A RAMBLE OF SIX THOUSAND MILES THROUGH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY S. A. FERRALL, ESQ. LONDON, 1832 [Illustration: _Fac-simile of the first two Paragraphs of the LeadingArticle in the "CHEROKEE PHOENIX" of July 31, 1830_] PREFACE. The few sketches contained in this small volume were not originallyintended for publication--they were written solely for the amusement of myimmediate acquaintances, and were forwarded to Europe in the shape ofletters. Subsequent considerations have induced me to publish them; and ifthey be found to contain remarks on some subjects, which other travellersin America have passed over unnoticed, the end that I have in view will befully answered. Although I remained in the seaboard cities sufficiently long to havecollected much information; yet knowing that the statistics of thoseplaces had been so often and so ably set before the public, I felt noinclination to trouble my friends with their repetition. In Europe, the name of America is so associated with the idea ofemigration, that to announce an intention of crossing the Atlantic, rousesthe interfering propensity of friends and acquaintances, and produces sucha torrent of queries and remonstrances, as will require a considerableshare of moral courage to listen to and resist. All are on the tiptoe ofexpectation, to hear what the inducements can possibly be for travellingin America. America!! every one exclaims--what can you possibly see there?A country like America--little better than a mere forest--the inhabitantsnotoriously far behind Europeans in refinement--filled with wild Indians, rattle-snakes, bears, and backwoodsmen; ferocious hogs and ugly negros;and every other species of noxious and terrific animal! Without, however, any definite scientific object, or indeed any motivemuch more important than a love of novelty, I determined on visitingAmerica; within whose wide extent all the elements of society, civilizedand uncivilized, were to be found--where the great city could be traced tothe infant town--where villages dwindle into scattered farms--and these tothe log-house of the solitary backwoodsman, and the temporary wig-wam ofthe wandering Pawnee. I have refrained nearly altogether from touching on the domestic habitsand manners of the Americans, because they have been treated of byCaptain Hall and others; and as the Americans always allowed me to act asI thought proper, and even to laugh at such of their habits as I thoughtsingular, I am by no means inclined to take exception to them. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Sail for New York in an American vessel--the crew--ostentation of theCaptain--a heavy gale--soundings--icebergs--bay of New York--Negros andNegresses--White Ladies--climate--fires--vagrant pigs--FrancesWright--Match between an Indian canoe and a skiff CHAPTER II. Depart for Albany--the Hudson--Albany--Cohoe's Falls--Rome--the LittleFalls--forest of charred trees--"stilly night" in a swamp--firefly--Rochester--Falls of Gennessee--Sam. Patch--an eccentriccharacter--Falls of Niagara--the Tuscarora Indians--Buffalo--LakeErie--the Iroquois--the Wyandots--death of Seneca John, and itsconsequences--ague fever--Wyandot prairie--the Delawares' mode of dealingwith the Indians--the transporting of Negros to Canada CHAPTER III. Arrive at Marion--divorces--woodlands--Columbus--land offices--population, &c. Shaking Quakers--kidnapping free Negros--Cincinnati--the farmers ofOhio--a corn-husking frolic--qualifications necessary to Senators, Legislators, and Electors--a camp-meeting--militia officers'muster--Presbyterian parsons--price of land, cattle, &c. --fever and ague CHAPTER IV. Set out for New Harmony--the roads--a backwoodsman--thejourney--peaches--casualties--travelling--New Harmony--M. LeSeur--barter--excursion down the Wabash--the co-operativecommunity--Robert Owen CHAPTER V. Depart for St. Louis--Albion--the late Messrs. Birkbeck andFlowers--Hardgrove's prairie--the roads--the Grand prairie--prairiewolf--mode of training dogs--Elliott's inn--inhabitants ofIllinois--ablutions--coal--soil and produce--the American Bottom--StLouis--monopolies--Fur companies--incivility of a certain Major--trappingexpedition--trade with Santa Fé--lead mines--Carondalot--Jeffersonbarracks--discipline--visit to a slave-holder--the Ioway hostages--Indianinvestigation--character of the Indians. CHAPTER VI Leave St. Louis--Indian mounds--remains of ancient fortifications--burialcaverns--mummies--Flint's description of a mummy--the languages ofAmerica--town making--the Indian summer--population, &c. Of Illinois--theprairie hen--the Turkey buzzard--settlers--forest in autumn--a gougingscrape--the country--extent and population of Indiana--hogs--a settler inbottom land--the sugar maple--roads--a baptism CHAPTER VII Set out for New Orleans--Louisville--Mississippi steam-boats--theOhio--the Mississippi--sugar plantations--the valley of theMississippi--New Orleans--Quadroons--slavery--a Methodist slavite--runawayNegros--incendiary fires at Orleans--liberty of the press--laws passed bythe legislature of Louisiana--Miss Wright--public schools--yellowfever--the Texas CHAPTER VIII. Depart for Louisville--tellandsea, or Spanish moss--Natchez--the yellowfever--cotton plantations--Mississippi wood-cutters--freshets--planters, sawyers, and snags--steam-boat blown up--the Chickesaws--hunting inTennessee--electioneering--vote by ballot--trade on the Ohio andMississippi rivers--the People--the President's veto--finances--governmentbanks--Kentucky--the Kentuckians--court-houses--an election--universalsuffrage--an Albino--Diluvian reliqua CHAPTER IX. The political condition of the Indians--Missionaries--the letter ofRed-jacket--the speech of the wandering Pawnee chief CHAPTER X. Kenhawa salt-works--coal--aRadical--rattle-snakes--Baltimore--Philadelphia--taxation--shipping CHAPTER XI. "The Workies"--Miss Wright--the opening of the West India ports toAmerican vessels--voyage homeward--the stormy petrel--Gulf weed--theremora--the molusca--quarantine APPENDIX CHAPTER I. Following the plan I had laid down for myself, I sought and found a goodlyYankee merchantman, bound for and belonging to the city of New York. Ourvessel was manned with a real _American_ crew, that is, a crew, of whichscarcely two men are of the same nation--which conveys a tolerably correctnotion of the population of the United States. The crew consisted of oneRussian, one German, one Italian, one Scotchman, one Newfoundlander, oneIrishman, two Englishmen, two New Englanders, and two Negros--the cook andsteward. The seamen of America are better paid, and better protected, than those of any other nation; but work harder, and must understand theirduty well. Indeed if we had not had a good crew, our ship, being old, might have suffered severely. In selecting this ship, in addition to accommodations, I only took intoaccount her build; and so far was not disappointed, for when she _could_carry sail, she scudded along in gallant style; but with ships as withhorses, the more they _have done_, the less they have _to do_. I had a strong impression on my mind that a person travelling in Americaas a professed tourist, would be unable to form a correct estimate of thereal character and condition of the people; for, from their greatnationality, they would be likely to show him the best side of everything. Of this kind of ostentation I very soon had a slight proof. Ourship left port in gallant trim, but had no sooner gained the open sea, than all hands were employed in stowing away the finery, and covering therigging with mats--even the very cabin doors were taken off the hinges, and brass knobs and other ornaments which appeared to have been fixtures, were unshipped and deposited below, where they remained until our approachto New York, when the finery was again displayed, and all was placed oncemore _in statu quo_. For the first twelve days we had rather pleasant weather, and nothingremarkable occurred, unless a swallow coming on board completely exhaustedwith flying, fatigue made it so tame that it suffered itself to becaressed; it however popped into the coop, and the ducks literally gobbledit up alive. The ducks were, same day, suffered to roam about the decks, and the pigs fell foul of one of them, and eat the breast off it. Passingthe cabouse, I heard the negro steward soliloquising, and on looking in, perceived him cutting a hen's throat with the most heartfelt satisfaction, as he grinned and exclaimed, by way of answer to its screams, "Poorfeller! I guess I wouldn't hurt you for de world;" I could not helpthinking with Leibnitz, that most sapient of philosophers, that this isthe best of all possible worlds. On the thirteenth day we encountered a heavy gale, which continued toincrease for four successive days. During this period we were unable tocarry more canvass than was barely necessary to render the vesselmanageable. A heavy gale, for the first time, is rather interesting thanotherwise: the novelty of the sea's appearance--the anxiety of the crewand officers--the promptitude with which commands are given andexecuted--and the excitement produced by the other incidental occurrences, tend to make even a storm, when encountered in open sea, by no meansdestitute of pleasing interest. During this gale, the sailors appeared tobe more than ordinarily anxious only upon one occasion, and then only fora minute--the circumstance was not calculated to create alarm in the mindof a person totally ignorant of nautical affairs, but being somewhat of asailor, I understood the danger tolerably well. The helm was struck by asea, and strained at the bolts; from the concussion occasioned by theblow, it was apprehended for a moment that it had been carried away. Without a helm, in such weather, much was to be feared; for her timbersbeing old, she could hardly meet the shock of an ocean wave upon herbroadside without suffering serious injury. The helmsman was knockeddown--the captain and mate jumped aft, to ascertain the extent of thedamage; while the sailors scowled along the deck, as they laid theirshoulders to the weather side of the ship--all was anxiety for theinstant. At length the mate cried, "helm all right, " and the crew pulledaway as usual. At the close of the fourth day the storm subsided, and weapproached the banks of Newfoundland. It is generally supposed that the colour of the sea is a sure indicationof the presence or absence of soundings; that is, that there aresoundings where the water is green, and that there are none where thewater is blue. The former is, I believe, true in every instance; but thelatter is certainly not so, as the first soundings we got here, were inwater as blue as indigo, depth fifty odd fathoms. We were thirty days crossing these tiresome banks; during which time wewere befogged, and becalmed, and annoyed with all sorts of disagreeableweather. The fogs or mists were frequently so dense, that it wasimpossible to see more than thirty yards from the vessel. This course isnot that usually taken by ships bound for the United States, as theygenerally cross the Atlantic at much lower latitudes, but our captain"calculated" on escaping calms, and avoiding the influence of the Gulfstream, and thus making a quicker passage; he was, however, mistaken, as apacket ship that left Liverpool four days after, arrived at New Yorksixteen days before us. We found the thermometer of incalculable service, both for ascertainingwhen we got into the stream, and for disclosing our dangerous proximity toicebergs. That we had approached near icebergs we discovered one eveningto be the case by the mercury falling, suddenly, below 40°, in foggyweather. We notwithstanding held on our course, and fortunately escapedaccident. Many vessels which depart from port with gallant crews, and arenever heard of more, are lost, I am convinced, by fatal collision withthese floating islands. From the beginning of spring to the latter end ofsummer, masses of brash ice are occasionally encountered in theselatitudes. Towards the evening of the fiftieth day we entered the bay of New York:the bay is really beautiful, and at this season (summer) perhaps appearedto the greatest advantage. The numerous islands with which it isinterspersed, were covered to the