From the 6th of January till the 29th, the weather continued uniformly
fine, but very hot; the mercury in our drawing-room ranging from 70 to
75 degrees, whilst in the sun the heat precludes violent exercise.
_29th._--The morning sultry to a degree; continued so until noon, when
the wind suddenly rose until it blew a perfect hurricane from about
S.W., the rain meantime descending in a deluge; the streets were quickly
changed into the beds of rivers, whilst peals of thunder kept rolling
from one quarter of the heavens to another, heralded by incessant
flashes of red lightning of the most vivid kind. I had promised to dine
with a family whose dwelling was in the next street; but to have gotten
thither without a canoe was out of the question. About six o'clock P.M.
it cleared off, the wind veering round to the north-east, when it
became cold; the glass falling to 45 degrees.
_February 1st._--Weather continues fine; clear, sunny days, but
agreeably cold, with slight frosts each night. Musquitoes have
disappeared, although I yet keep under a net at night by way of making
assurance "doubly sure." The vegetation fine and uninjured; the
orange-trees on Mr. H----'s plantation, where I this day dined, all
alive, throwing out fresh shoots in every direction; in two days the
roads too have become dry and hard, with dust in clouds; the new moon
sets in well for a continuance of fine weather.
_Monday, 2nd._--Attended to see Governor White installed in office. The
city artillery roared, and the ceremony was made brilliant by the
presence of the staff, as well of the regular American army stationed
here as of the numerous local corps of the city; of these volunteers,
were officers of all arms exceedingly well-appointed; they had also a
more military air, and were better set up, than their fellow-soldiers of
the North. The French citizen, in fact, acquires a more soldierly
appearance, and takes greater pains to fit himself for these holiday
doings, than either John Bull or brother Jonathan. A great number of
ladies also graced the hall of assembly with their presence, and were,
as on all public occasions, privileged persons. "_Place aux dames_"
rendered the possibility of one of the masculine gender's approach all
but impracticable.
Certainly in no country is there such universal and exclusive homage
extended to the softer sex: no matter at what expense of his
convenience, or circumscription of privilege, man must give way on all
occasions where the ladies may have a caprice to indulge in, or any
curiosity to gratify.
Dined with Colonel D----k, and sat next to a fine old Irishman, General
M'L----n, who had passed some of sixty years in Louisiana, yet preserved
his brogue and his ruddy complexion as freshly as though the time had
been spent on the hills of Wicklow; he had arrived here under the
Spanish government when a young man, and spoke of all the changes since
as events of yesterday.
_Tuesday, 3rd._--A curious scene began this morning at the State House.
Mr. Grimes, one of the late candidates for the Senate of the United
States, encountering Mons. La Branche, the Speaker of the Louisianian
legislature, in the hall of the Senate, according to report, struck him
with his whip on account of some unsettled dispute, and in return
received a bullet from the Speaker's pistol, which took effect in the
breast of the great-coat he wore, but failed to penetrate it. Mr.
Grimes, upon this, fired his pistol, loaded with ball and buck-shot, at
Mons. La Branche, wounding him slightly in the hand, and leaving one or
two of the conscript fathers, standing near, in doubt whether they were
shot or no, so disgustingly close was the whiz of the passing lead.
Dined with Messrs. T----n, where the affray of the morning was duly
discussed; some of the parties present alleging that the quarrel arose
from political, others from personal motives. It appeared, however, that
Mons. La Branche, after retiring until his hand was dressed, immediately
returned to the hall, and resumed his duties as the presiding judge of
the highest deliberative assembly of this great State; whilst, within an
hour, Mr. Grimes, who is an able advocate in great practice, was
pleading a cause on which he was retained in one of the civil courts.
The duel is here a matter of such frequent recurrence, that any event
of the kind hardly excites an hour's notice; the question is merely
"which of them got off?" and with that inquiry the affair usually ends.
A Court of Honour, having for its end and aim the amelioration of this
system, if not its suppression, has been instituted this very year, and
pretty generally subscribed to amongst the young Creoles; but I believe
its regulations have not proved very efficacious.
At nine o'clock P.M. left Mr. T----s; and walking to the near Levee, got
on board the Superior, bound for Cincinnati, but chartered to stop at
Natchez. The night was clear, but by far the coldest we have yet had
here: the crown of the Levee, thronged with its busy crews, was lighted
up by numerous fires, reflecting the hundred great steam-boats loading
and unloading here, whilst the air resounded with the cheer of the negro
gangs, given in unison to a few low simple notes, but full of wild
animation, and, to my thinking, exceeding musical.
As we cast off into the midst of the wide stream, the whole bank of the
Levee, with the warehouses bordering upon it, looked as though
illuminated.
_Wednesday,4th._--Up early in my little stateroom, where I have a small
French bed, a table, a chair, with a sash-window that opens on to the
gallery going round the boat. I find my quarters exceedingly
comfortable; but the vibration, owing to the power of the engines,
renders it difficult to read, and puts all writing quite out of the
question.
The river banks are well cleared and very thickly populated, exclusively
by French. Passing Donaldsonville, where the _bayou la Fourche_ quits
the main river to fall into the Mexican Gulf farther to the southward,
we saw the capitol designed for the use of the legislature of Louisiana,
but which, after being tenanted for a single session, was left for New
Orleans, and is now falling to ruin.
