Go with me to the great river Mississippi. It is the longest river in
the world. A line that would measure it would just reach to the centre
of the earth,--in other words, it is four thousand miles in length. Go
with me to this majestic river.
I do not wish you to travel to its source; only as far up as Point
Coupee, about three hundred miles from its mouth. There we shall stop
for a while--a very short while--for we have a long journey to make.
Our route lies to the far west--over the great prairies of Texas; and
from Point Coupee we shall take our departure.
There is a village at Point Coupee--a quaint, old, French-looking
village built of wood. In point of fact it _is_ a French village; for
it was one of the earliest settlements of that people, who, with the
Spaniards, were the first colonists of Western America. Hence we find,
to this day, French and Spanish people, with French and Spanish names
and customs, all through the Mississippi valley and the regions that lie
west of it.
We have not much to do with these things at present, and very little to
say of Point Coupee, more than we have already said. Our subject is an
odd-looking house that, many years ago, stood upon the western bank of
the river, about a mile below the village. I say it stood there many
years ago; but it is very likely that it is still standing, as it was a
firm, well-built house, of hewn logs, carefully chinked, and plastered
between the chinks with run-lime. It was roofed with cedar shingles
that projected at the eaves, so as to cast off the rain, and keep the
walls dry. It was what in that country is called a "double house,"--
that is, a large passage ran across the middle of it, through which you
might have driven a wagon loaded with hay. This passage was roofed and
ceiled, like the rest of the house, and floored with strong planks. The
flooring, elevated a foot above the surface of the ground, projected
several feet in front of the passage, where carved uprights of
cedar-wood supported a light roof, forming a porch or verandah. Around
these uprights, and upon the railing that shut in the verandah, clung
vines, rose-bushes, and convolvulus plants, that at certain seasons of
the year were clustered over with beautiful flowers.
The house faced the river, standing, as I have said, on its western
bank--on the same side with Point Coupee. In front was a lawn, some two
hundred yards in length, that stretched toward the river, and ended on
the low bluff forming its bank. This lawn was enclosed by high
rail-fences, and variegated with clumps of shrubbery and ornamental
trees. Most of them were indigenous to the country; but there were
exotics as well. Among the trees you could not fail to notice the
large-flowered magnolia (_Magnolia grandiflora_), the red mulberry
(_Morus rubra_), the pale-green leaves of the catalpa, the tall
tulip-tree (_liriodendron_), and the shining foliage of the orange.
In contrast with the brighter frondage of these were dark cone-shaped
cedars, and spire-like forms of the yew. There were date-trees and
weeping willows growing upon the river bank, and drooping gracefully
over its current. Other plants and trees might be distinguished--the
natives of a southern clime--such as the great Mexican aloe (_Agave
Americana_), the bayonet blades of the yucca, and the fan-like leaves of
the palmetto. Beautiful birds of many varieties might be seen among the
copses, or moving over the grassy sward of the lawn.
In the great hall or passage, already mentioned, a singular picture
presented itself. Along the walls, on both sides, were suspended
various implements of the chase, such as rifles, shot guns, pouches,
flasks, hunting-knives, and, in short, every species of trap, net, or
implement, that could be devised for capturing the wild denizens of the
earth, air, and water. Horns of the stag and elk were fastened to the
hewn logs; and upon their branching antlers hung hair-bridles, and
high-peaked saddles of the Mexican or Spanish fashion. In addition to
these were skins of rare birds and quadrupeds, artistically preserved by
stuffing, and placed on pedestals around the wooden walls. There were
glass cases, too, containing moths, butterflies, and other insects,
impaled upon pins, and arranged in systematic order. In short, this
hall resembled a little museum.
Were we to enter and examine the inside of the house, we should find
three or four good-sized rooms, comfortably furnished, and all stocked
with subjects of natural history, and implements of the chase. In one
of the rooms we should see a barometer and thermometer hanging against
the wall, an old clock over the mantel-piece, a sabre and pistols, and a
book-case containing many choice and valuable books.
To the rear of the house we should find a small kitchen built of logs,
and containing the usual culinary utensils. Still farther back we
should meet with an enclosed yard, having a storehouse and stable at one
end. In the stables we should find four horses, and several mules might
be observed in the enclosure. A large reddish dog with long ears, and
having the appearance of a hound, might be seen straying about the yard,
and would not fail to attract our attention.
An observer, viewing this house from a distance, would take it for the
residence of a wealthy planter; on a nearer inspection, however, it
would not pass for that. There were no rows of negro cabins, no great
sugar-mills, nor tobacco-warehouses, such as are always to be seen near
the planter's dwelling. Nothing of the sort; nor was there any very
large tract of cultivated land contiguous to the house. The dark
cypress forest in the background cast its shadow almost up to the walls.
Plainly it was not the dwelling of a planter. What then was it, and
who were its inmates? It was the home of a _Hunter-Naturalist_.