water's edge with foliage and verdure, and here and there studded with handsome villas. The city appeared to beliterally surrounded by a thick grove of masts, from which floated theflags of many nations--the scene, thus gradually unfolding itself to theeyes of one who had been for so long a time immured within a vessel, wasreally fascinating. While at New York, I staid at the "Pearl-street Boarding-house, " andexperienced from Messrs. Haskell and Perry, the proprietors, the mostpolite attention. Most Europeans are astonished at the rapidity with whichthe Americans despatch their meals; but I, having admitted theproposition, that there was "nothing new under the sun, " had longpreviously ceased to be _astonished_ at any thing. On the first day of mydining at the table d'hôte, one of those gentlemen told me, when we satdown to dinner, that most of the persons at table were men of business, who were in the habit of eating much quicker than he knew I was accustomedto, and requested that that might not in the slightest interfere with myhabits, but that I should entirely suit my own comfort and convenience. After that preface, I think I should have been most unreasonable to fallinto a passion with the New Yorkers, because they _bolted_ instead ofmasticating. New York is altogether a trading place, and different from any thing ofthe same magnitude in Europe: scarcely a single street is exclusivelyfilled with private residences;--in a mercantile point of view, it is theLiverpool of the United States. The negros and mulattos constitute a considerable portion of thepopulation. It is impossible to imagine the extreme ugliness of some ofthe sooty gentry; a decent ourang-outang might, without presumption, viewith many of these people, even of the _fair sex_, and an impartial judgeshould certainly decide that the said ourang-outang was the handsomeranimal. Many of them are wealthy, and dress remarkably well. The females, when their shins and misshapen feet are concealed by long gowns, appearto have good figures. A few days after my arrival, walking down "Broadway"(the principal street) I was struck with the figure of a fashionablydressed woman, who was sauntering before me. After passing, I turnedround, when--O angels and ministers of ugliness!--I beheld a face, asblack as soot--a mouth that reached from ear to ear--a nose, like nothinghuman--and lips a full inch in diameter! On the following morning, whilstdressing at my bed-room window, I heard a squeaking sort of voice warblingforth, "Love was once a little Boy, " and "I'd be a Butterfly. " The strange_melody_ and unusual intonations induced me to look out, when, to myastonishment, I found that the _fair_ songstress was a mosthideous-looking negress! Such are the scenes that constantly presentthemselves here, and remind a European that he is in a new region. The white ladies dress fashionably, generally _à la Françoise_; havestraight figures, and with the help of a little cotton, judiciouslydisposed, and sometimes, the smallest possible portion of rouge, contriveto look rather interesting; in general, they are lamentably deficient in_tournure_ and _en-bon-point_. The hands and feet of the greatest belle, are _pas mignon_, and would be termed plebeian by the Anglo-Normans--thearistocracy of England. Yet I have seen many girls extremely handsomeindeed, having a delicate bloom and fair skin; but this does not endurelong, as the variable nature of the climate--the sudden and violenttransitions of temperature which occur on this continent, destroy, in afew years, the complexion of the finest woman. When she arrives at the ageof thirty, her skin is shrivelled and discoloured; she is thin, and hasall the indications of premature old age. The women of England retaintheir beauty at least ten years longer than those of America. The inhabitants of that part of New York nearest the shipping, areextremely sallow and unhealthy looking, and many have a most cadaverousaspect. Malaria certainly exists here in some degree. A man will tell youthat the city is perfectly healthy, whilst his own appearance mostunquestionably indicates disease. I speak now of the quays and adjacentstreets; and the cause is very apparent. The wharfs are faced with wood, and the retiring of the tide exposes a rotten vegetable substance to theaction of an almost tropical sun, which, added to the filth that isinvariably found in the neighbourhood of shipping, is quite sufficient toproduce the degree of unhealthiness that exists. On going up the town, theappearance of the inhabitants gradually improves, and approaching thesuburbs, the difference is striking, --in this district I have seen personsas stout and healthy looking as any in England or Ireland. On the night of my arrival, a fire broke out, by which several extensivewarehouses were entirely consumed. There is nothing more remarkable herethan the frequent occurrence of this calamity, except the excellentarrangements that are made for arresting its progress. The engines, apparatus, and _corps de pompiers_, are admirably maintained, and thepromptitude and regularity with which they arrive at the scene ofdevastation truly astonishing: indeed, were this not the case, the citymust very soon be destroyed; for notwithstanding all their exertions, every conflagration makes it minus several houses, and few nights passwithout bringing a misfortune of this nature. There are several theatres, churches, and other public buildings, dispersed throughout the city. The City Hall, which stands near the upperend of a small enclosure, called the Park, is considered the handsomestbuilding in the United States. It was finished in 1812, and cost half amillion dollars. The police regulations appear not to be so severe as they ought to be, fordroves of hogs are permitted to roam about the streets, to the terror offine ladies, and the great annoyance of all pedestrians. New York was settled by the Dutch in 1615, and called by them NewAmsterdam. In 1634, it was conquered by the English, --retaken by the Dutchin 1673, and restored in 1674. Its present population is estimated at213, 000. Having heard that the celebrated Frances Wright, authoress of "A Few Daysin Athens, " was publicly preaching and promulgating her doctrines in thecity, I determined on paying the "Hall of Science" a visit, in whichestablishment she usually lectured. The address she delivered on theevening I attended had been previously delivered on the fourth of July, inthe city of Philadelphia; but, at the request of a numerous party of"Epicureans, " she was induced to repeat it. The hall might contain perhapsten or twelve hundred persons, and on this occasion it was filled toexcess, by a well-dressed audience of both sexes. The person of Frances Wright is tall and commanding--her features arerather masculine, and the melancholy cast which her countenance ordinarilyassumes gives it rather a harsh appearance--her dark chestnut hair hangsin long graceful curls about her neck; and when delivering her lectures, her appearance is romantic and unique. She is a speaker of great eloquence and ability, both as to the matter ofher orations, and the manner of their delivery. The first sentence sheutters rivets your attention; and, almost unconsciously, your sympathiesare excited, and you are carried onward by the reasonings and theeloquence of this disciple of the Gardens. The impression made on theaudience assembled on that occasion was really wonderful. Once or twice, when I could withdraw my attention from the speaker, I regarded thecountenances of those around me, and certainly never witnessed any thingmore striking. The high-wrought interest depicted in their faces, added tothe breathless silence that reigned throughout the building, made thespectacle the most imposing I ever beheld. She was the Cumaean Sibyldelivering oracles and labouring under the inspiration of the God ofDay. --This address was chiefly of a political character, and she took careto flatter the prejudices of the Americans, by occasionally recurring tothe advantages their country possessed over European states--namely, theabsence of country gentlemen, and of a church establishment; for to theabsence of these the Americans attribute a large portion of the very greatdegree of comfort they enjoy. Near Hoboken, about three miles up North river, at the opposite side toNew York, a match took place between a boat rowed by two watermen, and acanoe paddled by two Indians. The boat was long and narrow, similar inform to those that ply on the Thames. The canoe was of the lightestpossible construction, being composed of thin hickory ribs covered withbark. In calm weather, the Indians propel these vessels through the waterwith astonishing velocity; but when the wind is high, and the water muchdisturbed, their progress is greatly impeded. It so happened on this daythat the water was rough, and consequently unfavourable to the Aborigines. At the appointed signal the competitors started. For a short distance theIndians kept up with their rivals, but the long heavy pull of the oar soonenabled the boatmen to leave them at a distance. The Indians, true totheir character, seeing the contest hopeless, after the first turn, nolonger contended for victory; they paddled deliberately back to thestarting place, stepped out, and carried their canoe on shore. Thesuperiority of the oar over the paddle was in this contest fullydemonstrated. CHAPTER II. Having determined on quitting "the London of the States, " as my friendsthe Yankees call New York, I had bag and baggage conveyed on board asteamer bound for Albany. The arrangements and accommodations on boardthis boat were superb, and surpassed any thing of the kind I ever met within Europe, on the same scale; and the groups of well-dressed passengersfully indicated the general prosperity of the country. The distance between New York and Albany is about 165 miles. The sceneryon the Hudson is said to be the most beautiful of any in America, and Ibelieve cannot be surpassed in any country. Many of the beauties of richEuropean scenery are to be found along the banks of that noble river. Inthe highlands, about fifty miles from New York, is West Point, on whichstands a strong fortress, containing an arsenal, a military-school, and agarrison. It is romantically situated among lofty crags and mountains, which rise above the level of the water from 1100 to 1500 feet. There aremany handsome country seats and villages between West Point and Hudson, where the river is more than a mile wide. After a passage of about sixteen or seventeen hours, we arrived at Albany. The charge for passage, including dinner and tea, was only three dollars;and the day following the cost was reduced, through the spirit ofopposition, to one dollar. Albany is the legislative capital of New York. It is a handsome city, andone of the oldest in the Union. Most of the houses are built of wood, which, when tastefully painted (not often the case) have rather a pleasingappearance. The situation of this city is advantageous, both from thedirect communication which it enjoys with the Atlantic, by means of sloopsand schooners, and the large tract of back country which it commands. Atrade with Canada is established by means of the Erie and Hudson canal. The capitol, and other public buildings, are large and handsome, and beingconstructed of either brick or stone, give the city a respectableappearance. Albany, in 1614, was first settled by the Dutch, and was by them calledOrange. On its passing into the hands of the English, in 1664, its presentname was given to it, in honour of the Duke of York. It was chartered in1686. From Albany I proceeded along the canal, by West Troy and Junction, andnear the latter place we came to Cohoe's Falls, on the Mohawk. The riverhere is about 250 yards wide, which rushing over a jagged and uneven bedof rocks, produces a very picturesque effect. The canal runs nearlyparallel with this river from Junction to Utica, crossing it twice, at aninterval of seven miles, over aqueducts nearly fifty rods in length, constructed of solid beams of timber. The country is very beautiful, andfor the most part well cultivated. The soil possesses every variety ofgood and bad. The farms along the canal are valuable, land being