Not long after our arrival, we went to the sugar-mills, behind the mansion-house, near the negro-quarter. The mill, in which the cylinders lie horizontally, is set in motion by a steam-engine of twelve horse-power, made in Liverpool by Faucett. The juice from the cane flows into the boiling-house, in which there are ten kettles. Mr. Andry directs himself all the operations, and while the mill is at work resides in a small room not far from the engine. He has the reputation of being very severe to his negroes. Whether this imputation be just or not, I could not decide, but twelve years ago an insurrection of the slaves broke out at his habitation, in which one of his brothers was murdered, and his father received three severe wounds with an axe. The garden here was not well kept. Scientific gardeners are very difficult to be procured here. Some years before two ships arrived with German emigrants, who were sold to defray the price of their pa.s.sage. There were several gardeners among them. These men very soon extricated themselves from their dependent situation, and part of them established themselves; but the rest fell a sacrifice to the noxious climate. As the term of their service was limited to a few years, their masters did not give themselves much trouble to reclaim the runaways. Mr. Andry"s garden was surrounded by a thick hedge of orange trees, and contained many magnolias, orange trees, myrtles, jasmines, &c. We returned to the left bank about eleven o"clock at night, and our carriage conveyed us through the beautiful, mild moonlight, back to New Orleans in an hour.
In the American theatre, "Der Freischutz" was presented under the t.i.tle of the "Black Huntsman of Bohemia." This drama, so universally known and admired, and which has followed me even in America like an evil genius, (since detached pieces of it were sung and played in almost all companies,) I had never yet witnessed. Determined not to remain longer in the rear of the age, I therefore went to the theatre. The orchestra was very weak and badly filled, hardly any of the performers could sing; I was told that the handsomest pieces of music are either abridged or entirely omitted. The decorations, nevertheless, were tolerably good, I found the boxes and galleries thronged. In the pit there were but few spectators, and these consisted of sailors and countrymen from Kentucky, who made themselves quite at ease on the benches, and cracked nuts during the finest pieces of music; a custom I have noticed in all English theatres, and from which my tobacco-chewing neighbours in the boxes did not refrain. The theatre is newly erected, and is arranged not untastefully. It contains, besides the pit and parquet, three rows of galleries as the French theatre; the boxes are only divided by low bal.u.s.trades, so that you look out as if from a balcony; the second gallery is destined for the reception of coloured spectators, among whom I saw not a single female, and in the upper gallery the mob and women of the town sit. The saloon is lit with gas, and has a very tasteful girandole. I remained but for a short time.
One witnesses almost daily examples of the degrading treatment which the poor negroes experience. I should say nothing of it, but one particular scene, which roused my indignation in the highest manner, on the 22d of March, I cannot suffer to pa.s.s in silence. There was a young Virginian female slave in our boarding-house, employed as a chamber maid, a cleanly, attentive, quiet, and very regular individual. A Frenchman residing in the house, called, in the morning early, for water to wash.
As the water was not instantly brought to him, he went down the steps, and encountered this poor girl, who just then had some other occupation in hand. He struck her immediately with the fist, in the face, so that the blood ran from her forehead. The poor creature, roused by this unmerited abuse, put herself on her defence, and caught the Frenchman by the throat. He screamed for help, but no one would interfere. The fellow then ran to his room, gathered his things together, and designed to leave the house. But when our landlady, Madam Herries, was informed of this, in order to satisfy the wretch, she disgraced herself by having twenty-six lashes inflicted upon the poor girl with a cow-hide, and refined upon her cruelty so much, that she forced the sweetheart of the girl, a young negro slave, who waited in the house, to count off the lashes upon her.[II-10]
[Footnote II-10: This Frenchman, a merchant"s clerk from Montpelier, was not satisfied with this: he went to the police, lodged a complaint against the girl, had her arrested by two constables, and whipped again by them in his presence. I regret that I did not take a note of this miscreant"s name, in order that I might give his disgraceful conduct its merited publicity.]
The river was progressively on the rise: the level of the water already higher than the land. It still brought down great quant.i.ties of drift timber with it. It was said, that about three days before, an uncommonly long and thick rattlesnake had been caught upon a tree that had been fished out. It was killed by a stroke of an axe, and had eighteen rattles on its tail. From this it was concluded that extraordinary inundations had taken place in the upper countries.
