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r &&!?. ' "* *? ?.v- * uWt 3*af Sflje Camden Journal. VOLUME lT. CAMDEN, SQUTH-CAK0LINA, MAY 10, 1850. NUMBER 37, Ipoctical department. From the Philadelphia Saturday Courier. VOICES OF THE SEA. bt mips m. e. wentworth. Sea! from out thy flower-crowned aisles, Where the flashing sun-light smiles; Sea! from out thy sullen caves, Hoarsely murmuring to thy waves: While the winds their masses keep, As through the forest pines they sweep; Say, thou vast and sullen sea,. Hast thou not a voice for me ? Not of gems that pave thy floor, .Prti-at noart. r?r madreDore' O, from thy wide waste of wrecks, Hearts that perished from their decks, Clinging wildly to the mast, While the storm howled rudely past; Say, from these thou sounding sea, Hast thou not a^voice for me ? These, for whom was wasted long, Cheerful mirth and buoyant song; These, for whom the prayer was wept, While the storm its fury kept; These, the loved, the light of earth, Rent from home and household hearth? From their graves?unfathomed sea, Hast thou not a voice for me ? Where their upturned faces shine, unaerneam uie oceajj urine? And their locks of matted hair, Cling around thy sea-dowers fair; And the lips of livid light, Gleam amid thy rubies bright; Say, from these, thou rolling sea, Hast thon not a voice for me ? jt.J - * Hear I not their dying groan, In thy wild waves' ceaseless moan? Shrieks of agonizing prayer, Bursting on the midnight air: Voices choked with silver sands, Washing from thy pearly strands? Elver rolling, restless sea, Thou hast mournful sounds for me! 8ea! whose breakers beat the shore, While thy turbid waters roar; Mighty main, unfathomed flood, Qarp of Heaven's Eternal God, - NeVer staying in thy flight, Rushing onward in thy might Sea! relentless, dreadful Sea? Thou hast sounds of woe forme! % Selected GTcile. From the Southern Literary Gazette. TEE MAEOOK. A LEGEND OF THE CARRIBEES. BY W. GILMORE SIMMS, ESQ., V,; Author of '* The Yemaaree," etc. m. "1 was right, ar," said Jnan aloud, as he returned to the seat of his uncle, who had been washing with some curiosity the progress of this conference, of which he heard not, of course, a angle syllable. " She is prudent and sensible. She will not interpose with prayer or argument to baulk the ends oi justice, one will not meddle with his fate." There was something like disappointment in the dark, malignant features of Velasquez. " Yet did she seem exceedingly slow in coming to her resolution ?" " By no means, sir. She was prompt enough; but?" here the sentence was concluded in a whisper that reached only the ears of Velasquez?" but it was my policy to persuade her, if nossihle. that her entreaties might avert his fate. Cook! I have succeeded, it might have served to confirm and strengthen our suspicions. But she is firm?she may be guiltless! But of the guilt of Lopez there can be no doubt She denies not that" ~ Juan had his own motives for this statement He did not despair, vet, of finally overcoming the resolution of the woman. His passion in this, somewhat baffled his judgment. But of this hereafter. - ?r.it .1 ?ti.:? u.,* " T? eu, uuerw IS UUUllll^ ten uut w pumsu the one. Bring him forth." Joan retired?the anxious soul of the lady followed his parting footsteps, but her eyes maintained a steady and unfaltering gaze, ns before, neither resting upon nor absolutely shrinking from the countenance of Velasquez. The pilot was again summoned to the side of the latter. 44 Well f" was the brief but intelligible in quiry. It was suSciently understood. " We approach, 3enor." u Goo^[ 1 see to yoar ship," llie pilot disappeared?a bustle announced Dew parties to the soeqe, and, preceded by JuSn a youth oaipe forward under the conduct pf 'tyro soldiers. He was mspacled hand and foot, and moved with diffipultv. IT^e rattling Jof the .chains was heard. It smote upon the nnl nf wnmaii. but she turned not ouce her bead. The eyes of Velasquez were upon her. A savage grin lighted up his dark, sat i: ie countenance, and left no doubt in the mind* of those who beheld that hp meditated a purpn o pf the deadliest malice. The youth in bon is was of gracefoji person and handsome features, but they were 'not those of a man of character or courage. The cheeks were of a deadly paleness?the Jjps quivered with apprehension?the whole air and expression were those of one totally unequa) to the trial that lay beforo him. Hik eye wandered restlessly and apprehensive]y to the countenonp.es pf one or the other of * 'L the three parties to whom the reader has been introduced, without daring to encounter the gaze of either. Velasquez watched his movements with the exultation of a cat in possession of her prey. * The face ot Juan bore a similar expression; while, in the fine masculine spirit which made itself conspicuous in the face of the woman, in spite of all her efforts to subdue it, there might be seen a strange conflict between tenderness and scorn. ' Unbind him!" said Velasquez. " Oh thanks! thanks !