T804, 805, 80(5, 807] sea coast— change of plants. 365 



As regards the practicability of deep bored and artesian wells in the Long-leaf 

 Tine Region, (1f318), it is highly probable, that in most cases the scarcity of 

 water suitable for daily use in the bottoms and hommocks of this region might 

 be relieved by bored wells, tubing out if necessary, the strong mineral waters. 

 Whether wells of moderate depth would find pressure enough to elevate the 

 water to the higher ridges (as at Summit, for instance), is uncertain, since some 

 of these seem to be equal in elevation to any S. of the Chickasaw Survey ; yet 

 the experiment deserves to be tried. 



THE SEA-COAST COUNTIES. 



Embracing the Counties ok Jackson, Harrison and Hancock. 



804. In approaching the sea-coast on the Chickasawhay and 

 Pascagoula route (TT787, ff.), the first decided change of the inland 

 vegetation towards that of the coast itself, occurs shortly after 

 passing Leaksville, in Greene comity. From Winchester south 

 wards, as a general tiling, the sandiness of the soils is regularly on 

 the increase ; the sands themselves assume a lighter tint, and more 

 of an evenly fine and sharp grain. The Gallberry or Inkberry 

 (Prinos glaber), which on the upper Chickasawhay and Leaf rivers, 

 appears only in isolated patches, is constantly on the increase in 

 the flat or hommock of the Pascagoula River, as we advance south- 

 ward, and whenever it does appear it indicates a sour and sandy 

 soil. 



805. The feature which, at the point mentioned, recalls to mind a prominent 

 peculiarity of the Sea-coast Counties, is the appearance of shallow upland ponds, 

 with water strongly colored by vegetable matter, in which plants peculiar to the 

 coast region appear for the first time. (Hypericum fasciculatum, Polygala 

 corgmlma, Drosera longifolia, Eriocaulon decangularc and villosum.) These 

 ponds or bogs are generally surrounded by a small growth of the Bay, and 

 Bay Galls ; and so are the branches, of the region whose channels become 

 shallow and wide and often very boggy ; their water, also assuming a browner 

 tint, and carrying larger quantities of sand, — a circumstance which renders the 

 crossing very changeable and sometimes dangerous. 



800. The road s mainly in the level river hommock, (on the 

 east side) which is of very variable width, and has a gradual ascent 

 into the hills. It is elevated from six to ten feet above the first 

 bofom of the river; at times it has the character simply of level 

 Pine Woods, its timber being the Long leaf Pine, with an occa- 

 sional Black Jack and Post Oak, and here and there, some Dog- 

 wood and small Hickory. Where this is the case, the subsoil is 

 generally somewhat heavier than the surface soil, of a yellow tint, 

 and might bear some improvement ; but whenever the Gallberry 

 prevails, we find at a depth of from five to eight inches, a subsoil 

 of pale yellow sand, which, in spring, is saturated with water, 

 showing a want of drainage. 



807. The bordering Pine Hills, which, as a general thing, have 

 a very sandy soil, oftentimes possess a very heavy subsoil, of a 