In order to pay my farewell visit to Mr. and Madam Andry, I crossed the Mississippi river in a little boat, and it occupied me full three-quarters of an hour to gain the right bank. It required a quarter of an hour alone to pa.s.s through the drift wood, which had collected on the sh.o.r.e. We were compelled, nevertheless, to direct our course parallel with the bank, for if we had attained the main current, it would have swept us down with great force. In addition to this, we experienced a real equinoctial tempest, so that the pa.s.sage was far from being comfortable. I hired a horse upon the opposite bank, and rode in less than an hour to Mr. Andry"s habitation, ten miles distance. The horses here are trained to a small gallop or canter, which is upon the whole not fatiguing, and carries you speedily. The storm had driven off in a thunder-squall, I felt but the beginning of it, and reached the habitation just at the right time. I galloped back again about five o"clock in the evening, under a beautiful clear sky. The road ran partly on the levee, partly along side of it. The land is chiefly cane-fields.
I came past three considerable sugar plantations, from which ca.n.a.ls were made in the cypress woods behind the fields, and thence to the Lake Barataria. These ca.n.a.ls are intended princ.i.p.ally for the carriage of wood. The young sprouts of the sugar cane made their appearance above ground, and the negroes were employed in weeding it. The pa.s.sage over the river was shorter this evening than in the morning, it lasted an half hour.
Dr. Herman showed me, at my farewell visit to him, besides his library, the claws and head of an alligator, which he had shot on the lake Barataria. The teeth of this reptile are indeed very long, but they do not appear to be fixed firmly in, but are hollow, and seem as if the animal changed them periodically; for in the cavities of several teeth, which had appeared to leave no roots, you see young teeth pushing forth.
Below the under jaw, the alligator has two little glands, which have a strong odour of musk. The Doctor has dried these glands, and hung them up in that state for several years, yet still they impart a strong musky smell. The alligator perhaps may avail himself of this substance to benumb the fish which come within his reach, and then swallow them.[II-11]
[Footnote II-11: [Nonsense.]--TRANS.]
Bishop Dubourg, whom I have often visited during my residence in this place, received me one day in his library, which contains besides theological works, many books of science and belles lettres. I remarked a perfect set of the French _Encyclopedie_, and complimented the bishop upon it, and expressed my surprise that he should have been able to purchase this work so complete in this country. The worthy man related with a smile how he had acquired it. As he was travelling through Flanders in 1816 and 1817, in company with the Bishop Prince de Broglio, he formed an acquaintance with a gentleman and his daughter, well known for their bigotry. The latter, a great admirer of books, told him confidingly, that she experienced great scruples on account of keeping in her library the Encyclopedie, in which so many wicked things were contained in opposition to the church. She inquired of him whether she had not better throw this shocking book into the fire? He himself being a great book fancier, and having observed that the work was complete, forbid this pious proceeding, and told her that if she would commit it to his custody, he would provide against its proving prejudicial. In this manner he saved this expensive work from destruction, and thereby enriched his own library.
CHAPTER XX.
_Travels up the Mississippi from New Orleans to St. Louis, and to St. Charles, on the Missouri_.
After a stay of nine weeks, I at length left New Orleans, on the 26th of March, with the most grateful feelings towards its inhabitants, who had received me in a friendly and affectionate manner, and had made this winter so extremely agreeable to me. Never shall I forget what the families of Messrs. Grymes, Urquhart and Andry, did for my benefit, and with what cordiality and true hospitality they acted towards me. The Baron de Marigny has, however, merited the most from my hands, and since he has it in prospect to leave America, and settle himself in Europe, I trust yet once more to have it in my power to exhibit my grat.i.tude to him otherwise than by words. The real creoles are, upon the whole, a warm-hearted generation, and the people with whom I was least pleased here, were the Americans, who are mostly brought only by the desire of acc.u.mulating wealth. The Germans in Louisiana, unhappily rank behind even the Irish. They are mostly a lazy race, not distinguished for their morality, and very different from their countrymen in Pennsylvania, who, on account of their moral and industrious characters, are universally respected, and are worthy of this high regard.
Since my landing in Boston, on the 26th July, to my reaching New Orleans, I had travelled the distance of four thousand two hundred and seventy-five English miles. I entered now upon another great journey.
