Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/669

MISSISSIPPI 651 cent. ; and 4th in colored population, a gain of 1-55 per cent. Of the total population at the last census, 816,731 were native and 11,191 foreign born; 413,421 males and 414,501 fe- males. Of the colored, 398,798 were blacks and 45,403 mulattoes. Of the natives, 564,142 were born in the state, 59,520 in Alabama, 35,- 956 in South Carolina, 33,551 in Virginia and West Virginia, 31,804 in Tennessee, 28,260 in Georgia, 27,941 in North Carolina, 9,417 in Louisiana, 8,927 in Kentucky, 3,250 in Mary- land, 2,410 in Missouri, 2,176 in Arkansas, 1,458 in New York, 1,171 in Ohio, and 1,145 in Texas. Of the foreigners, 3,359 were na- tives of Ireland, 2,960 of Germany, 1,088 of England, 970 of Sweden, and 630 of France. There were 138,542 persons born in the state living in other states and territories. The num- ber of male citizens of the United States 21 years old and upward in the state was 169,737. There were 166,828 families, with an average of 4*96 persons to each, and 164,150 dwellings, with an average of 5'04 persons to each. There were 291,718 persons 10 years old and over who could not read, and 313,310 who could not write, of whom 151,265 were males and 162,- 045 females, 48,028 whites, 264,902 colored, and 380 Indians and Chinese; 61,470 were between 10 and 15 years of age, 60,359 between 15 and 21, and 191,481 21 years old and up- ward (9,357 white males and 80,810 colored males). The number of blind persons in the state was 474 ; deaf and dumb, 245 ; insane, 245 ; idiotic, 485. The number of paupers sup- ported during the year ending June 1, 1870, was 921, at a cost of $96,707; receiving sup- port at that date, 809 ; number of persons con- victed of crimes during the year, 471 ; in prison at the close, 449. Of the whole number of per- sons 10 years old and over returned as engaged in occupations (318,850), 259,199 were em- ployed in agriculture, 40,522 in professional and personal services, 9,148 in trade and transpor- tation, and 9,981 in manufactures and mining. Among special occupations represented there were 181,523 agricultural laborers, 77,102 farm- ers and planters, 749 clergymen, 15,836 domestic servants, 15,969 laborers, 1,969 launderers and laundresses, 632 lawyers, 743 government offi- cials and employees, 1,511 physicians and sur- geons, 1,524 teachers, 3,834 traders and dealers, 2,429 clerks, salesmen, and accountants, 1,415 officials and employees of railroad companies, 500 draymen, teamsters, &c., 1,233 blacksmiths, 2,072 carpenters and joiners, 561 cotton and woollen mill operatives, and 573 milliners and dressmakers. Except in the Mississippi bot- tom, the surface of the state is generally hilly or undulating, with a slope S. "W. and S. Few of the ridges rise as high as 400 ft. above the drainage of the surrounding country, the usual elevation being from 30 to 120 ft. above the minor watercourses, and probably none is 800 ft. above the sea. The Mississippi bottom comprises an elliptical area, extending from Vicksburg N. to the Tennessee line, and em- bracing on the east the valley of the Yazoo and Tallahatchie rivers. It is upward of 50 m. wide in the central portion, and is swampy and liable to inundation. East of this the country is generally hilly, with tracts of prairie in the E. portion, and a narrow belt, level but wooded, called the " flat woods," extending from Tip- pah creek in Tippah co. to De Kalb in Kemper co. The central portion of the state E. of Vicksburg is hilly or undulating, interspersed with prairies. South of this is an undulating and sometimes hilly region, extending to the coast. The country along the Mississippi below Vicksburg for 10 or 15 m. inland is hilly, ele- vated from 50 to 150 ft. above the river; it is called the "cane hills" or "bluffs." At the mouths of the streams along the gulf are exten- sive marshes. Mississippi has a coast on the gulf of Mexico of 88 m., or including irregular- ities and islands of 287 m. The principal har- bors are those of Pascagoula, Biloxi, Mississippi City, and Shieldsborough (on bay St. Louis), but they do not admit large vessels. About 10 m. from the shore is a chain of low sandy islands, the chief of which are Petit Bois, Horn, Ship, and Cat islands, separated from the main- land by Mississippi sound. The state, with the exception of the N. E. corner, which is sepa- rated from Alabama by the Tennessee river, is drained either directly or through the Missis- sippi river into the gulf of Mexico. The Mis- sissippi forms its W. boundary for more than 500 m. by its windings; but for more than three fourths of this distance, from the N. limit of the state to Vicksburg, the configura- tion of its banks admits of no port, and below that city the only one of much importance is Natchez. The principal affluents of the Missis- sippi from this state, commencing at the south, are the Homochitto, Bayou Pierre, the Big Black, and the Yazoo rivers. North of the Ya- zoo the great swamp is traversed by numerous streams, often interlocking, among which may be mentioned the Sunflower, which leaves the Mississippi in the N. part of the state, and trav- ersing the swamp joins the Yazoo about 35 m. above its mouth, and the Cold "Water, an affluent of the Tallahatchie, which is connected by an arm with the Mississippi just above the Sunflow- er. The Yazoo, which by its affluents drains the N. "W. part of the state, is formed by the junction of the Tallahatchie and Yalobusha rivers, and joins the Mississippi a short distance above Vicksburg. The main stream is naviga- ble throughout, and its constituents for consid- erable distances. The Big Black rises in the N. central portion of the state, and is navigable by steamers for 50 m. above its mouth. The principal rivers that enter the gulf from this state are the Pearl and Pascagoula. The former rises in the central region and flows past Jack- son ; the latter with its constituents, the Leaf and Chickasahay, drains the S. E. portion of the state, and just before entering the gulf receives the Escatawpa from Alabama ; small boats can ascend for more than 100 m. from