Many of the planters' seats are large, well-looking buildings, but they
appear neglected and badly kept; indeed the climate renders it very
difficult to keep a house in decent order unless it is inhabited all the
year round, in which case it stands a chance of as many changes of
tenants as a Turkish caravansary. These lands have a reputation for
prodigious fertility; at one place, belonging to a General Hampton, two
schooners were loading molasses: here I was informed a thousand slaves
find employment, bringing in to their employer an enormous revenue.
At Baton Rouge a military post of the United States' army, we came upon
the first rise in the banks: this place looks over a noble reach and
bay; the barracks appeared roomy and outwardly in good order.
We frequently drew alongside the forest for a supply of wood, which the
proprietors keep ready prepared in piles for the use of boats, being
paid for it by the cord. The consumption is of course enormous, and in
any other region would remind one that a scarcity must speedily ensue;
here, however, the supply appears exhaustless.
I always landed at these places; and above Baton Rouge, where the French
population is less general, I commonly found the labouring woodcutters
to be North-country men, or from the western part of Michigan. They
informed me that they can clear fifty dollars a month for the seven
months they can work in this region, and that four or five seasons are
sufficient to enable a saving man to buy a farm in the West.
These men uniformly agreed that, on returning home, they sorely missed
the water of the Mississippi. "I'll tell you, sir," said one very
intelligent fellow, within whose hut I walked to light my cigar;
"there's no pith in any other water after one's bin' used to drink o'
this; it seems as though a man couldn't work on water alone anywhere
else."
Whether this is fancy, or whether it arises from the regular and
abstemious habits they generally observe whilst working here, I cannot
tell; but the notion I found was universal throughout Louisiana.
I had frequent applications for a charge of fine powder for priming;
game, as they informed me, (that is, deer,) being in abundance. I was
greatly pleased with many of these men; they are hardy, industrious
fellows, and suffer much during the season of their stay from bad
quarters and bad diet: they said, nevertheless, it was a good place to
come down to, but spoke with infinite dislike of the dirk and rifle
practice of the neighbourhood.
Whilst passing Fort Adams after dark, our boat was hailed, signal fires
lighted, and at length rifles fired to bring us to; but all in vain, our
pilot held on his way, unheeding these pressing invitations. On my
observing to him that I conceived it a little hard not to touch for
passengers when apparently so near to them, he informed me that the
river was in rapid rise, and a current setting on that shore that might
ground the boat.
_Friday, 6th._--My servant awoke me with the tidings that our voyage was
complete, and we at Natchy-under-hill, where all things destined for the
upper region are landed. It was about six o'clock A.M., the rain coming
down merrily, when I took leave of the Superior and her captain, much
pleased with both, and landed ankle-deep in choice mud.
Three or four negroes followed with my baggage to the nearest store,
where I got a two-horse car, or dray, just put upon duty for the day. In
common with one or two other persons, I engaged the machine; and packing
my trunks and myself upon it, was dragged up the steep bluff, and so
made my first entrance into Natchez in a right Thespian conveyance, but
which assuredly required all the authority of antiquity to make it
respectable.
At noon the wind chopped about to north-east; and off went rain and
cloud, to be succeeded by a cold as cuttingly severe as any I ever
encountered in the North. Before dark the mud was converted into solid
ridges, and thick ice coated each astonished puddle.
My chamber, the only single one in the house, was furnished with
appliances that, in summer, must have rendered it delightful; facing the
east, and opening on the road, were a door and window, neither of them
particularly close-jointed; and, exactly _vis-a-vis_, another door, with
a keyhole as large as the bore of a four-pounder; this was flanked by a
third, which in its turn was set to by a huge open chimney; and, all
combined, they rendered my quarters more airy than was at this crisis
agreeable.
_Saturday, 7th._--Cold and wind unabated: walked in search of the
theatre, and found it was not in the town, but standing about half a
mile off, like a solitary vidette, in a grave-yard too! Got through the
rehearsal of "Born to Good Luck," and inwardly resolved that the best
fortune that could befall any player on this day would be to get off
acting for the night. This was in due time happily accomplished without
stir of mine; for the oil for our lamplighter being just landed, after
the night's frost, from the deck of the Abeona steamer, refused to burn
at a short notice; a resolution which, when communicated to me, I very
much applauded, declining with many thanks the manager's kindly tendered
substitute of candles; the appearance was therefore of necessity put
off, and the audience, as well as myself, granted a respite until
Monday.
Never did I feel cold so penetrating; they say, however, that it never
lasts longer than a couple of days, and is now more severe than is
usual; we therefore know the worst, and may live in hopes.
_Sunday, 8th._--Undertook, in company with a Boston friend, to walk out
to the seat of Colonel Wilkins, where I was invited to dine; a
conveyance had been sent for me; I was, however, desirous to see if
exercise would warm me, and set off under the guidance of my Yankee
companion, in whose good company I had the year before taken many an
excursion through the pleasant lanes of New England.
We, in the first place, overshot our mark; then, in trying across a
country gloriously broken and thickly timbered with a variety of trees,
we lost our way, keeping Mrs. Wilkins' excellent fare at the fire, and
ourselves away from it, some two hours longer than was needed.
Despite of a cart-load of blazing wood, it was impossible to keep
comfortably warm: the wine too partook of the common discomfort, and was
cold and cloudy; the champagne alone was fit to drink, being
sufficiently iced without much trouble.