APPENDIX A.	539
swim off in search of food, whereas a beef will stand in ite tracks until with
exhaustion it drops in the water and drowns.
At half-past twelve o'clock a hail was given from a flat-boat inside the
line of the bank. Bounding to we ran alongside, and General York stepped
aboard. He was just then engaged in getting off stock, and welcomed the
* Times-Democrat ' boat heartily, as he said there was mnch need for her.
He said that the distress was not exaggerated in the least People were in
a condition it was difficult even for one to imagine. The water was so high
there was great danger of their houses being swept away. It had already
risen so high that it was approaching the eaves, and when it reaches this
point there is always imminent risk of their being swept away. If this
occurs, there will be great loss of life. The General spoke of the gallant
work of many of the people in their attempts to save their stock, bat thought
that fully twenty-five per cent, had perished, Already twenty-five hundred
people had received rations from Troy, on Black BiYer, 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 Yidalia and the VUg of Catahoizla.
At two o'clock the *Susie* reached Troy, sixty-five miles above i$*«
inouth of Black Biver. Here on the left comes hi Little River ; just beyond
that the Ouachita, and on the right the Tensas. These three livers form the
Black Biver. 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 dUrefHfr,
and are about two hundred yards apart. The houses are all built between
these mounds, and hence are all flooded to & depth of eighteen indies oh
their fioors.
These elevations, built by the aborigines, hundreds of years ago, axe ifee
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, Tkey were
mixed together, sheep, hogs, horses, mules, and cattle, Doe of these mowadfl
has been used for many years as the grave-yard, and to-day we asw at-
tenuated cows lying against the marble tomb-stones, chewing their end in
contentment, after a meal of corn furnished by General York. Here, *a
below, the remarkable skill of the women and girls In the manageeaoal of
the smaller pirogues was noticed. GhUdxea were pudding aboet ia ibeae
most flMrliah crafts with all the nonchalance of adepts.
General York has put into operation a perfect system la regwd to to*
piling; relief. He makes a personal inspection of tbe place wtaa it is
asked, sees what is necessary to be done* and £he% having fewt» boato
tered, with flats, sends them pxmptiy to ft* fJaee,wi» &* «rt*lft «*»
toaded and towed to tlie piiie hiH8 a^	B*fe*a*fe