generallyworth from fifty to a hundred dollars per acre. Above Schenectady, a very ancient town, the bed of the canal gave way, which of course obliged us to come to a dead halt. I hired, for myself andtwo others, a family waggon (dignified here with the appellation of_carriage_) to take us beyond the break, in expectation of being able toget a boat thence onwards, but unfortunately all the upward-bound boatshad proceeded. We were, therefore, obliged to wait until next morning. Myfellow travellers having light luggage, got themselves and it into a hutat the other side of the lock; but I, having heavy baggage, which it wasimpossible to carry across, was compelled to remain on the banks, betweenthe canal and the Mohawk, all night. On the river there were severalcanoes, with fishermen spearing by torch-light; while on the banks theboatmen and boys, Mulattos and whites, were occupied in gambling. They hadtables, candles, dice, and cards. With these, and with a _quantumsufficit_ of spirits, they contrived to while away the time untilday-break; of course interlarding their conversation with a reasonablequantity of oaths and imprecations. The breach being repaired early in themorning, the boats came up, and we proceeded to Utica. Seven miles above Utica is seated Rome, a small and dirty town, bearing nopossible resemblance to the "Eternal City, " even in its more moderncondition, as the residence of the "Triple Prince;" but, on the contrary, having, if one could judge from the habitations, every appearance ofsqualid poverty. Fifteen miles further on, we passed the Little Falls. Itwas night when we came to them, but it being moonlight, we had anopportunity of seeing them to advantage. The crags are herestupendous--irregular and massive piles of rocks, from which spring thelofty pine and cedar, are heaped in frightful disorder on each other, andgive the scene a terrifically grand appearance. From Rome to Syracuse, a distance of forty-six miles, the canal is cutthrough a swampy forest, a great portion of which is composed of deadtrees. One of the most dismal scenes imaginable is a forest of charredtrees, which is occasionally to be met with in this country, especially inthe route by which I was travelling. It is caused by the woods beingfired, by accident or otherwise. The aspect of these blasted monuments ofruined vegetation is strange and peculiar; and the air of desertion anddesolation which pervades their neighbourhood, reminds one of the storiesthat are told of the Upas valley of Java, for here too not a bird is tobe seen. The smell arising from this swamp in the night, was so bad as tooblige us to shut all the windows and doors of the boat, which, added tothe bellowing and croaking of the bull frogs--the harsh and incessantnoise of the grasshoppers, and the melancholy cry of the whip-poor-will, formed a combination not of the most agreeable nature. Yet, in defiance ofall this, we were induced occasionally to brave the terrors of the night, in order to admire that beautiful insect the fire-fly, or as it is calledby the natives, "lightning bug. " They emit a greenish phosphorescentlight, and are seen at this season in every part of the country. The woodshere were full of them, and seemed literally to be studded with smallstars, which emitted a bright flickering light. After you pass Syracuse, the country begins to improve; but still it islow and marshy, and for the most part unhealthy, as the appearance of thepeople clearly indicates. In this country, as in every other, the canalsare generally cut through comparatively low lands, and the low lands here, with few exceptions, are all swampy; however, a great deal of theunhealthiness which pervades this district, arises from want of attention. A large portion of the inhabitants are Low Dutch, who appear never to bein their proper element, unless when settled down in the midst of a swamp. They allow rotten timber to accumulate, and stagnant pools to remain abouttheir houses, and from these there arises an effluvium which is mostunpleasant in warm weather, which, however, they do not seem to perceive. We entered Rochester, through an aqueduct thirty rods in length, built ofstone, across the Genessee river. Rochester is the handsomest town on thisline. Some of the houses here are tastefully decorated. All the windowshave Venetian blinds, and generally there are one or two covered balconiesattached to the front of each house. Before the doors there are small_parterres_, planted with rose-trees, and other fragrant shrubs. Abouthalf a mile from the town are the Falls of Genessee. The water glides overan even bed of limestone rock, ninety-six feet above the level of theriver below. There is a beautiful regularity in this fall, but its extremeuniformity divests it of picturesque effect. Here the celebrated diver, Sam. Patch, subsequently met his fate in diving off this precipice. He hadperformed similar feats at the Falls of Niagara, without sustaining anyinjury. He was not killed by the fall; but is supposed to have faintedwhen midway from, his leap, as his arms were observed to relax, and hislegs to open, before he reached the water. On my journey I met with an Englishman, a Mr. W----. He dressed _à la MungoPark_, wearing a jacket and trowsers of jean, and a straw hat. He was agreat pedestrian; had travelled through most of the southern States, andwas now on his tour through this part of the country. He was a gentlemanabout fifty, --silent and retiring in his habits. Enamoured of theorange-trees of Georgia, he intended returning there or to Carolina, andending his days. We agreed to visit the Falls of Niagara together, andaccordingly quitted the boat at Tonawanta. When we had dined, and haddeposited our luggage in the safe keeping of the Niagara hotel-keeper, mycompanion shouldered his vigne stick, and to one end of which he appendeda small bundle, containing a change of linen, &c. , and I put on myshooting coat of many pockets, and shouldered my gun. Thus equipped, wecommenced our journey to the Great Falls. The distance from Tonawanta tothe village of the Falls, now called Manchester, is about eleven miles. The way lies through a forest, in which there are but a few scatteredhabitations. A great part of the road runs close to the river Niagara; andthe occasional glimpses of this broad sheet of water, which are obtainedthrough the rich foliage of the forest, added to the refreshing breezethat approached us through the openings, rendered our pedestrian excursionextremely delightful. Towards evening we arrived at the village, and proceeded to reconnoitre, in order to fix our position for the night. After having done thissatisfactorily, we then turned our attention to the all-importantoperation of eating and drinking. While supping, an eccentric-lookingperson passed out through the apartment in which we were. His oddappearance excited our curiosity, and we inquired who thismysterious-looking gentleman was. We were informed that he was anEnglishman, and that he had been lodging there for the last six months, but that he concealed his real name. He slept in one corner of a largebarrack room, in which there were of course several other beds. On a smalltable by his bed-side there were a few French and Latin books, and somescraps of poetry touching on the tender passion. These, and a Germanflute, which we observed standing against the window, gave us some clue tohis character. He was a tall, romantic-looking young man, apparently abouttwenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age. His dress was particularlyshabby. This the landlord told us was from choice, not from necessity, ashe had two trunks full of clothes nearly new. The reason he gave fordressing as he did, was his knowing, he said, that if he dressed well, people would be talking to him, which he wished to avoid; but, that bydressing as he did, he made sure that no one would ever think of givinghim any annoyance of that kind. I thought this idea unique: and whether hebe still at Niagara, or has taken up his abode at the foot of the Rockymountains, I pronounce him to be a Diogenes without a tub. He has read atleast one page in the natural history of civilized man. We visited the Falls, at the American side by moonlight. There was then anair of grandeur and sublimity in the scene which I shall long remember. Yet at this side they are not seen to the greatest advantage. Next morningI crossed the Niagara river, below the Falls, into Canada. I did notascend the bank to take the usual route to the Niagara hotel, at whichplace there is a spiral staircase descending 120 feet towards the foot ofthe Falls, but clambered along at the base of the cliffs until I reachedthe point immediately below the stairs. I here rested, and indeed requiredit much, for the day was excessively warm, and I had unfortunatelyencumbered myself with my gun and shot pouch. The Falls are here seen inall their grandeur. Two immense volumes of water glide over perpendicularprecipices upwards of 170 feet in height, and tumble among the crags belowwith a roaring that _we_ distinctly heard on our approach to the village, at the distance of five miles up the river: and down the river it can beheard at a much greater distance. The Falls are divided by Goat Islandinto two parts. The body of water which falls to the right of the islandis much greater than that which falls to the left; and the cliffs to theright assume the form of a horse-shoe. To the left there is also aconsiderable indentation, caused by a late falling in of the rock; but itscarcely appears from the Canadian side. The rushing of the waters oversuch immense precipices--the dashing of the spray, which rises in a whitecloud at the base of the Falls, and is felt at the distance of a quarterof a mile--the many and beautiful rainbows that occasionallyappear, --united, form a grand and imposing _coup d'oeil_. The Fall is supposed to have been originally at the table-land nearLewiston; and indeed, from the nature of the ground, and its presentcondition below the Falls, no reasonable objection can be entertained tothat supposition. The upper part of the cliffs is composed of hardlimestone, and underneath is a bed of schistus. Now this schistus iscontinually worn away by the water's dashing against it. This leaves theupper part, or immediate bed of the river, without foundation. When, therefore, from extraordinary floods, the pressure of the incumbent fluidbecomes more than usually great, the rock gives way; and thus, gradually, the Falls have receded several miles. I at length ascended the stairs, and popped my head into the shanty, _sansceremonie_, to the no small amazement of the cunning compounder of"cock-tails, " and "mint julaps" who presided at the bar. It was clear thatI had ascended the stairs, but how the deuce I had got down was thequestion. I drank my "brandy sling, " and retreated before he had recoveredfrom his surprise, and thus I escaped the volley of interrogatories withwhich I should have been most unsparingly assailed. I walked for somedistance along the Canadian heights, and then crossed the river, where Imet my friend waiting my return under a clump of scrub oak. We had previously determined on visiting the Tuscarora village, an Indiansettlement about eight miles down the river, and not far from Ontario. This is a tribe of one of the six nations, the last that was admitted intothe Confederation. They live in a state of community; and in theirarrangements for the production and distribution of wealth, approachnearer to the Utopean system than any community with which I amacquainted. The squaws told us that no Indian there could claim any thingbut what was contained within his own cabin; that the produce of the landwas common property, and that they never quarrelled about its division. Wedined in one of their cabins, on lean mutton and corn bread. The interiorof their habitations is not conspicuous for cleanliness; nor are they sofar civilized as to be capable of breaking their word. The people at theNiagara village told us, that with the exception of two individuals inthat community, any Indian could get from them on credit either money orgoods to whatever amount he required. I here parted with my fellow traveller, perhaps for ever. He went