*' muttered the victim, looking appealingly to his tyrant The scorn * i i j il. r it. deepened in lis snanows upon me nice u? uie woman. " You know not yet for what you have to be thankful," was the sneer of Juan, as ho busied himself in undoing the menacles. " Speak to me, Juan. For what am I reserved ? what may this mean if it be not mercy V' " It means freedom," was the response, still in a whisper. " Well?and that " " May be mere}'," was the ironical return of Juan, as he withdrew from between Velasquez and his prev. The latter now looked with features in which hope and doubt were still at a lively struggle, upon the face of his tyrant He made a step toward liirn. The uplifted hand of Velasquez arrested his approach. " Lo[>ez de Leyva, were I to have thee drawn up by the neck to yon spar, as the heretic English do those whom they would destroy, it were no more than thou deservedst But I am of a more merciful temper?I have taken the chains from thv limbs." 4 Konltr rrpntitlirin /WOPCnPf?nH thf? fpftt.llrPS of "">-V b" " f 7 the person addressed; but he still trembled with a natural anxiety and doubt. He knew his tyrant. " I mean to set thee free!" " Thanks! thanks!" " Nay, I will do more for thee than this. I will elevate thee to rare dignities. I will make thee a chief, a prince, a sovereign of land and sea. Thou shalt be able to stand up in thine empire, and none will say thee nay." A pause. The culprit looked wildly at this language. It was something more than apprehension that shone in his face. There was no mistaking the hideous malice of the speaker; there was no doubting the ironical grin upon the lips of Juan; and the experience of the ship had seldom found mercy or forgiveness or generosity in either. The eye of the woman was now fixed fully upon that of Velasquez, her intense interest in what she had to hear making her somewhat relax in the stubborn j vigilance of thought which had impressed itself upon all her features. Velasquez resumed: " The quiet of this part of the Caribbean sea, as thou well knowest, is seldom broken by the prows of Europeans. The savage steers his bark in otber courses, dreading its wild currents and fearful whirlpools. Here, be who shall make his abode will be a sovereign beyond dispute. It may be ages before he will see upon his horizon, driven by hostile tempests, the white sails of a Christian vessel. No empire could be more secure from challenge?no state more certainly beyond the danger of overthrow." Another pause, and a conviction of what was intended at once passed into the soul of the woman. Her hands were griped convulsively together, and the paleness of her cheek increased. The culprit, to whom Velasquez addressed himself, simply appeared bewildered. Chains, confinement, terror, and probably want of food and sleep, had rendered his faculties obtuse. But Velasquez proceeded rapidly to his complete eulightenment "I - ?X xl I T ? J JLiOOK OUt UpOll UIU gUUU iiOpt'Z, UIIU his liand waved in the direction of the object to which the ship had been sensibly approaching. At a league's distance a little island was distinctly j>erceptible. though seeming to be scarcely upheaved above the billows which encircled it. Trees in groups might be seen to wave upon it, the earth rose into moderate hills and elevations as the eye penetrated the interior. Numerous wild-fowl sailed in swift gyrations above it, and gigantic birds strode majestically along its white and sandy shores. " That island, Lopez de Leyva, I discovered lor tne nrst tune wnen i last traversed tins ocean. I made the discovery against my own will, being driven hither by stress of weather. I little dreamed at that time of its future usefulness ; but when our weather-beaten pilot, old Gomez, in beholding its solitude, declared that it would be the spot, of all the world, in which love would be most likely to find security, we culled it, in a merry jest,' The Isle of Lovers;' ....a t i i 41...4 it r.. ""M wild! l reiiieuiuvieu unit n was lumiui said, * One might be a sovereign here without paying his tenth to any crown/ then did 1 conceive how fitly 1 might reward merit, by bestowing this island upon the deserving?upon one who would desire security for his love