I designed to go from here to St. Louis, thence through the states of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio to Pittsburgh, thence through Pennsylvania by Philadelphia to New York. Here I proposed, with G.o.d"s help, to embark for Liverpool, in the month of June.
About ten o"clock in the morning, I repaired from the Levee on board the steam-boat Phoenix, bound for St. Louis, and immediately left the sh.o.r.e.
Eight steam-boats ascended the river on the same day. Ours was the finest of this number. She was not large and had proportionately a too powerful and dangerous high pressure engine. This communicated to the vessel such a violent shock, that it was hardly possible to write. Mr.
Huygens was still my travelling companion; and I found to my great satisfaction, a new and very welcome one in M. Hottinguer, the son of a banker in Paris, whom I had known in New York, and who was now desirous of viewing the western states on his return to Europe. The remaining pa.s.sengers, only three in number, were inhabitants of St. Genevieve, not far from St. Louis, in the state of Missouri. The day was very beautiful; the city, as well as the extensive suburb of St. Marie, afforded a very picturesque view. What a pity that the sh.o.r.es are so very low. It is hard to determine where the suburb St. Marie ends, the houses gradually stand farther apart, until they are confounded with the sugar plantations, of which we observed a good many on both banks of the river, and some ornamented with very convenient dwelling houses. The banks are highly cultivated, behind the fields, however, the cypress woods are seen to commence. Towards the afternoon, something broke in the engine, and we had to lie by for repairs, about three hours. We heard music on the plantations, as the negroes were allowed to amuse themselves on this first day of the Easter holy-days. So much timber drove down the stream, that our engine was frequently stopped, to prevent the buckets of the wheels from being injured by floating trunks of trees.
Our accommodations consisted of a cabin with sixteen births; behind this were two ladies cabins, of which, as there were no ladies on board, we took possession, so that we might be located at the greatest possible distance from the engine. We met three steam-boats, and several keel and flat boats, which were laden with cotton, meal in barrels, bacon, hams, birds, &c.
We pa.s.sed the whole night without receiving any damage, although we suffered some heavy blows from floating trunks of trees. The next day the dwellings were more scattered, all of them, as well as the sugar-cane fields about them, appeared in good condition. The banks on both sides we found mostly covered with wood; the cypress had ceased, and green-leaved trees, such as ash and poplar took their place. At first the sh.o.r.e was very low, and we could observe from the marks on the trees left by the water, that at a high stage of it the surrounding country must be overflowed. Towards midday we pa.s.sed the small town of Baton Rouge, which lies upon a height, and may contain about twelve hundred inhabitants. It was the first town we had noticed. In pa.s.sing, I remarked upon the eminence two brick barracks, two stories high, and good looking, which are inhabited during the summer by the garrison of New Orleans, on account of their healthy situation. Baton Rouge is one hundred and thirty-one miles distant from New Orleans, and owes its name to an ancient Indian trunk of a tree, which was so denominated by the first French settlers. We did not stop here, but made our first halt after sunset, at Bayou Sara, one hundred and sixty-three miles from New Orleans, for an hour, to take in wood for the engine. Above Baton Rouge the banks were steep, especially the left. Such solitary elevations are termed here bluffs. The islands in the Mississippi are numbered as they occur from the junction of the Ohio down. The last is No. 97, we came this day up above No. 94, and found all these intermediate islands low and covered with wood. Towards the rising of the sun, we had pa.s.sed by at the mouth of the Bayou la Fourche, the little town of Donaldsonville, where as it is said, the seat of government of Louisiana will be established.[II-12] We saw three large alligators lying on the sh.o.r.e sunning themselves, the largest must have been from six to eight feet long. The weather was fine the whole day.
[Footnote II-12: [Our author has somehow been confused in his diary here: the mouth of La Fourche is generally called seventy-five miles above New Orleans, Stoddart makes it eighty-one. At any rate it is about half way between Bayou Sara or Point Coupee and the city of New Orleans; and of course the Duke must have pa.s.sed Donaldsonville, which is at the junction of La Fourche with the Mississippi, in the morning of the day he pa.s.sed Baton Rouge.]--TRANS.]
We did not lie by again in the evening, but went on through the night, and still received several blows from the drift wood.