toLewiston, whence he intended to cross into Canada, and to walk along theshores of Ontario; whilst I made the best of my way back through the woodsto Manchester. I certainly think our landlord had some misgivingsrespecting the fate of my companion. We had both departed together: Ialone was armed--and I alone returned. However, as I unflinchingly stoodexamination and cross-examination, and sojourned until next morning, hisfears seemed to be entirely dispelled. Next day I took a long, last lookat Niagara, and departed for Tonawanta. At Tonawanta I again took the canal-boat to Buffalo, a considerable townon the shores of lake Erie, and at the head of the canal navigation. Thereare several good buildings in this town, and some well-appointed hotels. Lake schooners, and steam and canal boats are here in abundance, it beingan entrepôt for western produce and eastern merchandize. A few stragglingIndians are to be seen skulking about Buffalo, like dogs in Cairo, thevictims of the inordinate use of ardent spirits. From Buffalo I proceeded in a steamer along lake Erie, to Portland inOhio, now called Sandusky City; the distance 240 miles. After about anhour's sail, we entirely lost sight of the Canadian shores. The scenery onthe American side is very fine, particularly from Presqu' Isle onward tothe head of the lake, or rather from its magnitude, it might be termed aninland sea. On landing at Sandusky, I learned that there were several Indian reservesbetween that place and Columbus, the seat of government. This determinedme on making a pedestrian tour to that city. Accordingly, having forwardedmy luggage, and made other necessary arrangements, I commenced mypergrinations among the Aborigines. The woods in the upper part of Ohio, nearest the lake, are tolerably open, and occasionally interspersed with sumach and sassafras: the soilsomewhat sandy. I met with but few Indians, until my arrival at LowerSandusky, on the Sandusky river; here there were several groups returningto their reserves, from Canada, where they had been to receive the annualpresents made them by the British government. In the next county (Seneca)there is a reservation of about three miles square, occupied by Senecas, Cayugas, and part of the Iroquois or six nations, once a most powerfulconfederation amongst the red men. [1] In Crawford county there is a verylarge reserve belonging to the Huron or Wyandot Indians. These, thoughspeaking a dialect of the Iroquois tongue, are more in connexion with theDelawares than with the Iroquois. The Wyandots are much esteemed by theirwhite neighbours, for probity and good behaviour. They dress verytastefully. A handsome chintz shawl tied in the Moorish fashion about thehead--leggings of blue cloth, reaching half way up the thigh, sewn at theoutside, leaving a hem of about an inch deep--mocassins, or Indian boots, made of deer-skin, to fit the foot close, like a glove--a shirt or tunicof white calico--and a hunting shirt, or frock, made of strongblue-figured cotton or woollen cloth, with a small fringed cape, and longsleeves, --a tomahawk and scalping knife stuck in a broad leather belt. Accoutred in this manner, and mounted on a small hardy horse, called herean Indian pony, imagine a tall, athletic, brown man, with black hair andeyes--the hair generally plaited in front, and sometimes hanging in longwavy curls behind--aquiline nose, and fearless aspect, and you have a fairidea of the Wyandot and Cayuga Indian. The Senecas and Oneidas whom I metwith, were not so handsome in general, but as athletic, and about the sameaverage height--five feet nine or ten. The Indians here, as every where else, are governed by their own laws, andnever have recourse to the whites to settle their disputes. That silentunbending spirit, which has always characterized the Indian, has alonekept in check the rapacious disposition of the whites. Several attemptshave been made to induce the Indians to sell their lands, and go beyondthe Mississippi, but hitherto without effect. The Indian replies to thefine speeches and wily language of the whites, "We hold this small bit ofland, in the vast country of our fathers, by _your_ written talk, and itis noted on _our_ wampums--the bones of our fathers lie here, and wecannot forsake them. You tell us our great father (the president) ispowerful, and that his arm is long and strong--we believe it is so; but weare in hopes that he will not strike his red children for their lands, andthat he will leave us this little piece to live upon--the hatchet is longburied, let it not be disturbed. " Jackson has lately published a manifesto to all the Indian tribes withinthe limits of the United States, commanding them to sell their reserves;and with few exceptions, has been answered in this manner. A circumstance occurred a few days previous to my arrival, in the Senecareserve, which may serve to illustrate the determined character of theIndian. There were three brothers (chiefs) dwelling in this reservation. "Seneca John, " the eldest brother, was the principal chief of the tribe, and a man much esteemed by the white people. He died by poison. Thechiefs in council, having satisfactorily ascertained that his secondbrother "Red-hand, " and a squaw, had poisoned him, decreed that Red-handshould be put to death. "Black-snake, " the other brother, told the chiefsthat if Red-hand must die, he himself would kill him, in order to preventfeuds arising in the tribe. Accordingly in the evening he repaired to thehut of Red-hand, and after having sat in silence for some time, said, "Mybest chiefs say, you have killed my father's son, --they say my brothermust die. " Red-hand merely replied, "They say so;" and continued to smoke. After about fifteen minutes further silence, Black-snake said, pointing tothe setting sun, "When he appears above those trees"--moving his arm roundto the opposite direction--"I come to kill you. " Red-hand nodded his headin the short significant style of the Indian, and said "Good. " The nextmorning Black-snake came, followed by two chiefs, and having entered thehut, first put out the squaw, he then returned and stood before hisbrother, his eyes bent on the ground. Red-hand said calmly, "Has mybrother come that I may die?"--"It is so, " was the reply. "Then, "exclaimed Red-hand, grasping his brother's left hand with his own right, and dashing the shawl from his head, "Strike sure!" In an instant thetomahawk was from the girdle of Black-snake, and buried in the skull ofthe unfortunate man. He received several blows before he fell, utteringthe exclamation "hugh, " each time. The Indians placed him on the grass todie, where the backwoodsman who told me the story, saw him after the lapseof two hours, and life was not then extinct, --with such tenacity does itcling to the body of an Indian. The scalping knife was at length passedacross his throat, and thus ended the scene. From Sandusky city, in Huron county, I passed into Sandusky county, andfrom thence through Seneca county. These three counties are entirelywoodlands, with the exception of a few small prairies which lay eastwardof my course. The land is generally fertile. Some light sandy soil isoccasionally to be met with, which produces more quickly than the heaviersoil, but not so abundantly. I saw in my travels through these counties afew persons who were ill of ague-fever, as it is here called. Theprevalence of this disease is not to be attributed to a generalunhealthiness of the climate, but can at all times be referred tolocalities. I next entered Crawford county, and crossed the Wyandot prairie, aboutseven miles in length, to Upper Sandusky. This was the first of thoseextensive meadows I had seen, and I was much pleased with itsappearance--although this prairie is comparatively but small, yet itsbeauty cannot be surpassed; and the groves, and clusters of trees, _ilesde bois_, with which it is interspersed, make it much resemble a beautifuldomain. Attached to the Wyandot reserve (nine miles by sixteen) is that of theDelawares (three miles square). On reaching Little Sandusky--Kahama'scurse on the town baptizers of America!--there are often five or sixplaces named alike in one state: upper and lower, little and big, greatand small--and invariably the same names that are given to towns in oneState, are to be found in every other. Then their vile plagiarisms ofEuropean names causes a Babelonish confusion of ideas, enough to disturbthe equanimity of a "grisly saint;" and, with all humility, I disclaimhaving any pretensions to that character. I have frequently heard along-legged, sallow-looking backwoodsman talk of having come lately fromParis, or Mecca, when instead of meaning the capital of _La grandenation_, or the city of "the holy prophet, " he spoke of some towncontaining a few hundred inhabitants, situated in the backwoods ofKentucky, or amidst the gloomy forests of Indiana. The Americans too speakin prospective, when they talk of great places; no doubt "calculating"that, one day, all the mighty productions of the old world will besurpassed by their ingenuity and perseverance. I reached Little Sandusky about one o'clock in the day, and there learnedthat there was a treaty being holden with the Delawares--accordingly Irepaired to the council ground. On a mat, under the shade of seven largeelm trees, which in more prosperous times had waved over the war-likeancestors of this unfortunate people, were seated three old sachems, theprincipal of the tribe. The oldest appeared to be nearly eighty years ofage, the next about seventy, and the last about fifty. On a chair to theright of the Indians was seated a young "half-breed" chief, the son of oneof the sachems by a white squaw; and on their left, seated on anotherchair, a Delaware dressed in the costume of the whites. This young man wasin the pay of the States, and acted as interpreter--he interpreting intoand from the Delaware language, and a gentleman of the mission (a CaptainWalker) into and from the Wyandot. At a table opposite the Indians wereseated the commissioners. The Lenni Lenapé, or Delawares, as they were called by the English, fromthe circumstance of their holding their great "Council-fire" on the banksof the Delaware river, were once the most powerful of the several tribesthat spoke the Delaware tongue, and possessed an immense tract of countryeast of the Alleghany mountains. This unfortunate people had been drivenfrom place to place, until at last they were obliged to accept of anasylum from the Wyandot, whom they call their uncle; and now are forced tosell this, and go beyond the Mississippi. To a reflecting mind, the scenewas touching beyond description. Here was the sad remnant of a greatnation, who having been forced back from the original country of theirfathers, by successive acts of rapacity, are now compelled to enter intoa compact which obliges them, half civilized as they are, to return to theforest. The case is this, --the white people, or rather Jackson and thesoutherns, say, that the Indians "retard improvement"--precisely in thesame sense that a brigand, when he robs a traveller, might say, that thetraveller retarded improvement--that is, retarded _his_ improvement, inasmuch as he had in his pocket, what would improve the condition of thebrigand. The Indians have cultivated farms, and valuable tracts of land, and no doubt it will improve the condition of the whites, to getpossession of those farms and rich lands, for _one tenth of their saleablevalue_. The profits that have accrued to the United States from thesystematic plunder of the Indians, are immense, and a great portion of thenational debt has been liquidated by this dishonest means. [2] The reserve of the Delawares contained nine square miles, or 5760 acres. For this it was agreed at the treaty, that they should be paid 6000dollars, and the value of the improvements, which I conceived to be a fairbargain. I was not then aware of the practice pursued by the government, of making deductions, under various pretences, from the purchase-money, until the unfortunate Indian is left scarcely anything in lieu of hislands, and says, that "the justice of the white man is not like thejustice of the red man, " and that he cannot understand the honesty of hisChristian brother. The following extract, taken from the New YorkAmerican, will give some insight into the mode of dealing with theIndians. "_The last of the Ottowas_. --Maumee Bay, Ohio, Sept. 3, 1831. --Mr. JamesB. Gardiner has concluded a very important treaty at Maumee Bay, inMichigan, for a cession of all the lands owned by the Ottowa Indians inOhio, about 50, 000 acres. It was attended with more labour and greaterdifficulties than any other treaty made in this state: it was the lastfoothold which that savage, warlike, and hostile tribe held in theirancient dominion. The conditions of this treaty are very similar to thosetreaties of Lewistown and Wapaghkenetta, _with this exception_, that thesurplus avails of their lands, _after deducting seventy cents per acre toindemnify the government_, are to be appropriated for paying the debts oftheir nation, which amount to about 20, 000 dollars. " [Query, what arethose debts?