and a sovereignty beyond dispute,' The eyes of the culprit were gradually enlarging. lie had slowly begun to guess the terrible destiny which was before him, and the first feeling of overwhelming apprehension necessarily kept him dumb, lie looked at his tyrant with eyes full of vacant terror. The latter rriivn liim hut lew moments for meditation or doubt, as he thus proceeded: " Thou hast done nie great wrong Lopez de Loyya. Thou hast audaciously presumed upon the lady of my love. For this wrong will 1 reward thee! We are commanded, as thou knowest, my son, to forgive those who do us injury. I will go further than the cummundment. I will honor thee with wealth and territory, and the highest distinction. Henceforth shalt thou be a prince, an absolute sovereign, Lopez do Ley va, and as thy suitable empire, behold the ' Isle of Lovers,' which I now bestow upon thee. There 6hnlt thou make music to the night, with no constraint. None shalt say nay to thy strumming. If thou shalt please no damsel's enrs with thy song, thou shalt at least offend in nothing the rights of others. Thou shalt sing thy areytos to the stars, and find them more gentle in thy sight than such eyes as thou hast but too frequently offended with thy wilful fondness. Am I not right in this, lady mine ?" and with a smirk quite as full of sarpncm qc nf fntirlornncc flin nf linth VslAWHO VI iVIIUVI ilUOO kWV WVVUW1 VI VVHI parties turned liis gaze from the face of the wretched man to that of the scarcely less wretched woman. But he gained nothing by the scrutiny. Her glance was fixed and obdurate, and conveyed no meaning in it, such as that which his jealous suspicions might have looked to see. He watched her features for a few moments with a dissatisfied expression, then resuming his former tones and aspect, he addres^d himself to his nephew, Juan: "Juan, my son, we trust we have sufficiently said to make this excellent prince understand what honors are designed him in requital for his evil deeds. It is for thee to do the rest Take the prince, therefore, conduct him to the boat, and do thou see him safelv placed within the limits of his empire. Give him provision for a month, in which space of time doubtless he will be able to bring his subjects to proper subjection and take his tithes of the produce of the laud. Give him a cross-bow and a spear, that he may coerce them should they rebel or fly, and see that you forget not to hang his guitar about his neck, that he may regale his hours of recreation and repose with the precious ditties he so much loves to sing in other ears. So shall he have pleasing recollections of one, at least, for whom he will scarcely ever touch guitar again." [CONTINUKD IN OUR NEXT.] illi5cellancou0 department PLANK ROADS. We copy the following able article from De Bow's Commercial Review for March. It is No. 3 of a series from the pen of a practical writer upon this subject. We hope our friends will take the pains to read the article carefully, as much important light and knowledge is contained in it. Can any reasonable man doubt the practicability of the scheme? We intend to keep the subject constantly before the people, until the work shall commence; for we believe the road will be eventually built; but " delays, always dangerous, are sometimes fa. t 99 nr 1 1 X Al xl._ tai. >?e are pieaseo 10 see uiai me sudjcci lias excited the attention of some of our leading men; wo hope their interest will not abate, but continue until Lancaster, North Carolina, and Kershaw shall unite as the voice of one man, and the work shall be commenced, continued, and concluded. PLANK ROADS. In order to facilitate the escape of water that falls upon the road, thp planks are laid with an inclination toward the ditch, on that side of the graded road on which the planks are laid, of two inches in six feet, or say three inches in the Innrrtli nf tlio nlunlr Co flint ?if1 flirt xrufur flint does not fall immediately at the joints, is conducted off at the ends. To effect this, a straightedge, with a carpenter's level properly adjusted to it, is used in laying down the stringers, the end of it resting upon cither stringer, and their respective elevations arranged accordingly. Now follows the filling in of earth at the ends ol the planks necessary to keep them irom moving laterally?as they arc not attached to the stringers, by any kind of fastening whatever?neither spikes pins, or anything of the kind, being necessary?and to facilitate driving upon and off of the road. This filling is commonly raised about three inches at first above the planks, so that when it becomes thoroughly settled and