And now to be considered alone, and distinct, that nondescript of all
human demonstrations, are the “_Flat Boatmen_,” of the Mississippi
River. Of this class there are annually visiting the city of New
Orleans not less than ten thousand, and yet when there, that is their
home. They are, indeed, an amphibious race of beings, living on land
or water, and always enjoying the comforts of a hotel wherever night
overtakes them. They belong, however, to the Mississippi, and are,
to the length and breadth of that mighty river, what the wild Arab
is to the deserts of Arabia. Daring and fearless, they never regard
danger, as more than the common incidents of every day life. In their
composition, they present the striking features and peculiarities of
the disciplined sailor, the fearless whaleman, and the bold and strong
backwoodsman, added to all the free and social qualities of the well
educated New Englander. And while combining, and being made up of
such traits of character, they present a class distinct, original,
eccentric, and unique; yet, with all the better attributes of the human
soul cultivated to a high degree, presenting a noble and generous
nature, and as warm a heart as ever beat in the human breast. This
class of “half horse and half alligator,” as they claim to be, have
borne such a conspicuous part in the great Valley of the Mississippi,
that a better view of their character cannot be given than the
following narrative, taken from the lips of the celebrated James Girty,
a short time before his death.
“In the year 1814, I was captain of the barge Black Snake, belonging
to the Poyntz’s at Maysville. I started with the barge, about
two-thirds loaded, for New Orleans, in the latter part of November.
When I reached the mouth of Cumberland, I found a considerable
quantity of arms belonging to the United States, which had been
despatched from Pittsburgh for the troops engaged under General
Jackson, in the defence of New Orleans. They had been taken down thus
far, depending on an engagement made with Ben Smith of Cincinnati,
under which he had contracted to deliver them within a given time
at New Orleans. The government agent had been waiting some days
for Smith, who had not yet made his appearance; and finding an
opportunity offering, and fearing they would be needed, immediately
decided to send them by me. I made all possible despatch, and happily
succeeded in reaching New Orleans with my precious freight on the 3d
of January, 1815. Eager to have a hand in the approaching battle,
I reported myself immediately to Gen. Jackson, who gave me the
appointment of Captain, with authority to impress into service the
whole body of barge and keel-boat men in port. I entered on the work
without delay, and with great activity and success. You know as much
as I can tell you of the glorious 8th. After every thing in the shape
of a red coat had disappeared, I discharged the remaining part of the
cargo and crew, for which last I had no further use until I could get
a freight up the river, which I did not get until the latter part
of May, when I hired a crew and started for Pittsburgh. I reached
Natchez in June. It was the custom of those days to give the hands
a holiday at Natchez, one at the mouth of the Ohio, and one also at
Louisville or Shippingsport.--It was four o’clock in the afternoon
that we threw up our poles and fastened our bowlines at Natchez. The
men were eager for a dance, and some would not wait even for their
supper, scampering off to the dance houses under the hill. I got my
supper and went up also. I looked on until 11 or 12 at night, when
finding all my entreaties to get them back to the boat unavailing, I
left them, some engaged in dancing, others betting with the gamblers
on the _Roulettes_, and went on board the Black Snake. As the day
dawned, all hands were also at their posts, but in a wretched plight,
many of them having their heads badly cut and bruised.
“It seems the gamblers had won all their money, and a fight ensued,
in which those gentry came off victorious. After breakfast, I judged
by the threats of the hands, and other circumstances, that it would
be advisable to get the Black Snake under way; but on giving orders
to that effect, not a man would raise a pole, until he had had his
accustomed frolic out, and I was compelled to give way, determining
in my own mind, to leave at 4 o’clock, when the day of privilege
would be out. When that hour came, it was of no use to propose
starting, none of the men would budge, until they had obtained
revenge; and they had privately agreed that they would not assist
me up any farther, if I would not go with them and help whip the
gamblers.