The next morning produced nothing novel; some tortoises only pa.s.sed us, sailing on pieces of wood. The river made many and considerable windings. The banks are every where woody, and for the most part so low, that from the water-marks on the trees, they must be inundated at high freshes. There were several high bluffs on the left bank, of which those called Loftus Heights, appear to be the most remarkable. There is a small settlement there called Fort Adams, from a fort that formerly stood here. Scattered, but considerable plantations, are situated on the sh.o.r.es. The sugar plantations have ceased, and the cotton fields have taken their place. We stopped at one of these plantations to take in wood; I embraced this opportunity to land, and look round about me in the neighbourhood of the plantation. The soil appeared to be of a dark colour, and very productive. The trees were chiefly of ash and poplar, of which one was sixteen feet in circ.u.mference. Upon all the trees, wild vines branched aloft, partly from thick trunks; also many locust trees grew about here. In the garden of the plantation, there stood a large bush of the champagne rose, as it is called, which appeared very beautiful, as it was in full bloom, and diffused a delicious odour. The raising of bees was carried on at this plantation. The vegetation was as far advanced almost, as it is in Germany about June. The right bank of the stream still belongs to Louisiana, the left side however, is in Mississippi. Before we reached Fort Adams, we saw to the left of us the broad Red river, emptying itself into the Mississippi two hundred and thirty-two miles from New Orleans.
I take the liberty of inserting the following account of this river, which is given in the "Western Navigator," a work which is published with charts of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers: "The Red river falls into the Mississippi a little to the south of the thirty-first degree of north lat.i.tude. At its mouth it is about five hundred yards wide, and its general breadth is between two hundred and fifty and three hundred yards. The main branch of this majestic stream rises in the Mexican range of mountains eastward from Santa Fe, in nearly the thirty-sixth degree of north lat.i.tude. It flows about one hundred miles in a north-eastern direction, unites itself with another broad branch coming from the north-west, makes then a great circuit towards the south-east, and follows this direction to the Mississippi for the distance of fifteen hundred miles. The country about the lower half of the Red river is pretty well examined, and found equal to the other part of Louisiana in fertility, except about fifty miles from the Mississippi, which district is exposed to annual inundations. The cotton and the tobacco raised about Natchitoches and at the Rapids, are of the best quality, and command the highest prices. Besides many small craft, the trade employs several steam-boats at Natchitoches. The bed and sh.o.r.es of this river consists of clear red sand, mixed with clay and gravel, the same colour is imparted to the water."
On the morning of the 29th March we reached Natchez, and made a stop of some hours, to repair a leaky boiler. I employed this leisure in writing some letters of thanks to New Orleans. This occupied so much of my time, that I was not able to look about in Natchez. Several of our company did so, and informed me that the city was regularly and well built, and situated upon an eminence on the left bank of the river, removed a short mile back from it. Upon the bank itself, are some few streets of wooden houses, with shops for provisioning and supplying the steam-boats, which mostly make this a station. Back of these streets, rises a sand-hill, upon which the city stands, and a very laborious ascent through deep sand carries one there. Natchez is two hundred and ninety-eight miles distant from New Orleans.
At half past eight o"clock we proceeded: the banks were very low, and bluffs were to be seen only now and then on the left side. Only one solitary plantation on a hill covered with gra.s.s appeared well cultivated. It was situated upon a point called Pet.i.t gulf, where the river makes a remarkable bend, and is three hundred and forty miles from New Orleans. Besides this, we took notice of several little plantations which are exposed to inundations, and have only wretched log-houses.
They are fixed there by poor people, who seek to acquire property in this unhealthy district. We stopt at two of this kind of plantations to take in wood, and I went ash.o.r.e both times for exercise. At one of these places, the owner had put fire to all the trees that were not hewn down, to make the land arable, and to change the wood into cotton fields. The day pa.s.sed over in the same way: our travelling party was increased by a woman from St. Louis, who had waited for us with her three children at one of the plantations. She was the wife of a mechanic in St. Louis, who also was engaged in trade, having been to Santa Fe, in Mexico, and from there had brought mules for sale to the state of Alabama. He appeared to have staid away rather too long; his wife, and her three little children, had travelled after him, but not being able to find him, she now returned home.