compacted by use, it will be at least as high as the ends of the planks. If it should settle below this, attention must immediately bo given to restoring the proper elevation by the addition of more earth. A slope on the ditch side should be given about three inches to the foot The earth which is used in the filling in may be obtained from the ditches. The ditches are, of course an essential part of the work, aud all the care and expense bestowed in first opening them, and afterward keeping mi aw/l/im hmM K,? nniriliT rnno 1/1* uil'iii t'll'iii itiiil ill VIV1C1, mil i;v <mi|siJ ?v|ji?iv?) and on no account must this be neglected. They should he two feet wide on tho bottom, and two feet below the top of the planks. On that side of the graded road not occupied by the plank, a good earth road must bo 1.. t.l:.... rnn/1 Illclliu I carilllillll^ III UUIIIUUI uiu oiuu UI ?IIV IUUM laid with plank?ditch and all. This, of course, is intended to apply where a single [dank track is used; and it will bo a matter of surprise with all, I venture to predict, on first traveling on n [dank road, as it was with me, how completely and conveniently a single track accommodates a large business.* 1 could discover no. more inconvenience in vehicles passing each other than in tho streets of Macon. This had appeared to me a great difficulty and objection to a single track, and I was surprised to find how little foundation it had, in fact, ana now well a single track answered all demands upon it. The great hulk of travel being upon tho plank, and the earth road being only used to turn out upon, it has hut little tendency to cut up and become rutted, as it will take tho exact tract of a previous one. Some of the roads leading from the principal marts are laid with a double track for a distance of three or four miles; but, even here, the second track might apparently have been dis-' pensed with without much iuconvonionce. When a doublo, or second track is laid down, it is simply a duplicate of the first, and has no direct connection with it; a space of from two to four feet is left between two, which is filled with earth raised a little above either track. This is obviously, as a general rule, preferable to doubling the length of the planks and laying the tracks in connection. There may be cases, however, where this course might be expedient. The disadvantages of laying the planks in double lengths for a double track, are, that a load first passing upon one end of the plank and then upon the other, the earth will unavoidably settle to some extent at either end, while in the middle it will settle less, if at all. This will produce a see-saw motion of the planks, and at least, require them to be pinned or spiked down to the stringers, for which there is no necessity nr nse. when laid in the other wav. Another objection relates to repairs. If the tracks are laid separate, each track may be repaired alternately without suspending travel upon the road. But, I venture to say, that there is not a place in Georgia, out of the principal towns, where a single track will not be lound to answer every purpose. The most ditficult points in a plank road to keep in order, are those where two descending grades meet in a hollow. The water accumulates here from both directions which sometimes produces a churning- Especial care must in such places be had to draining. And it is necessary, generally, to guard well against getting the track too low. One road in the State of New York, the Rome and Oswego, Had to be entirely reiaia alter one years use, in consequence of this fault This road is said notwithstanding, to have cleared thirty per cent per annum, it having been built, as I understand under a special charter, in which there are no restrictions as to profits. Those built under the general law, are restricted to ten per cent when the income exceeds this, after setting aside a fund for repairs and renewals, the tolls are required to be reduced. wa/\f 4 nil a?a iUmaa r(min+V?n r\C n nnnf x lie i uvea ui iuu aiu uucu'iuuiuio vi u vwjc per mile for a single horse and vehicle of any kind, one and a half cents for two horses and vehicle, and half a cent per mile for every additional horse. This would be three and a half cents per mile for a six-horse team, an amount, apparently, which the planter would very cheerfully and gladlyj)ayfo facilities for a good road, where his wagons would neither upset nor stick in the mud, which is so frequently the case on many of our roads in the winter season. It would seldom, however, be necessary to drive more than lour horses or mules to a wagon on a plank road, in