"Behold us mounted once again,"--and immediately after leaving this
gentleman's plantation, we again passed into a dense forest and found
a muddy path. In about six miles we found some sandy land and pine
timber, and here we left what is called the Mississippi swamp. We soon
came to the outlet of the lake, which we had to ford. The water was
deep, and the shore deep mud. It was a difficult job to make a horse
wallow through. We were told that a horse got swamped and died in the
mud, a few feet from the spot where we crossed.
We came to the banks of Washita river, followed it down three miles,
and crossed over to Harrisonburg. The town is built on a level plain
on the west bank of the river; but it contains not more than twenty
houses. This river empties into Red River, and is navigable for
steamboats a long distance above the village. It is forty-two miles
west of Natchez. On this river are the lands where the famous Aaron
Burr _talked_ of establishing a colony; but unless the land above
and below is better than in this region, it might not have been very
flourishing. The soil is too sandy and poor.
We rode twenty-five miles over a rolling sandy country, generally
covered with pine woods; and stopped at night with a gentleman who had
been one of Burr's party. He did not seem inclined to say much of that
ill-fated expedition. Here we were kindly treated, and fared well. He
had been there nineteen years; had cleared a large plantation; raised
cotton, corn and cattle; had eight or ten negroes, and possessed the
necessaries of life in abundance. But he still lived in a log house,
without a glass window in it. I asked him, why he did not have windows.
He said, the house was well enough; if the hole cut for a window did
not make it light enough, he opened the door. It was not just such a
house as I should be contented in, for nineteen years, and possessing
the wealth he had.--It, however, was to his taste; and for aught I
could see, he was as happy as those who live in much better houses.
To-day we travelled thirty-three miles to Alexandria, just one hundred
miles from Natchez. The first forty was Mississippi swamp, excellent
land, but a good deal of it too low for cultivation; the last sixty
miles was, with few exceptions, hilly, sandy, pitch pine woods. We
passed only a few good plantations. Occasionally, we found a small
prairie of poor soil, and a deserted log house. It was indeed the
most dreary road I ever travelled. In the last day's travel, we passed
two small rivers; one we crossed in a ferry boat; and to our special
wonder, we found quite a decent bridge over the other.
Red River is rightly named; it is almost as red as blood, caused by
the red soil through which it passes. It is quite a large stream; but
the water is too brackish to drink, or for culinary purposes. The only
resource of the inhabitants of Alexandria is to catch rain water for
which they have enormous large cisterns. We crossed the river opposite
the town in a ferry boat, and found the current about as strong as that
of the Mississippi. It is navigable for steamboats, in a moderate stage
of water, as high up as "the raft," and when the removal of that is
completed, for a long distance into the country. About a mile above the
town, there is a short rapid which boats cannot pass when the water is
low.
The mouth of Red River has probably undergone some changes. It is
almost certain, that in by-gone years, Red River had its own separate
channel to the Gulf of Mexico; but in process of time, the ever
changing Mississippi river took a long turn that way; struck into its
channel, and after appropriating its waters and three miles of its
bed to its own use, wheeled round to the left, and pursued its own
course to the ocean. In this state of the case, the upper part of Red
River became a tributary of the Mississippi, and the lower part a mere
waste-way to pass off its superfluous waters. But the inconstant
Mississippi, a short time ago, cut out for itself a new, strait channel
across the bend, and left Red River to itself. This cut-off, however,
proved of incalculable advantage to that section of country. It let off
the Mississippi waters so freely, that a large tract of most excellent
land does not now overflow; and this is sought for with avidity, and
settling fast.
Alexandria is pleasantly situated on a level plain, the south side of
Red River, one hundred and four miles from its mouth, and three hundred
and twenty-nine from New-Orleans. It is regularly laid out in squares;
has a court house, three hotels, eight or ten stores, two or three
groceries, and a number of good dwelling houses. Its chief export is
cotton, and that of the first quality. Red River cotton commands the
highest price in market. I saw a large number of bales piled on the
river bank, and wagon loads coming in.
Gentlemen and ladies, in pleasure carriages and on horseback, were
riding through the streets; and the hotels were full of guests. It
appears to be a place of business and of pleasure; of much wealth, and
in a rich neighborhood. This place and Natchitoches, seventy-five miles
above it, are the only towns of any size in this section of the country.
At the upper end of the town, there is a regular laid out race-course,
of a circular form, and a mile in extent. Here, the speed of horses is
frequently put to the test, and extensive bets made on the result.
This seems to be the favorite sport of this country--of more absorbing
interest than any other; and about which the people talk more than on
any other one subject. Good race-horses are of great value, and almost
any price will be given for them. Although the race-course may have
its great attractions--it may exhilarate the feelings, to see that
noble animal, the horse, with mettle high, and lofty bearing, spurn the
dust beneath his feet, and skim along the plain with the swiftness of
the wind; and although it may have a tendency to improve the breed of
horses; yet upon the whole, may it not be said, that it is purchasing
improvement and pleasure, at a great expense of time and money; and,
independent of its moral effect upon society, productive of more evil
than good.
Gambling is too much the order of the day. A large billiard room faces
the main street in this village, and seems never to lack for customers.
In this room one man killed another by striking him on the head with
the _cue_, and his trial was just finished as I arrived. He was
convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to ten years confinement in
the State Prison. The result of the trial gave general dissatisfaction
among the people. They thought he ought to have been convicted of
murder and suffered its penalty.
Not much attention is paid to the cultivation of vegetables or fruit.
The peach and fig-tree were the only fruit trees I saw, and but few of
them.--The fig-tree much resembles our northern quince tree, but grows
some larger in size. The only vegetables we had at table, were turnips
and sweet potatoes. The northern potatoe will not produce a crop unless
new seed is obtained every year.
All the beds in this region are surrounded with thin curtains, or as
they are termed here, moscheto-bars, to protect the inmate from that
pestiferous, anti-sleeping insect, the moscheto. Of all insects this
world produces, the moscheto is the most troublesome and annoying. To
lie down without a bar, as I sometimes did, and fight the moschetoes
all night long is dreadful. Too tired and sleepy to keep awake, I would
fall into a drowse, only to be aroused in a moment by half a dozen
dabbing into my face, and singing in my ears. They are indeed, too
familiar by half; and the only chance to cut their acquaintance is to
flee. I would not spend my days in the region of moschetoes for the
sake of wealth, for I should only possess splendid misery.