During the night we pa.s.sed the little town of Warrenton, on the left bank of the river, three hundred and ninety-eight miles from New Orleans, and afterwards another, on an eminence on the same sh.o.r.e, called Walnut Hills, ten miles farther. About midday, on the 30th of March, we pa.s.sed the mouth of the Yazoo.
Concerning this river, the Western Navigator makes the following remarks:--"The Yazoo rises in the state of Georgia, takes a south-westerly direction, meanders through a fertile country, and empties itself into the Mississippi, in the lat.i.tude of 32 30". At its mouth it is about one hundred and thirty yards wide."
The country was again very monotonous, low banks, partly covered with water, covered thickly with trees, of which the fresh green leaves were very much hidden by the disagreeable Spanish moss: some inconsiderable plantations, where cotton and Indian corn were raised, and the dwelling-houses, miserable little log-cabins, which are built on a sort of grate, on account of the overflowing water. We stopt at one of these places for wood, on the left bank. The labourers discovered among the wood prepared for them, a snake two feet long, green and yellow striped, with a white belly. They considered it poisonous, and killed it; I believe, however, that it was not, for at a dinner in the habitation of Mr. Andry, the sons of our host brought a similar snake, which he had found in the garden, into the chamber, and I permitted it, (to the terror of the ladies,) to creep into my sleeve upon the naked skin.
Although the head of this snake had been cut off, yet the body still had life, and wound itself so fast upon my finger with the tail that I could carry it a considerable distance. There are many bears in the woods here, as the wife of the planter a.s.sured me, which make great havoc among the hogs of the inhabitants, but do not attack men. The islands in the river are very low, and covered thick with timber.
The weather had become cold, on the 31st of March it became warmer.
Nothing new! woody sh.o.r.es, high trees, poplars and sycamores, with large creeping plants, mostly of wild vines, and here and there tall cane. We pa.s.sed several low islands, which, as well as a distance on both sh.o.r.es, were overflowed, also some solitary, mean, and miserable dwellings. The left bank of the river still is in the limits of the state of Mississippi, the right thus far is in Arkansas Territory; of which Little Rock on the Arkansas river is the princ.i.p.al place, at which many emigrants from the eastern states have settled themselves. About ten o"clock at night we reached the mouth of the Arkansas. Of this, the "Western Navigator" speaks as follows:--This very beautiful river is about three hundred and sixty yards wide, at its mouth it is said to be fifteen hundred miles long. It rises at forty degrees north lat.i.tude in the Mexican mountains, between the river La Platte on the one side, and the Rio del Norte on the other. "This river, (as Stoddart writes,) has a rocky bed, and the navigation of it is much impeded by rapids and shoals. The extensive country through which it rolls, is diversified by some mountains, numerous elevations, and fruitful vallies, especially along the water-courses; by scattered groves and copses of wood, and by prairies or natural meadows of great extent, where immense flocks of various kinds of wild animals resort to graze."
The pilot was obliged to be very careful here, since several dangerous "snags"[II-13] lay in the river where we pa.s.sed by the remains of the steam-boat Putnam, sunk there. We met the beautiful large steam-boat Caledonia, which, coming from Louisville, went down the river in a most imposing style. The mouth of the Arkansas is distant five hundred and ninety and a half miles from New Orleans, and there are still five hundred and fifty-nine and a half miles remaining to St. Louis, so that the distance from New Orleans to St. Louis amounts to eleven hundred and fifty-eight miles.
[Footnote II-13: In these rivers there is a difference understood between the two kinds of trunks of trees which lie in the stream, and are dangerous to vessels, i. e. snags and sawyers. The first, of which I have spoken already in the Alabama river, are fast at one end in the bottom, and stand up like piles; the others are not fastened, by being moved by the current the upper end of the tree takes a sawing motion, from whence its appellation is derived.]
On the 1st of April, the sh.o.r.es on both sides, as well as most of the islands, continued still as low and woody as those we had noticed during the preceding days. The ugly long moss, however ceased to deform the trees. Upon the right sh.o.r.e, was situated a little new settlement, Helena, which, from the appearance of its buildings, must be in a tolerably thriving condition. Towards evening, we stopped to wood on the right bank, at a small settlement, called Big Prairie. It was an open place, surrounded by forests, in which stood some very handsome live-oaks. As it became dark, we saw in the woods a great number of fire flies, swarming about, which for a moment led us to think that there was a smithy, or a high furnace in the forest, out of which the sparks were flying. The navigation during the night was very dangerous on account of the number of snags: we received some powerful blows, and a branch, to which we approached too near in the dark, forced its way into one of the cabins, and made a considerable breach. Luckily no one at the time was sleeping there.