which event, the tolls at the New York rates, would be two and a half cents ?equal to twenty-five cents for ten miles, or two dollars and fifty cents for a hundred miles. It is possible, however, that a slight advance on these rates might here be necessary. On a plank road, four horses will carry the load of six with more ease, and with one-half more speed; or suppose twenty miles to be the present rate per day for a loaded team, thirty could be as easily performed on a plank road. Such, at least, are the impressions I have received on looking into the subject For staging, upon plank roads, I am informed that 110 vehicle answers the purpose so well as the old fashioned four-horse coach. Omnibuses have been tried, but the same speed, I was told, "could not be got out of them." The coaches, however, seat nine passengers inside, three over the boot, and two back of the driver, and, as I have before mentioned, nine miles an hour, including stops, is practicable and common. I endeavored to inform myself as to whether tlic roads were popular wiin mose who pay me bulk of the tolls, the farmers?and whether the tolls were paid cheerfully; and I could hear of no dissatisfaction or reluctance. Or, if there was any reluctance, it was to paying in winter, when nature furnishs a road of snow, and the plank roads are many inches beneath it?the traveling being, of course, in sleighs. On the score of durability, the system has not been in operation long enough to a fiord any reliable results. The deterioration from wear, need excite no fears; for the sooner a plank road wears out, the better it will pay ; for it is an established fact, that a road cannot wear out without paying back its cost, and a handsome per cent, besides. So, that the principal matter to be considered, is the deterioration from decay. In the State of New York, as be fore remarked, this limit is placed at seven years, and 1 think we shall be safe in assuming the same here. In entering upon an enterprise of this kind, then, we have at first as nearly as possible to determine the amount of business which would pass over the road, and then by the above, or any other safe rate of tolls, to esti mate the income for seven years. After making a small annual allowance for repairs, such as keeping the ditches open and and the earth at the ends of the plank, &c., in order which may safely be estimatod as the work of one hand for threu mile?to compare the income with the ? i. ? ?i. n'ii.. cost, and we have mo resuu wo soon, u uio travel should exceed our expectations, so as to wear out the read in less than seven years, all the bettor. The rueans will be at hand to replace it. Some of tho roads in the State of Now York are said to have paid thirty per cent, though, as before stated, those built under the general law inn restricted to ten tier. cent. The bestevi " v """ f r? - # I donee of the profits of phink roads is to be found in their rapid spread, there being upward of one hundred now completed and common* cod, as above mentioned, in the State of New York, the first having been opened no longer ago than the 18th July 1840. It will be an easy task to estimate the cost of plank roads, so far as the wood in superstructure is concerned. The grading, &c., will of coureo dopend entirely upon circumstances; but ought not to exceed 4 to 8500 per mile; an(j three inch plank aud eight feet long, in a mil^ i ? * t . -1' ' * f I v , > ^ 1*26,820 feet, board measure, and of scantling or stringers, four inches square, 15,080 feettotal, 141,800 feet This, at seven dollars per thousand ?-which perhaps will be the cost here, though in the State of New York the price iBras low as five dollars and a half per thousand, the average being six dollars?is 8992,60. Six men will lay one hundred and ten yards per day. One day, in which I observed the operation, seven men laid twenty-four rods. Atone dollar ner dav. npr lmnd in??lndin<T nwowiootiii* I-? ?J' I? ' ",v-' tools, &c., this would be $96 per mile for laying. If we estimate the filling in, &c., at half this sum, $48, we have $1,136 as the cost of road, independent of grading; for which no accurate estimate can be submitted, without a knowledge of the circumstances and facts of the case. Little engineering is required further than Uy trace the line upon the ground, and at the mostdifficult points to indicate the cutting or filling' neoesaary to bring the road to a proper grades F. P. Holcohb. Correspondence of the Troy Daily Whig. A LAKE OF PITCH. Port of Spain, Island of Trinidad, > Saturday. February 3d, 1850. ? Last week I made an excurison to the Pitclr Lake. Early on Friday morning I embarked in the steamer Lady McLeod for the point of La Brea, a distance of about 40 miles Southerly along the coast. 