Already twenty-five hundred people had received rations from Troy,on Black River,and he had towed out a great many cattle,but a very great quantity remained and were in dire need.
The water was now eighteen inches higher than in 1874,and there was no land between Vidalia and the hills of Catahoula.
At two o'clock the 'Susie'reached Troy,sixty-five miles above the mouth of Black River.Here on the left comes in Little River;just beyond that the Ouachita,and on the right the Tensas.
These three rivers form the Black River.Troy,or a portion of it,is situated on and around three large Indian mounds,circular in shape,which rise above the present water about twelve feet.They are about one hundred and fifty feet in diameter,and are about two hundred yards apart.
The houses are all built between these mounds,and hence are all flooded to a depth of eighteen inches on their floors.
These elevations,built by the aborigines,hundreds of years ago,are the only points of refuge for miles.When we arrived we found them crowded with stock,all of which was thin and hardly able to stand up.
They were mixed together,sheep,hogs,horses,mules,and cattle.
One of these mounds has been used for many years as the grave-yard,and to-day we saw attenuated cows lying against the marble tomb-stones,chewing their cud in contentment,after a meal of corn furnished by General York.Here,as below,the remarkable skill of the women and girls in the management of the smaller pirogues was noticed.
Children were paddling about in these most ticklish crafts with all the nonchalance of adepts.
General York has put into operation a perfect system in regard to furnishing relief.He makes a personal inspection of the place where it is asked,sees what is necessary to be done,and then,having two boats chartered,with flats,sends them promptly to the place,when the cattle are loaded and towed to the pine hills and uplands of Catahoula.He has made Troy his headquarters,and to this point boats come for their supply of feed for cattle.
On the opposite side of Little River,which branches to the left out of Black,and between it and the Ouachita,is situated the town of Trinity,which is hourly threatened with destruction.
It is much lower than Troy,and the water is eight and nine feet deep in the houses.A strong current sweeps through it,and it is remarkable that all of its houses have not gone before.
The residents of both Troy and Trinity have been cared for,yet some of their stock have to be furnished with food.
As soon as the 'Susie'reached Troy,she was turned over to General York,and placed at his disposition to carry out the work of relief more rapidly.
Nearly all her supplies were landed on one of the mounds to lighten her,and she was headed down stream to relieve those below.At Tom Hooper's place,a few miles from Troy,a large flat,with about fifty head of stock on board,was taken in tow.The animals were fed,and soon regained some strength.
To-day we go on Little River,where the suffering is greatest.
DOWN BLACK RIVER
Saturday Evening,March 25.
We started down Black River quite early,under the direction of General York,to bring out what stock could be reached.Going down river a flat in tow was left in a central locality,and from there men poled her back in the rear of plantations,picking up the animals wherever found.
In the loft of a gin-house there were seventeen head found,and after a gangway was built they were led down into the flat without difficulty.
Taking a skiff with the General,your reporter was pulled up to a little house of two rooms,in which the water was standing two feet on the floors.
In one of the large rooms were huddled the horses and cows of the place,while in the other the Widow Taylor and her son were seated on a scaffold raised on the floor.One or two dug-outs were drifting about in the roam ready to be put in service at any time.When the flat was brought up,the side of the house was cut away as the only means of getting the animals out,and the cattle were driven on board the boat.
General York,in this as in every case,inquired if the family desired to leave,informing them that Major Burke,of 'The Times-Democrat,'has sent the 'Susie'up for that purpose.Mrs.Taylor said she thanked Major Burke,but she would try and hold out.The remarkable tenacity of the people here to their homes is beyond all comprehension.Just below,at a point sixteen miles from Troy,information was received that the house of Mr.Tom Ellis was in danger,and his family were all in it.We steamed there immediately,and a sad picture was presented.Looking out of the half of the window left above water,was Mrs.Ellis,who is in feeble health,whilst at the door were her seven children,the oldest not fourteen years.
One side of the house was given up to the work animals,some twelve head,besides hogs.In the next room the family lived,the water coming within two inches of the bed-rail.The stove was below water,and the cooking was done on a fire on top of it.The house threatened to give way at any moment:one end of it was sinking,and,in fact,the building looked a mere shell.