“I saw there was no alternative, and after supper, I repaired with my
whole crew to the dance house, armed with knives, chopping axes and
setting poles. The gamblers had expected us and were prepared with
pistols, knives, and rifles, for the fight. The _scrimmage_ commenced
without exchanging a word. At first they gave us hard usage, but
their ammunition was soon spent, and they gave way, bearing three of
their number off who were killed in the scuffle. One of our men was
mortally wounded, who made out to walk to the boat, where he died
in half an hour. We cut cable and crossed the Mississippi, worked
the Black Snake three miles up the river, and came to for the night.
About day-light next morning, while burying the dead man, the Sheriff
of Adams county and a posse of almost an hundred men, came up and
made us all prisoners.
“They left a man of the party in charge of the barge, and took us all
down to the ferry-boat and across to Natchez, where we were brought
before a judge and tried. No evidence being found against any but
myself and Bill Lloyd, one of my hands, the rest of the crew were set
free, while Bill and I were sent to Washington jail; my barge was
sent on, and I was detained to stay in jail until Court, which was
to sit the first Monday in October. After I had been in jail about
two weeks, one of the Associate Judges of the Court by which I was
to be tried, came out to Washington to see me. I found in him an old
Pennsylvania acquaintance, on whom I had some claims. He gave me poor
encouragement, telling me he feared the Court would not let me out on
bail. I told him I had $2,700, which I could leave with my security.
Still he discouraged me. He said the evidence was point-blank against
me and Lloyd, but promised he would call again, ordering the jailor
to see that I did not want for anything that lay in his power to
give, and bade me good-bye. In about a week, he came again, and told
me he had succeeded in making it a bailable case of $3,000, and had
also obtained a man to go my security. The door was opened. I gave
the Judge $2,700 and the necessary security.--The Judge advised me to
leave immediately, and never show myself in Natchez, saying he would
willingly pay the $3,000, if I would keep away. I told him I would
be in Washington at the sitting of the Court, if I lived--on this I
was determined. That afternoon I wrote a letter to a friend of mine
in Natchez, who was a woman that kept a dance-house--now living and
wealthy, and of course, respectable--requesting her to get clear of
the evidence against me. I received an answer to this next morning,
assuring me I need fear nothing; that I might make my appearance
at the proper time with perfect safety, for there would be no one
present to witness against me. I left Natchez the same day, on foot
for Pittsburgh, which I reached in the latter part of July. I lost
no time collecting money, and gathered up $1,500, and started in a
large covered skiff on my return to Natchez. This was the last of
August. My skiff had two pairs of oars, and I took three yankees on
board to work their passage as far as Cincinnati, and the oars were
plied night and day till we got there. At Cincinnati I hired a man to
help me the rest of the way down; by the time we reached Louisville,
he got tired and ran off. I went over Falls by myself, and landed at
Shippingsport in search of another hand, and the first man that met
my eye was Bill Lloyd. You may guess my astonishment. My first words
were, “Why, Bill, how did you get out of jail?” “Oh,” said he, “it
got so d--d sickly among the thieving scoundrels in there, that the
jailer was glad to open my door to get me to take charge of the sick.
I opened the door for the rest, and all went out that could walk out,
and then I walked off to the mouth of Tennessee, and there I got a
chance to push up on that keel-boat there,” said he, pointing to it.