Upon the following day we still contemplated no object but low and inundated sh.o.r.es. The human dwellings, the most miserable that could be conceived, were placed along in a scattered manner. As we took in wood towards evening, we were obliged to fasten to the wood-pile, as the whole plantation was under water. The lights on the left sh.o.r.e, which may rise about forty feet, are called the Chickesa Bluffs, of which there are reckoned four in a stretch of about sixty miles.
Before we reached the fourth Chickesa Bluff, we pa.s.sed a large island, called President"s Island. The river changes its course almost every year, and constantly washes the sand-banks away, while it makes others, so that the chart of the stream made a few years back, is not to be depended upon as a guide. The pa.s.sage in which we sailed along, was at times rather narrow on account of the island, when the river was at least an English mile broad. Upon the fourth Chickesa Bluff stood the quondam Fort Pickering, consisting of a stockade, as were the forts, as they were called in the Creek nation. The two block houses of this fort are still visible, of which a plantation house has been made. A short mile above the fort, stands a group of rather miserable houses: it is the town of Memphis. It is seven hundred and sixty-three miles from New Orleans, and three hundred and eighty-seven from St. Louis.
Above this town of great name, the Wolf river discharges itself into the Mississippi. The state of Mississippi has its boundary here, and the state of Tennessee commences. It is reported, that Miss Wright, of whom notice has been taken before, has settled herself near Memphis, bought several negroes, and located a plantation. During her travels in the northern states, she expressed so great a disgust towards slavery, that she could not be persuaded to cross the Potomac, to go into Virginia.
And now, she has even purchased negroes! It is said, however, that she has acted thus from a philanthropical designs, to follow a proposed plan of setting the negroes free, and giving them their liberty by degrees.
I have already given my sentiments at Boston, concerning Miss Wright.
All that I have since heard respecting her, confirms the unfavourable judgment which I then communicated. A respectable person, who had become acquainted with her in Philadelphia, said, that she stretched herself on a sofa, spoke little, and gave herself little or no trouble about any one, now and then breaking out in detached sentences, such as this, for example; I believe that bears are of more value than men. At Memphis, she will, I have no doubt, enjoy many opportunities of confirming herself in practical experience of the truth of this maxim. In the evening, we were amused again with the great numbers of fire flies, which filled the woods.
On the 3rd of April, we were embarra.s.sed by our fire wood giving out.
The banks were overflowed, and there was no regular landing place to be obtained. At the place called the new cut-off, we had a very powerful current against us, which we overcame with great trouble and waste of time. The wood was so far gone, that old barrels were broke up, and a mast and several boards were obliged to be sawed for a supply. This new cut had formed itself in February 1822, and saves the vessels a circuit of thirteen miles. It may be observed on the chart, what a large bend the Mississippi makes here. By degrees it washed the small isthmus of land, which intervened between the bends, and formed itself a new bed directly through. This neck of land, through which this new cut pa.s.ses, is hardly half a mile wide. It is but a short time since the steam-boats first ventured to take this short route: for the remains of the trees washed away are still visible, and this admonishes the navigator to be on his guard.
After we had pa.s.sed this strait, which is distant eight hundred and sixty-nine miles from New Orleans, we stopped on the right bank, to provide ourselves with wood. We embraced this opportunity to go ash.o.r.e for a walk, and into the woods. A young man of our vessel, killed a very handsome snake in the forest. It was one and a half foot long, whitish, with coal-black, edged spots on the back, the belly white with black stripes.[II-14] Farther on, a black eagle with white head and tail was shot. We saw a similar one in the afternoon fly long before our boat, he had found a snake which he held in his talons. We met with several plovers also. After sunset, we stopt at the right bank for the second time, to obtain more wood for the night. This place was called Point Pleasant, and there were about it several small plantations; one of which served as a trade-deposit with the Indians. The Indians bring deer, buck, muskrat and other skins, and barter them for arms, ammunition, woollen blankets, stamped calicoes, &c. one of our travelling companions, Mr. Vallais employed himself in this trade. We accompanied him to the depot, whence he brought a whole cart-load of pressed skins to the boat, to take up with him.