--could they be the amount of _presents_ made them on formeroccasions?] "The balance, _if any_, accrues to the tribe. Seventythousand acres of land are granted to them west of the Mississippi. [3] TheOttowas are the most depredating, drunken, and ferocious in Ohio. Thereservations ceded by them are very valuable, and those on the Miami ofthe lake embrace some of the best mill privileges in the State. " The Delawares were too few (being but fifty-one in number) to contend thematter, and therefore accepted of the proposed terms. At the conclusion ofthe conference, the Commissioners told them that they should have a barrelof flour, with the beef that had been killed for the occasion, which wasreceived with "Yo-ha!--Yo-ha!" They then said, laughing, "that they hopedtheir father would allow them a little milk, " meaning whisky, which wasaccordingly granted. They drank of this modern Lethé and forgot for a timetheir misfortunes. On the Osage fork of the Merrimack river, there are two settlements of theDelawares, to the neighbourhood of which these Indians intend to remove. Near the Delaware reserve, I fell in with a young Indian, apparently abouttwenty years of age, and we journeyed together for several miles throughthe forest. He spoke English fluently, and conformed as far as his tastewould permit him, to the habits of the whites. His dress consisted of ablue frock coat, blue cloth leggings, moccasins, a shawl tied about thehead, and a red sash round his waste. In conversation, I asked him if hewere not a Cayuga--: "No, " says he, "an Oneida, " placing both his hands onhis breast--"a _clear_ Oneida. " I could not help smiling at his nationalpride;--yet this is man: in every country and condition he is proud of hisdescent, and loves the race to which he belongs. This Oneida was a widow'sson. He had sixteen acres of cleared land, which, with occasionalassistance, he cultivated himself. When the produce was sold, he dividedthe proceeds with his mother, and then set out, and travelled until hisfunds were exhausted. He had just then returned from a tour to New Yorkand Philadelphia, and had visited almost every city in the Union. AsGuedeldk--that was the Oneida's name--and I were rambling along, we met anegro who was journeying in great haste--he stopped to inquire if we hadseen that day, or the day previous, any nigger-woman going towards thelake. I had passed the day before two waggon loads of negros, which werebeing transported, by the state, to Canada. A local law prohibits thesettlement of people of colour within the state of Ohio, which was now putin force, although it had remained dormant for many years. There was much hardship in the case of this poor fellow. He had left hisfamily at Cincinnati, and had gone to work on the canal some eighteen ortwenty miles distant. He had been absent about a week; and on his returnhe found his house empty, and was informed that his wife and children hadbeen seized, and transported to Canada. The enforcement of this law hasbeen since abandoned; and I must say, although the law itself is atvariance with the Constitution of the United States, which is paramount toall other laws, that its abandonment is due entirely to the good feelingof the people of Ohio, who exclaimed loudly against the cruelty of themeasure. FOOTNOTES: [1] De Witt Clinton, speaking of the Iroquois, or five nations, says, "Their exterior relations, general interests, and national affairs, wereconducted and superintended by a great council, assembled annually inOnondaga, the central canton, composed of the chiefs of each republic;and eighty sachems were frequently convened at this national assembly. Ittook cognizance of the great questions of war and peace; of the affairsof the tributary nations, and their negotiations with the French andEnglish colonies. All their proceedings were conducted with greatdeliberation, and were distinguished for order, decorum, and solemnity. In eloquence, in dignity, and in all the characteristics of profoundpolicy, they surpassed the assembly of feudal barons, and perhaps werenot inferior to the great Amphictyonic Council of Greece. " [2] Dollars. Amount of lands sold up to the year 1824 44, 229, 837 173, 176, 606 acres unsold, estimated at onedollar per acre. The Congress price wasthen two dollars, but was subsequentlyreduced to a dollar and a quarter, andis now 75 cents. 173, 176, 606 ----------- 217, 406, 443 Deduct value of annuities, expenses ofsurveying, &c. &c. , being the amount ofpurchase-money paid for same 4, 243, 632 ----------- Profit arising to the United States frompurchases of land from the Indians 213, 162, 811 -----------Allowing 480 cents, to the pound sterling, the gross profit is £44, 408, 918. 19_s_. 2_d_. [3] There are lands west of the Mississippi, which would be dear at tencents per hundred acres. CHAPTER III. From Little Sandusky, I passed through Marion, in Marion county. Thistown, like most others in Ohio, is advancing rapidly, and has at presentseveral good brick buildings. The clap-boarded frame houses, which composethe great mass of habitations in the towns throughout the western country, in general have a neat appearance. I here saw gazetted three divorces, allof which had been granted on the applications of the wives. One, on theground of the husband's absenting himself for one year: another, onaccount of a blow having been given: and the third for general neglect. There are few instances of a woman's being refused a divorce in thewestern country, as dislike is very generally--and veryrationally--supposed to constitute a sufficient reason for granting theladies their freedom. I crossed Delaware county into Franklin county, where Columbus, thecapital of the state, is situated. The roads from the lake to this city, with few exceptions, passed through woodlands, and the country is butthinly settled. Beech, oak, elm, hickory, walnut, white-oak, ash, &c. Compose the bulk of the forest trees; and in the bottom lands, enormoussycamores are to be seen stretching their white arms almost to the veryclouds. The land is of various denominations, but in general may be termedfertile. Columbus, the capital of Ohio, is seated on the Scioto river, which isnavigable for keel and flat boats, and small craft, almost to its source;and by means of a portage of about four miles, to Sandusky river, whichflows into lake Erie, a convenient communication is established betweenthe lakes, and the great western waters. The town is well laid out. Thestreets are wide; and the court-house, town-hall, and public offices, arebuilt of brick. There are some good taverns here, and the tables d'hôtesare well and abundantly supplied. There are land offices in every county seat, in which maps and plans ofthe county are kept. On these, the disposable tracts of country aredistinguished from those which have been disposed of. The purchaser paysone fourth of the purchase money, for which he gets a receipt, --thisconstitutes his title, until, on paying the residue, he receives a regulartitle deed. He may however pay the full amount at once, and receive adiscount of, I believe, eight per cent. A township comprises thirty-sixsquare miles (twenty three thousand and forty acres) in sections of sixhundred and forty acres each, which are subdivided, to accommodatepurchasers, into quarter sections, or lots of a hundred and sixty acres. The sixteenth section is not sold, but reserved for the support of thepoor, for education, and other public uses. There is no provision made inthis, or any other state, for the ministers of religion, which is found tobe highly beneficial to the interests of practical Christianity. Thecongress price of land has lately been reduced from a dollar and a quarterper acre, to seventy-five cents. Ohio averages 184 miles in extent, from north to south, and 220 miles fromeast to west. Area, 40, 000 square miles, or 25, 600, 000 acres. Thepopulation in 1790, was 3000; in 1800, 45, 365; in 1810, 230, 760; and in1820, 581, 434. White males, 300, 609; white females, 275, 955; free peopleof colour, 4723; militia in 1821, 83, 247. The last census, taken in 1830, makes the population 937, 679. Having no more Indian reserves to visit, I took the stage, and rumbledover corduroys, republicans, stumps, and ruts, until my ribs wereliterally sore, through London, Xenia, and Lebanon, to Cincinnati. At Lebanon there is a large community of the shaking Quakers. They haveestablishments also in Mason county, and at Covington, in Kentucky: theirtenets are strictly Scriptural. They contend, that confessing their sinsto one another, is necessary to a state of perfection; that the church ofChrist ought to have all things in common; that none of the members ofthis church ought to cohabit, but be literally virgins; and that to danceand be merry is their duty, which part of their doctrines they take fromthe thirty-first chapter of Jeremiah. Their ceremonies are as follows:--The men sit on the left hand, squattingon the floor, with their knees up, and their hands clasped round them. Opposite, in the same posture, sit the women, whose appearance is mostcadaverous and sepulchral, dressed in the Quaker costume. After sittingfor some time in this hatching position, they all rise and sing a cantingsort of hymn, during which the women keep time by elevating themselves ontheir toes. After the singing has ceased, a discourse is delivered by oneof the elders; which being ended, the men pull off their coats andwaistcoats. All being prepared, one of the brethren steps forward to thecentre of the room, and in a loud voice, gives out a tune, beating timewith his foot, and singing _lal lal la, lal lal la_, &c. , being joined bythe whole group, all jumping as high as possible, clapping their hands, and at intervals twirling round, --but making rather ungraceful_pirouettes_: this exercise they continue until they are completelyexhausted. In their ceremonials they much resemble the howling Dervishesof the Moslems, whom they far surpass in fanaticism. Within about ten miles of Cincinnati we took up an old doctor, who wasgoing to that city for the purpose of procuring a warrant against one ofhis neighbours, who, he had reason to believe, was concerned in thekidnapping of a free negro the night before. This is by no means anuncommon occurrence in the free states bordering the great rivers. Theunfortunate black man, when captured, is hurried down to the river, thrustinto a flat boat, and carried to the plantations. Such negros are notexposed for sale in the public bazaars, as that would be attended withrisk; but a false bill of sale is made out, and the sale is effected tosome planter before they reach Orleans. There is, of course, alwayscollusion between the buyer and seller, and the man is disposed of, generally, for half his value. These are certainly atrocious acts; yet when a British subject reads suchpassages as the following, in the histories of East India government, hemust feel that if they were ten times as infamous and numerous as they arein reality, it becomes not _him_ to censure them. Bolts, who was a judgeof the mayor's court of Calcutta, says, in his "Considerations on IndiaAffairs, " page 194, "With every species of monopoly, therefore, every kindof oppression to manufacturers of all denominations throughout the wholecountry has daily increased; insomuch that weavers, for daring to selltheir