Here in N. FL, in Jefferson County in the 1830s, the Slave Canal was
dug from the Wacissa River to the Aucilla to allow transport of goods
from the upper reaches of the Wacissa to the Gulf. The canal was
necessary because the Wacissa simply disappears into a group of streams
known as "The Warriors" into the swamp. Upstream of the canal, the
Aucilla has the odd habit of going underground at least 30 times before
flowing freely to the Gulf from Nutall Rise. Even at the time it was
dug, the canal; was in wilderness and was obviously dug by slaves under
arduous conditions passing through some of the most gawdawful swamp you
can imagine. The only high areas are midden mounds left by indians
where you can still easily find artifacts strewn over the ground.
The entrance to the Slave Canal is below the last good place to put
into the river at Goose Pasture and is very well hidden behind some
Cypress trees. If you miss it, you stand a good chance of getting lost
in the Warriors. Every time I have canoed the river, I spend some time
making sure I am actually in the canal before proceeding further. The
canal does not have much appearance of being dug except that it is deep
enough for a shallow draft boat and it looks very natural. Every time
I canoe it I think about the poor men who labored to somehow dig this
thing and I know their bones are lost in the swamp somewhere.
Now, the state of FL has chosen to dishonor the memory of those men
by trying to rename the Slave Canal to the Cotton Canal.