“Well, Bill, you need not fear anything while you are with me,” I
remarked; “I am going back to stand my trial, and I want to hire a
hand to help me down. The river is low, and if I don’t get some good
hand to help me row, I fear I shan’t get there in time.” In short,
I agreed to give Bill a dollar a day, and to let him off at Walnut
Hills: so he came on with his horn and blanket, and we were off in
a jiffy. Bill was a worthless fellow, and I knew it, but he was a
stout and good oarsman. He had not been long with me, till he found
out that my chest was heavy, and I watched him close. When we were
near the mouth of the Ohio, he became dissatisfied, and objected
to going any further towards Natchez, proposed to go trapping up
the Mississippi, insisting there could be a great deal made on the
Missouri, with other suggestions of the sort. I paid little attention
to his statements or arguments, keeping down the Mississippi, and
told him, if he wanted to stop, to do so; as for me, I should go on
to Natchez. He said no more until we were in the bend above Beef
Island, when he broke out afresh, accusing me of suspicioning him of
a wish to rob me. I told him I was not afraid of him in any shape. A
fight ensued, which I knew must end in the death of one or the other,
with the skiff and my money for the victor’s spoils. After much
struggling, I put him overboard. I set the blade of an oar against
him, shoving him off from the skiff, then thrusting the oar to him,
told him to save his life. He made no other reply, than to clench the
oar and threw it back to me, telling me to “go to hell,” and swimming
about fifty yards, safely reached the head of Beef Island. I landed
at Natchez at one o’clock, and on the morning of the first Monday in
October, I left the skiff, and with my chest on my shoulder, walked
up to the dance-house. My friend was still up, as were several more.
I deposited my chest with her, and looking around the room, I espied
the most important witness against me. I turned to her, reminding her
of the promise she had made me. She told me she had been trying to
get rid of him all summer; that he was the only evidence against me
left in the country, and that she would yet get him out of the way.
I observed the time was short, and calling him forward, told him I
would give him five hundred dollars to leave the place that morning,
and not appear against me. He swore there was no use to talk to him,
for he had braved the worst of the yellow fever for the purpose of
remaining there and appearing against me, and I might depend upon
it, he would be on the spot when called to testify. My friend said,
never fear, all would be right; and as I was about bidding her and
witness good-bye, proposed that we should take a gin-sling together.
She mixed one for witness, one for me, and one for herself. Having
all drank, I started for Washington, and reached there by 9 o’clock.
Being quite tired, I lay down on the door-step and directly fell fast
asleep and did not awake until the sheriff, calling the Court, awoke
me. Every body seemed astonished at my presence. My case was the
first one called. I answered to my name, and when the judge enquired
of me if I was ready for trial, my counsel did not happen to be
present, and I answered that I was as ready then as I ever should be;
that I had no evidence when I was sent to jail, and had none now. The
attorney for the State directed the Sheriff to call his witnesses,
to see if he was ready for trial, who called 11 names in succession,
not one of whom was present, but some one answered, name by name, as
they were called, what had become of them. Some had left the country,
and some had died of the yellow fever, until the name of the one I
had left in Natchez was called, and the answer was that he had died
that morning at half past eight. There being no evidence against
me, I was, of course, discharged, and returned the same evening to
Natchez. I asked my friend what had caused the fellow’s death who was
to have been the witness. She said she supposed it was in the course
of nature, nor could I, then or afterwards, get any satisfaction from
her on this point. Next day, I called on my security, settled my
business with him, then went to my friend’s house, opened my chest,
and counted out $500 for her. She perceived what I was doing, and
told me, if I wanted to make her my enemy for life, I could have a
chance, and if I dared to offer her money, she would blow my brains
out. I made several excuses to induce her to take the money, saying
that I owed it to her honestly for her kind treatment of me, and that
I did not mean anything dishonorable by it. She remained resolute,
and said if I wanted to continue friends with her, I must not offer
her money. I then bade her good-bye, and before dark, my chest and
skiff and myself were all on the way to New Orleans.”
For one to look upon the visage of such a man as Girty, there would at
once arise a suspicion of damning deeds, as dark and dread as his own
sun-burnt brow; yet in him was always found an integrity of purpose,
from which many in the higher walks of life, could learn a lesson, and
profit by it. In his time, thousands of dollars’ worth of property
and money were confided to his care, and accounted for to the last
farthing. Nor was he ever known to break an engagement, or betray a
trust.
And now the reader has before him all that New Orleans is to-day, and
from this mass of elements is constituted its society; and certainly,
short-sighted indeed must be any one who cannot in some decree
anticipate the leading features which would be presented from such a
mingling of the impulses of human passion, and form some opinion of the
perfect Babel of human tongues, as well as human _actions_, that is
found there.