goods, and Dallals and Pykars, for having contributed to, orconnived at, such sales, have by the _Company's agents, _ been frequentlyseized and imprisoned, confined in irons, fined considerable sums ofmoney, flogged, and deprived, in the most ignominious manner, of what theyesteem most valuable, their castes. Weavers also, upon their inability toperform such agreements as have been _forced from them by the Company'sagents_, universally known in Bengal by the name of _Mutchulcahs_, havehad their goods seized and sold on the spot, to make good the deficiency:and the winders of raw silk, called _Nagaards_, have been treated alsowith such injustice, that instances have been known of their cutting offtheir thumbs, to prevent their being forced to wind silk. This last kindof workmen were pursued with such rigour, during Lord Clive's lategovernment in Bengal, from a zeal for _increasing the Company'sinvestment_ of raw silk, that the most sacred laws of society wereatrociously violated; for it was _a common thing for the Company'sscapoys_ to be sent by force of arms to break open the houses of theArmenian merchants established at Sydabad (who have from time immemorialbeen largely concerned in the silk trade), and forcibly take the_Nagaards_ from their work, and carry them away to the English factory. " As we approached Cincinnati the number of farms, and the extent ofcultivated country, indicated the comparative magnitude of that city. Fields in this country have nothing like the rich appearance of those inEngland and Ireland, being generally filled with half-rotten stumps, scattered here and there among the growing corn, producing a mostdisagreeable effect. Then, instead of the fragrant quickset hedge, thereis a "worm fence"--the rudest description of barrier known in thecountry--which consists simply of bars, about eight or nine feet inlength, laid zig-zag on each other alternately: the improvement on this, and the _ne plus ultra_ in the idea of a west country farmer, is what istermed a "post and rail fence. " This denomination of fence is to be seensometimes in the vicinity of the larger towns, and is constructed of postssix feet in length, sunk in the ground to the depth of about a foot, andat eight or ten feet distance; the rails are then laid into mortises cutinto the posts, at intervals of about thirteen or fourteen inches, whichcompletes the work. Cincinnati is built on a bend of the Ohio river, which takes here asemicircular form, and runs nearly west; it afterwards flows in a moresoutherly direction. A complete chain of hills, sweeping from one point ofthe bend round to the other, encloses the city in a sort of amphitheatre. The houses are mostly brick, and the streets all paved. There are severalspacious and handsome market houses, which on market days are stocked withall kinds of provisions--indeed I think the market of Cincinnati is verynearly the best supplied in the United States. There are many respectablepublic buildings here, such as a court-house, theatre, bazaar, (built byMrs. Trollope, but the speculation failed), and divers churches, in whichyou may see well-dressed women, and hear orthodox, heterodox, and everyother species of doctrine, promulgated and enforced by strength of lungs, and length of argument, with pulpit-drum accompaniment, and all otherrequisites _ad captandum vulgus_. The city stands on two plains: one called the bottom, extends about 260yards back from the river, and is three miles in length, from Deer Creekto Mill Creek; the other is fifty feet higher than the first, and iscalled the Hill; this extends back about a mile. The bottom is sixty-fivefeet above low water mark. In 1815 the population was estimated at 6000, and at present it is supposed to be upwards of 25, 000 souls. By means ofthe Dayton canal, which runs from that town nearly parallel with the "BigMiami" river, a very extensive trade, for all kinds of produce, isestablished with the back country. Steamers are constantly arriving at, and departing from the wharf, on their passage up and down the river. Thisis one of the many examples to be met with in the western country, oftowns springing into importance within the memory of comparatively youngmen--a log-house is still standing, which is shewn as the first habitationbuilt by the backwoodsman, who squatted in the forest where now stands ahandsome and flourishing city. On arriving at Cincinnati, I learned that my friend T---- had taken up hisabode at a farm-house a few miles from town, where I accordingly repaired, and found him in good health, and initiated into all the manners, habits, customs, and diversions of the natives. Farming people in Ohio work hard. The women have no sinecures, being occupied the greater part of the day incooking; as they breakfast at eight, dine at half-past twelve, and sup atsix, and at each of these meals, meat, and other cooked dishes are servedup. In farming they co-operate with each other. When a farmer wishes tohave his corn husked, he rides round to his neighbours and informs them ofhis intention. An invitation of this kind was once given in my presence. The farmer entered the house, sat down, and after the customarycompliments were passed, in the usual laconic style, the followingdialogue took place. "I guess I'll husk my corn to-morrowafternoon. "--"You've a mighty heap this year. "--"Considerable of corn. "The host at length said, "Well, I guess we'll be along"--and the matterwas arranged. All these gatherings are under the denomination of"frolics"--such as "corn-husking frolic, " "apple-cutting frolic, ""quilting frolic, " &c. Being somewhat curious in respect to national amusements, I attended a"corn-husking frolic" in the neighbourhood of Cincinnati. The corn washeaped up into a sort of hillock close by the granary, on which the young"Ohiohians" and "buck-eyes"--the lasses of Ohio are called"buck-eyes"--seated themselves in pairs; while the old wives, and oldfarmers were posted around, doing little, but talking much. Now the lawsof "corn-husking frolics" ordain, that for each red ear that a youthfinds, he is entitled to exact a kiss from his partner. There were two orthree young Irishmen in the group, and I could observe the rogues kissinghalf-a-dozen times on the same red ears. Each of them laid a red-ear closeby him, and after every two or three he'd husk, up he'd hold theredoubtable red-ear to the astonished eyes of the giggling lass who satebeside him, and most unrelentingly inflict the penalty. The "gude wives"marvelled much at the unprecedented number of red-ears which that lot ofcorn contained: by-and-by, they thought it "a kind of curious" that theIrishmen should find so many of them--at length, the cheat was discovered, amidst roars of laughter. The old farmers said the lads were "wideawake, " and the "buck-eyes" declared that there was no being up to theplaguy Irishmen "no how, " for they were always sure to have every thingtheir own way. But the mischief of it was, the young Americans took thehint, and the poor "buck-eyes" got nothing like fair play for theremainder of that evening. All agreed that there was more laughing, andmore kissing done at that, than had been known at any corn-husking frolicsince "the Declaration. " The farmers of Ohio are a class of people about equivalent to our secondand third rate farmer, inasmuch as they work themselves, but possessinginfinitely more independence in their character and deportment. Everywhite male, who is a citizen of the United States, and has resided oneyear in the state, and paid taxes, has a vote. The members of thelegislature are elected annually, and those of the senate biennially; halfof the members of the latter branch vacating their seats every year. Therepresentatives, in addition to the qualifications necessary to theelector, must be twenty-five years of age; and the senators must haveresided in the state two years, and must be thirty years of age. Thegovernor must be thirty years of age, an inhabitant of the state fouryears, and a citizen of the United States twelve years, --he is eligibleonly for six years in eight. Notwithstanding the numerous religious sects that are to be found in thiscountry, there is nothing like sectarian animosity prevailing. This is tobe attributed to the ministers of religion being paid as they deserve, andno one class of people being taxed to support the religious tenets ofanother. The farmers of this state are by no means religious, in a doctrinal sense;on the contrary, they appear indifferent on matters of this nature. Thegirls _sometimes_ go to church, which here, as in all Christian countries, is equivalent to the bazaars of Smyrna and Bagdad; and as the girls go, their "dads" must pay the parson. The Methodists are very zealous, andhave frequent "revivals" and "camp-meetings. " I was at two of the latterassemblages, one in Kentucky, and the other in Ohio. I shall endeavour toconvey some idea of this extraordinary species of religious festival. To the right of Cheriot, which lies in a westerly direction, about tenmiles from Cincinnati, under the shade of tall oak and elm trees, the campwas pitched in a quadrangular form. Three sides were occupied by tents forthe congregation, and the fourth by booths for the preachers. A little inadvance before the booths was erected a platform for the performingpreacher, and at the foot of this, inclosed by forms, was a species ofsanctuary, called "the penitents' pen. " People of every denomination mightbe seen here, allured by various motives. The girls, dressed in allcolours of the rainbow, congregated to display their persons andcostumes; the young men came to see the girls, and considered it a sort of"frolic;" and the old women, induced by fanaticism, and other motives, assembled in large numbers, and waited with patience for the proper seasonof repentance. At the intervals between the "preachments, " the youngmarried and unmarried women promenaded round the tents, and their smilingfaces formed a striking contrast to the demure countenances of their moreexperienced sisters, who, according to their age or temperament, descantedon the folly, or condemned the sinfulness of such conduct. Some of thoseold dames, I was informed, were decoy birds, who shared the profits withthe preachers, and attended all the "camp-meetings" in the country. The psalmodies were performed in the true Yankee style of nasal-melody, and at proper and seasonable intervals the preachings were delivered. Thepreachers managed their tones and discourses admirably, and certainlydisplayed a good deal of tact in their calling. They use the mostextravagant gestures--astounding bellowings--a canting hypocriticalwhine--slow and solemn, although by no means _musical_ intonations, andthe _et ceteras_ that complete the qualifications of a regularcamp-meeting methodist parson. During the exhortations the brothers andsisters were calling out--Bless God! glory! glory! amen! God grant! Jesus!