours with mon key tales. 1 have had some thrilling ad ventures. Monkeys sometimes fight like men. About a week ago, however, 1 ?aw a novel battle. Two vigorous young chaps seized ech other’s tails with their teeth, and chawed away till they weie both left tailless. O ce my camp was destroyed whilst I win out on an expedi tion. The little rascals tore the cover off tny hut and ate up cv rv morsel of pro visions 1 had it) store. I trot back just as I saw one fellow take a bite off a chunk of fiie. They all ran offns 1 approached, and carried every rag l possessed, leav ing me without a change rtf clothing. I vras forced to make a trip to Cumuua for supplies. Toe methods I use to get hold of mon keys are many. 1 sometimes shoot them with a ‘‘small De inger,” as Tom used to say. But this is only when they are shy. T have several gins and traps that would do credit to the ingenuity of a vankee. In times of great p!en‘y 1 club theta. But I need not specify the vaiious con trivances for capturing t ietn. My heart almost fails me sometimes. You cannot conceive how strongly the thought comes uppermost in mv mind that these creatures are human. My hand re rubles, and I am . I most u nuved when I strike one that most m ukedly rtsem oles an old friend. Yesterday 1 slew one (hat for ail me .verb! looked like old Jmr.- tny that usod to live over tho river. 1 have btcn reminded of gay scene* and happy limes in watching them. I could tell you of many aeis of natural and inimi table politeness I have seen them per form; and a kind of mist comes over my eyes when I see a certain beautiful she monkey that recalls one 1 fondly loved iu Kentucky. lMy hand has never been raised against that monkey. She ought to be dressed. How long I shall continue in this busi ness I cannot say. I hope to make enough at it before I t^uit to tender me independent. Then l shall return, and, l.ko Othello, woo and win my Desdemoua >y telling her father monkey tales, whilst s. e sits listening, w ith a hear’ all inno cent, and drinking in the renowned ad ventures of her future lord. 1 know my dear old friend, a grin will grab the mouth of every one at the men tion of a monkey’. But I never see aay thing ludicrous about the n. They are certainly useful in their place. They are sought moat eagerly by the kid g'ove ma kers of the French capital, Doubtless th re is no y ung 1. and i all the Union that m kes pretensions to fashion that does not boast the glories of a monkey. She may be unconscious of it. But so suieasshe exhibits upon her taper fin gers a suporfine article of kid glove, so surely is she adorned with th 9 beautiful that is extracted fiom the monkey.— And when a too happy swain receives a glove from the hand of his lady-love, in token of h s favor in her eyes, a* he pits ee the memento to his heart, he can be more highly exalted in his hap piness, by the thought that he is folding a monkey there. I must close, having too long perhaps, dwelt on a tiresome subject; but, my dear friend, 1 have nothing else to write about. Dunk let any of my people know where I am, or the business Ia n engaged in. i may write you again before 1 leave here. Till then farewell. As of old, y >urs in all affsctiou.’ OLIVER SCO IT. From the JVVio Orleans True Delta. Burning of the Steamboat Geor gia-great Bo sos Life ad i*vo perty. One of terribly heart rending dis asters which but too ofteu occur, and which bring desolation and deep sorrow on many a social and domestic circle, took place between the hours of 11 and 12 o’- clock on Saturday night last, at the Lake terminus of the Carrollton and Poatehar train Railroad. We refer to the loss by fire of the steamboat Georgia, of which brief mention was made iu our issue of Sunday morning The Georgia, Captain Roberts, it ap pears, arrived at the railroad wharf at a bout 11 o’clock. She had 180 passengers on board, and was heavily loaded with cotton. The bow line had been made fast to the wharf, and two of the de?k hands were engaged in drawing in the stern of the steamer, when the fire was discovered bursting out with amazing rapidity above the boilers. Strange to say, the men who were haul ing in the steamer’s stern dropped the rope they had hold of and the body of the ves sel swung off again from the wharf. The flames now spread with uncontrolable fury, and a minute had scarcely elapsed before a general conflagration prevailed in every portion of the?ill fated vessel. The screech es of affrighted men, wohieu and children; the fierce crackling of the fire-fiend; the loud bray of mules and the bellowing of oxen, maddened by the heat and smoke which surrounded them, mingled iu strange and terrible di-cordauce. Imagination may for:a for itself some faint picture of Vu3 scene, but description fails! The passengers were chiefly fro u Ala bama, being p anters, with their families and negroes, on their way to Texas —- Some, frantic with terror, .2s- eager to anticip i'.e their graves.” while some, with superhuman might, fl inj their children from the hurricane deck to the wharf, and leaping after them, were mutilated and saved, or perchance, were drowned. Most of the children who were thus flung on t-he wharf were more or 1c33 injured by bruises or dislocations. One woman, who fell or jumped from the cabin floor to the main deck, was caught on tha points of the horns of ah infuriated ox and was torn most and eadfully. But the ox threw her into the water and she wan saved. Os the negroes on board of the boat twenty, at lea-t, were lost—some plautors losing all they had and some but a few. Scarcely a single family was saved entire. A father, who had rescued his wife and six children, wont back for a seventh and was lo>t. A young raau re turned to the boat to look for a female friend, but the flames “yawned around h.ra like a hell,” and he was numbered with the “uureturnuig brave.” A father saved three of his children, but his wife an 1 six others left their ashes iu the fune ral pyre of the Georgia. A young husband lost his wife, and he sat apart on the wharf as if indiff rent to whatever else might befall.him. A child’ Three months old was taken to the hotel l , No- 7.