[Footnote II-14: Coluber coccineus.]
On the right hand sh.o.r.e the Arkansas territory ceases, and the new state of Missouri begins. This was first received into the Union two years since, and with truly great difficulty, and after long debate; as congress was at issue whether the state should be suffered to permit slavery within its limits or not. The state at length, however, obtained that privilege.
Six miles below Point Pleasant, the little town of New Madrid lies upon the right bank, nine hundred and twelve miles from New Orleans. We past by it in the night, to my great regret; for I should have liked to have seen the remains of the violent earthquake, which prevailed here in the years 1811 and 1812. There are great sink-holes to be seen here yet, in which trees are buried. The soil upon which the town itself stood, has sunk many feet, and the place has suffered very much. New Madrid was a Spanish settlement, and so long as the whole right bank of the Mississippi, that is, from 1763 to 1803, belonged to the Spaniards, under the name of Louisiana, there was a Spanish military post there.
On the left bank of the river this evening, we left the jurisdiction of Tennessee, and entered that of Kentucky.
On the 4th of April, it was exactly one year, since I left the city of Ghent, and my family. The time has pa.s.sed over rapidly with me, I have seen many remarkable things, my mind has been kept on a constant stretch; nevertheless, that which pa.s.sed more than a year ago is as present, as if performed but a few days since. If the great Architect of the universe shall conduct me in health home to those I love, which I have prayed for, then shall the 4th of April be a festival-day in my family as long as I live.
Both sh.o.r.es of the river, appeared in the forenoon just as they appeared during the last days. Only we remarked two elevations on the left bank, of which one was called Chalk Bank, the other Iron Bank. About one o"clock in the afternoon we found ourselves opposite the mouth of the Ohio river. The river is here very broad, and both streams with their low banks, grown thick with wood, puts one in mind of the Mecklenburg lakes.
The Western Navigator says, in a note concerning the Ohio: "The Ohio arises from the junction of the Alleghany with the Monongahela at Pittsburgh, the first is about three hundred and seventy, the latter near five hundred yards broad at their mouths. After a west-south-westerly course of nine hundred and fifty-two miles the Ohio empties itself into the Mississippi about in the degree of north lat.i.tude thirty-seven. It changes its breadth from four hundred to fourteen hundred yards. At Cincinnati it is eight hundred and forty-seven yards wide, which may be considered its medium. Its course is gentle, not broken by falls or rapids, except at Louisville. It is inferior to few streams in the convenience of communication from one part to the other, especially if the operation of ca.n.a.ling the falls, and erecting of locks, which has long been contemplated, be carried through with success. The height of the falls is estimated at twenty-two and a half feet, the length of the descent two miles. The greatest extremes of falling in the height of the river, are between Pittsburgh and the Mississippi; they lessen as the river is descended, and the medium height is from twenty-five to thirty feet. At the lowest state of water, the river is fordable in many places above the falls."
The mouth of the Ohio is nine hundred and seventy-seven miles from New Orleans, and one hundred and seventy-three from St. Louis. Two steam-boats, the Friendship and Philadelphia, which had remained near us all the way from New Orleans, here left us, and ascended the Ohio. The Mississippi continues still very broad above the Ohio, and contains many islands. From the mouth of the Ohio, the left sh.o.r.e of the river belongs to the state of Illinois, the right, as already observed, to the state of Missouri. The banks of the Mississippi begin to be something higher, and at times still more rocky. We stopt at a couple of solitary houses on the right bank for wood. During this halt I went into the wood lying back, to walk, and remarked several sycamores of an uncommon height and stoutness; I believe I can affirm that one of them was twenty feet in circ.u.mference. We observed from the cooler air, and the less precocious vegetation, that we were again in a more northern climate. A few of the trees were in leaf, others were blossoming, which in New Orleans, occurred six weeks ago. Near the dwellings were large orchards, in which the apple-tree was in blossom. On the bank grew arbres de judee, whose blossoms resemble those of the peach-tree, and near them blossoming white-thorns.