&c. At the adjournment for dinner, a knowing-looking gentleman was appointedto deliver an admonition. I admired this person much for the ingenuity hedisplayed in introducing the subject of collection, and the religiousobligation of each and every individual to contribute largely to thesupport of the preacher and his brothers of the vineyard. He set forth therespectability of the county, as evinced by former contributions, andthence inferred, most logically, that the continuance of that respectablecharacter depended on the amount of that day's collection. A conversationtook place behind me, during this part of the preacher's exhortation, between three young farmers, which, as being characteristic, I shallrepeat. "The old man is wide awake, I guess. " "I reckon he knows a thing or two. " "I calculate he's been on board a flat afore now. " "Yes, I guess a Yankee 'd find it damned hard to sell him _hickory_nutmegs. " "It'd take a pretty smart man to poke it on to a parson any how. " "I guess'd it'd come to dollars and cents in the end. " After sunset the place was lighted up by beacon fires and candles, and thescene seemed to be changing to one of more deep and awful interest. Aboutnine o'clock the preachers began to rally their forces--the candles weresnuffed--fuel was added to the fires--clean straw was shook in the"penitents' pen"--and every movement "gave dreadful note of preparation. "At length the hour was sounded, and the faithful forthwith assembled. Achosen leader commenced to harangue--he bellowed--he roared--he whined--heshouted until he became actually hoarse, and the perspiration rolled downhis face. Now, the faithful seemed to take the infection, and as ifovercome by their excited feelings, flung themselves headlong on the strawinto the penitents' pen--the old dames leading the way. The preachers, tothe number of a dozen, gave a loud shout and rushed into the thick of thepenitents. A scene now ensued that beggars all description. About twentywomen, young and old, were lying in every direction and position, withcaps and without caps, screeching, bawling, and kicking in hysterics, andprofaning the name of Jesus. The preachers, on their knees amongst them, were with Stentorian voices exhorting them to call louder and louder onthe Lord, until he came upon them; whilst their _attachées, _ withturned-up eyes and smiling countenances, were chanting hymns and shakinghands with the multitude. Some would now and then give a hearty laugh, which is an indication of superior grace, and is called "the holy laugh. "The scene altogether was highly entertaining--penitents, parsons, caps, combs, and straw, jumbled in one heterogeneous mass, lay heaving on theground, and formed at this juncture a grouping that might be done justiceto by the pencil of Hogarth, or the pen of the author of Hudibras; but ofwhich I fear an inferior pen or pencil must fail in conveying an adequateidea. The women were at length carried off, fainting, by their friends, and thepreachers began to prepare for another scene. From the time of thosefaintings, the "new birth" is dated, which means a spiritual resurrectionor revival. The scene that followed appeared to be a representation of "the LastSupper. " The preachers assembled round a table, and acted as disciples, whilst one of them, the leader, presided. The bread was consecrated, divided and eaten--the wine served much after the same manner. Thefaithful, brothers and sisters, were now called upon to partake of theSacrament--proper warning, however, being given to the gentlemen, thatwhen the wine was handed to them, they were not to take a _drink_, as thatwas quite unnecessary, as a small sup would answer every purpose. Onegentleman seemed to have forgotten this hint, and attempted to take rathermore than a sup; but he was prevented by the administering preachersnatching the goblet from him with both hands. Many said they were obligedto substitute _brandy and water_ for wine; but for this fact I cannotvouch. Another straw-tumbling scene now began; and, as if by way ofvariety, the inmates of five or six tents got up similar scenes amongthemselves. The preachers left the field to join the tenters; and, ifpossible, surpassed their previous exhibitions. The women wereoccasionally making confessions, _pro bono publico_, when sundry"backslidings" were acknowledged for the edification of the multitude. Weleft the camp about two o'clock in the morning, when these poor fanaticswere still in full cry. At Hell Town, near this place, there was an officer's muster held aboutthis time. Every citizen exercising the elective franchise is alsoeligible to serve in the militia. There are two general musters held everyyear in each county, and several company meetings. Previous to the generalmuster there is an officer's muster, when the captains and subalterns areput through their exercise by the field officers. At this muster, which Iattended, the superior officers in command certainly appeared to besufficiently conversant with tactics, and explained the rationale of eachmovement in a clear and concise manner; but the captains and subalternswent through their exercise somewhat in the manner of the yeomen of theGreen Island. When the gentlemen were placed in line, and attention wascommanded, the General turned round to converse with his coadjutors--nosooner had he done this than about twenty heroes squatted _a l'Indien;_no doubt deeming it more consistent, the day being warm, to sit thanstand. On the commander observing this movement, which he seemed to thinkquite unmilitary, he remonstrated--the warriors arose; but, alas! the justman _falls_ seven times a day, and the militia officers of Hamilton countyseemed to think it not derogatory to their characters to _squat_ five orsix. The offence was repeated several times, and as often censured. Theywheeled into battalions, and out of battalions, in most gloriousdisorder--their _straight_ lines were _zig-zag. _ In marching abreast, theycame to a fence next the road--the tavern was opposite, and the temptationtoo great to be resisted--a number threw down their muskets--tumbledthemselves over the fence, and rushed into the bar-room to refresh! AnAmerican's heart sickens at restraint, and nothing but necessity willoblige him to observe discipline. The question naturally arises, how would these forces resist the finelydisciplined troops of Europe? The answer is short: If the Americans wouldconsent to fight _à bataille rangée_ on one of the prairies of Illinois, undoubtedly the disciplined troops would prevail; but as neither theirexperience nor inclination is likely to lead them into such circumstances, my opinion is, that send the finest army Europe can produce into thiscountry, in six months, the forests, swamps, and deadly rifle, united, will annihilate it--and let it be remembered, that at the battle of NewOrleans, there were between two and three thousand British slain, andthere were only twelve Americans killed, and perhaps double that numberwounded. In patriotism and personal courage, the Americans are certainlynot inferior to the people of any nation. There had been lately throughout the States a good deal of excitementproduced by an attempt, made by the Presbyterians, to stop the mails onthe sabbath. This party is headed by a Doctor Ely, of Philadelphia, awould-be "lord spiritual, " and they made this merely as a trial ofstrength, preparatory to some other measures calculated to lead to achurch establishment. Their designs, however, have been detected, andmeasures accordingly taken to resist them. At a meeting at which I waspresent at Cincinnati, the people were most enthusiastic, and some verystrong resolutions were passed, expressive of their abhorrence of thisattempt to violate the constitution of America. Good farms within about three or four miles of Cincinnati, one-thirdcleared, are sold at from thirty to fifty dollars per acre. Cows sell atfrom ten to twenty dollars. Horses, at from twenty-five to seventy-fiveand one hundred dollars. Sheep from two to three dollars. There are sometolerable flocks of sheep throughout this state, but they are of littlevalue beyond the price of the wool, a most unaccountable antipathy tomutton existing among the inhabitants. Whilst on the banks of Lake Erie, having heard a great deal ofconversation about the "lake fever, " I made several inquiries from theinhabitants on that subject, the result of which confirmed me in theopinion, that the shores of the lakes are quite as healthy as any otherpart of the country, and that here, as elsewhere, the disease arises fromstagnant pools, swamps, and masses of decayed animal and vegetable matter, which are allowed to remain and accumulate in the vicinity of settlements. When at New York, I met an old and wealthy farmer, who was himself, although eighty years of age, in the enjoyment of rude health. He informedme that he had resided in Canada, on the shores of Lake Erie, for the lastfifty years, and that neither he nor any one of his family had ever beenafflicted with fever of any description. The district in which he lived, was entirely free from local nuisances, and the inhabitants herepresented as being as healthy as any in the United States. My observations, so far, lead me to conclude, that this climate agreesfully as well with Europeans as with the natives, indeed that thesusceptibility to fever and ague is greater in the natives than inEuropeans of good habits. The cause I conceive to be this: the earlysettlers had to encounter swamps of the most pestilential description, anddense forests through which the sun's rays had never penetrated, and whichindustry and cultivation have since made in a great measure to disappear. They notoriously suffered much from the ravages of malaria, and such assurvived the baleful effects of this disease, escaped with impairedconstitutions. Now this susceptibility to intermittent fever, appears tome to have been transmitted to their descendants, and to act as thepredisposing cause. I have seen English and Irish people who have been inthe country upwards of thirty years, who look just as you would expect tofind persons of their age at home. There are situations evidently unhealthy, such as river bottoms, and thevicinity of creeks. The soil in those situations is alluvial, and itsextreme fertility often induces unfortunate people to reside in them. Theappearance of those persons in general is truly wretched. The women here, although they live as long as those in the old country, yet they fade much sooner, and, with few exceptions, have bad teeth. CHAPTER IV. Having decided on visiting New Harmony, in Indiana, where our friend B----had been for some time enjoying the delights of sylvan life, and therefinements of backwoods-society, T---- and I purchased a horse, andDearborne, a species of light waggon used in this country for travelling. We furnished ourselves with a small axe, hunting knives, and all thingsnecessary for encamping when occasion required, and so set out about thebeginning of September. We crossed the Big-Miami river, and proceeded by a tolerable road, andsome good farms, to Lawrenceburg, a handsome town on the Ohio, within amile of the outlet of the Miami. From thence we drove on towardsWilmington; but our horse becoming jaded, we found it expedient to "campout, " within some miles of that town. Next morning we passed throughWilmington, but lost the direct track through the forest, and took theroad to Versailles, which lay in a more northerly direction than the routewe had proposed to ourselves. This road was one of those newly cut throughthe forest, and there frequently occurred intervals of five or six milesbetween the settlements; and of the road itself, a tolerably correct ideamay be formed by noting the stipulations made with the contractors, whichare solely that the roads shall be of a certain width, and that no stumpshall be left projecting more than _fifteen inches_ above the ground. On the night of the second day we reached the vicinity of Versailles, andput up at the residence of a backwoodsman--a fine looking fellow, with aparticularly ugly _squaw_. He had come from Kentucky five yearsbefore--sat down in the forest--"built him" a log-house--wielded his axeto the tune of "The Hunters of Kentucky, " and had now eighteen acres ofcleared land, and all the _et ceteras_ of a farm. We supped offvenison-steaks and stewed squirrel. Our host told us that there was "apretty smart chance of deer" in the neighbourhood, and that when he first"located, " "there was a small sprinkling of _baar_" (bear), but that atpresent nothing of the kind was to be seen. There was very little comfortin the appearance of this establishment; yet the good dame had aside-saddle, hung on a peg in one of the apartments, which would not havedisgraced the lady of an Irish squireen. This appears to be an article ofgreat moment in the estimation of West-country ladies, and when nothingelse about the house is even tolerable, the side-saddle is of the mostfashionable pattern. From Versailles, we took the track to Vernon, through a rugged and swampyroad, it having rained the night before. The country is hilly, andinterspersed with runs, which are crossed with some difficulty, thedescents and ascents being very considerable. The stumps, "corduroys"(rails laid horizontally across the road where the ground is marshy)swamps, and "republicans, " (projecting roots of trees, so called from thestubborn tenacity with which they adhere to the ground, it being almostimpossible to grub them up), rendered the difficulty of traversing thisforest so