'JTiere was one passenger only to land at La Brea, Mr. Chapman of St Vincent. An introduction by a fellow passenger to a neighboring planter and to the supervisor, procured us mules to prosecute our enterprise. Mr. C., having a few miles further to go to visit a plantation on busines, and his route being the same as mine, I accepted his invita tion to bear him company as far as the lake. Imagine a black surface?a dreary, desolate black?spread out to the length of nearly a. half a mile by an eighth in width?lightly va- ? ried by many fissures?some of them but a step ' across, some just too wide to jump?a few of these fisssures filled with short sbruhbery, but most of them are mere ponds of water,?water as clear as the mountain spring and then imagine the whole bordered by a thick growth of trees and the graceful bonding bamboo, and this whole border thickly hanging with a profusion and variety of beautiful fiowers?I know not the spot elsewhere where the eye can rest on such a profusion of flowers at a glance? and this may possibly convey some general idea of the peculiarity of general view. For*a l r a.? _ _ i* AI A l ? a ? ciuse inspection 01 tne central part 01 tne tase I was obliged to repeat my visit the next morning, securing the services of a negro to carry a plank to bridge the unjumpable fissures. 1 then found- spots where the surface of the pitch would gradually sink beneath my feet, so that in a few moments I stood in a cavity ankle deep. Not wishing to pitch deeper, I changed my position. In other places it seemed to be boiling below, for the surface around me was bubling and simmering like that of a pot over the fire, while the gas thus discharged was very strong. Though the surface of the lake is generally two hard to receive a foot print? just hard enough to cut readily with an axe?* there are places where the pitch oozes out in nearly a liquid form, so that one may dip it with a spoon. Some of the water fissures are quite deep, affording good bathing, and are tolerably well stocked with fiish. Near the lake I found a black man engaged in boiling the pitch in several large boilers. A part of this he sells after boilinjr in a pure state and to the rest he adds a portion of lime, which is shipped as mastic. He says he has cut from the lake a great many hundreds of tons, but he never penetrates more than ten or twelve inches below the surface, and the hole is always filled again within two days after the cutting. The supply is doubtless inexhaustable. But the pitch is not confined to the spot I have endeavored to describe. There .are masses of it extending ' miles inland, and in several points it extends to the sea beach. At the last place it is cut out in large quantities, to ship to this city and some of the islands, to use in building and in flagging ' the streets. It is used by the steamers, being largely mixed with coal for fuel, and is recently ! i. I... f- -i. * _ -i. If coining uuo use in uiu luunuiuciurc 01 perroiiuni. But whenever these cuttings are made?on the lake, inland or on the beach?the quantity is almost immediately made good, and in some. places gradually increases. The neighborhood is in motion, very slow to be sure, yet there is, as it were, a growing up of the surface in spots,, so that the houses in La Brea are found now and then to have a side or an end raised a few inches above its opposite. Singular Enacting of tiik Crucifixion.. ?A Berlin paper states that there is iti Ruscirt a iil-mn omIIiw! Amiorrlnlp wliiw n nmst. sin. gular custom exists. Every ten years the aw-i'ul scenes of the crucifixion arc enacted by thevillagers. Some are dressed to represent sol-diers and Jews, some as Pharisees, and many men, women and children stand around as the^ crowd of spectators, while on the three crossesare nailed figures in wax anil at the feet kneelwomen to represent the Marys. The wholescene is gone through within all its details, nnd:lasts all day. This very singular performance,* which has been kept up since the middle ages,, is announced to take place again in the monthof June of this year, and strangers are invited to witness it. Michael Angelo's Will.?This great artist lived to the age of eighty-nine, and thea died uttering his last will in these words: soul I resign to God; my body to the earth; my worldly goods to my next of kin." Germans call a church-yard God's Field; a beautiful name, suggestive of hopeful thoughts. So wo should ever be taught to sec it?think it, '' v, $.. . jL ' $