great, that notwithstanding our utmost exertions we were unableto make more than sixteen miles from sunrise to sunset, when, both thehorse and ourselves being completely exhausted, we halted until morning. Iwas awoke at sunrise by a "white-billed woodpecker, " which was making thewoods ring by the rattling of its bill against a tree. This is a largehandsome bird, (the _picus principalis_ of Linnaeus), it is sometimescalled here the wood-cock. Pigeons, squirrels, and turtle-doves abound inall these forests, and my friend being an expert gunner, we had alwaysplenty of game for dinner. The morning was still grey when we set forward. We forded the Muskakituck river at Vernon, which stands on its headwaters, and is a country seat. We then directed our course to Brownstown, on the east branch of White river. We found the roads still bad until wecame within about ten miles of that place. There the country began toassume a more cultivated appearance, and the roads became tolerably good, being made through a sandy or gravelly district. In the neighbourhood ofBrownstown there are some rich lands, and from that to Salem, a distanceof twenty-two miles, we were much pleased with the country. We had beenhitherto journeying through dense forests, and except when we came to asmall town, could never see more than about ten yards on either side. Allthrough Indiana the peaches were in great abundance this year, and suchwas the weight of fruit the trees had to sustain, that the branches wereinvariably broken where not propped. From Salem we took a westward track by Orleans to Hindostan, crossed theeast branch of White river, and passed through Washington. At a shortdistance from this town, we had to cross White river again, near the westbranch, which is much larger than the east branch. We attempted to fordit, and had got into the middle of the stream before we discovered thatthe bottom was quicksands. The horse was scared at the footing, --heplunged and broke the traces; however, after a tolerable wetting, wesucceeded in getting safe out. A little above the place where we made theattempt, we found there was a ferry-flat. The ferryman considered ourattempt as dangerous, for had we gone much further into the stream weshould have shot into the quicksands in the deep current. This day thefates were most unpropitious to us; and had we had, like Socrates, afamiliar demon at our elbow, he most assuredly would have warned us notto proceed. We had no sooner got into the ferry-flat, and pushed off fromshore, than the horse tumbled overboard, carriage and all, and was withdifficulty saved from drowning. We passed through Petersburg to Princeton; but having lost the track, andgot into several _culs de sacs_, an occurrence which is by no meanspleasant--as in this case you are unable to turn the carriage, and have noalternative but cutting down one or two small trees in order to effect apassage. After a great deal of danger and difficulty, we succeeded inreturning on the true bridle-path, and arrived about ten at night in asmall village, through which we had passed three hours before. The gloomand pitchy darkness of an American forest at night, cannot be conceived bythe inhabitants of an open country, and the traversing a narrow pathinterspersed with stumps and logs is both fatiguing and dangerous. Ourhorse seemed so well aware of this danger, that whenever the night setin, he could not be induced to move, unless one of us walked a little inadvance before him, when he would rest his nose on our arm and thenproceed. We crossed the Potoka to Princeton, a neat town, surrounded by afast settling country, and so on to Harmony. New Harmony is seated on the banks of the Wabash; and following thesinuosities of that river, it is distant sixty-four or five miles from theOhio, but over land, not more than seventeen. This settlement waspurchased by Messrs. Mac Clure and Owen from Mr. Rapp, in the year 1823. The Rappites had been in possession of the place for six years, duringwhich they had erected several large brick buildings of a public nature, and sundry smaller ones as residences, and had cultivated a considerablequantity of land in the immediate vicinity of the town. Mr. Owen intendedto have established here a community of union and mutual co-operation;but, from a too great confidence in the power of the system which headvocates, to _reform_ character, he has been necessitated to abandon thatdesign at present. Harmony must have been certainly a desirable residence when it was theabode of the many literary and scientific characters who composed a partof that short-lived community. A few of these still linger here, and maybe seen stalking through the streets of Harmony, like Marius among theruins of Carthage, deploring the moral desolation that now reigns in thisonce happy place. Le Seur, the naturalist, and fellow traveller of Peron, in his voyage tothe Austral regions, is still here. The suavity of manners, and thescientific acquirements of this gentleman, command the friendship andesteem of all those who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. He has alarge collection of specimens connected with natural history, which thewestern parts of this country yield in abundance. The advantages presentedhere for the indulgence of retired habits, form at present the onlyattractions sufficient to induce him to live out of _la belle France_. Mr. Thomas Say, of Philadelphia, who accompanied Major Long on hisexpedition to the Rocky Mountains, also resides here. He too is a recluse, and is now preparing a work on his favourite subject, natural history. Hisgarden contains a tolerable collection of Mexican and other exotic plants. Harmony is built on the second bottom of the Wabash, and is perhaps half amile from the river at low water, the first bottom being about thatbreadth. Mosquitos abound here, and are extremely troublesome. There areseveral orchards in the neighbourhood well stocked with apples, peaches, &c. ; and the soil being rich alluvion, the farms are productive--so muchas fifty dollars per acre is asked for cleared land, close to the town. There is a great scarcity of money here, as in most parts of Indiana, andtrade is chiefly carried on by barter. Pork, lard, corn, bacon, beans, &c. , being given, by the farmers, to the store-keepers, in exchange fordry goods, cutlery, crockery-ware, &c. The store-keepers either sell theproduce they have thus collected to river-traders, or forward it to NewOrleans on their own account. We made an excursion down the river in true Indian style. Our party, consisting of four, equipped in a suitable manner, the weather being thendelightfully warm, having stowed on board a canoe plenty of provisions, paddled down the Wabash. The scenery on the banks of this river ispicturesque. The foliage in some places springs from the water's edge, whilst at other points it recedes, leaving a bar of fine white sand. Thebreadth of the Wabash, at Harmony, is about 200 yards, and it dividesfrequently on its course to the Ohio, forming islands of various degreesof beauty and magnitude. On one of these, about six miles from Harmony, called the "Cut-off, " we determined on encamping. Accordingly, we mooredour canoe--pitched our tent--lighted our fire--bathed--and havingacquired enormous appetites by exertion, commenced the very agreeableoperation of demolishing our provisions. We roamed about that and anadjacent island, until evening, when we returned to regale. These islandsare generally covered with "cane brakes, " and low brush wood, whichrenders it difficult to effect a passage across them. Cotton-wood, beech, maple, hickory, and white oak, are the trees in greatest abundance. Spice-wood, sassafras, and dittany, are also plenty. Of these a decoctionis made, which some of the woods-people prefer to tea; but it is not ingeneral repute. The paw-paw tree (_annona triloba_) produces a fruitsomewhat resembling in taste and shape the fig-banana, but certainly muchinferior to that delicious fruit. We saw several deer in the woods, andsome cranes upon the shore. With smoking, &c. , we passed the evening, andthen retired--not to bed, for we had none--but to a right goodsubstitute, a few dry leaves strewn upon the ground--our heads covered bythe tent, and at our feet a large fire, which we kept up the whole night. Thus circumstanced, we found it by no means disagreeable. We spent greater part of next day much after the manner of the preceding, and concluded that it would be highly irrational to shoot game, havingplenty of provisions; yet I suspect our being too lazy to hunt, influencedus not a little in that philosophical decision. Whilst at Harmony, I collected some information relative to the failure ofthe community, and I shall here give a slight sketch of the result of myinquiries. I must observe that so many, and such conflicting statements, respecting public measures, I believe never were before made by a body ofpersons dwelling within limits so confined as those of Harmony. Some ofthe _ci-devant_ "communicants" call Robert Owen a fool, whilst othersbrand him with still more opprobrious epithets: and I never could get twoof them to agree as to the primary causes of the failure of thatcommunity. The community was composed of a heterogeneous mass, collected together bypublic advertisement, which may be divided into three classes. The firstclass was composed of a number of well-educated persons, who occupiedtheir time in eating and drinking--dressing and promenading--attendingballs, and _improving the habits_ of society; and they may be termed the_aristocracy_ of this Utopian republic. The second class was composed ofpractical co-operators, who were well inclined to work, but who had noshare, or voice, in the management of affairs. The third and last classwas a body of theoretical philosophers--Stoics, Platonics, Pythagoreans, Epicureans, Peripatetics, and Cynics, who amused themselves in _strikingout plans_--exposing the errors of those in operation--caricaturing--andturning the whole proceedings into ridicule. The second class, disliking the species of co-operation afforded them bythe first class, naturally became dissatisfied with their inactivity--andthe third class laughed at them both. Matters were in this state for sometime, until Mr. Owen found the funds were completely exhausted. He thenstated that the community should divide; and that he would furnish land, and all necessary materials, for operations, to such of them as wished toform a community apart from the original establishment. This intimationwas enough. The first class, with few exceptions, retired, followed bypart of both the others, and all exclaiming against Mr. Owen's conduct. Aperson named Taylor, who had entered into a distillery speculation withone of Mr. Owen's sons, seized this opportunity to get the control of partof the property. Mr. Owen became embarrassed. Harmony was on the point ofbeing sold by the sheriff--discord prevailed, and co-operation ceased. Of the many private and public charges brought against Mr. Owen, I shallonly notice one. It is said that he invited people to throw up theirestablishments in other parts of America, and come to Harmony, consciousat the same time that the community could not succeed, and, indeed, notcaring much about its success, having ultimately in view the increase ofthe value of his purchase, by collecting a number of persons together, andthus making a town--a common speculation in America. Whether these werehis intentions or not, it is impossible for any man to assert or deny; butthe fact is no less true, that such has been the result, and that thepurchase has been increased in value by the failure of the community, sothat _ultimately_ he is not likely to lose anything by the experiment. Asto Mr. Owen's statements in public, "that he had been informed that thepeople of America were capable of governing themselves, and that he triedthe experiment, and found they were not so, "--and that "the place havingbeen purchased, it was necessary to get persons to occupy it. " Theseconstitute but an imperfect excuse for having induced the separation offamilies, caused many thriving establishments to be broken up, and eventhe ruin of some few individuals, who, although their capital was butsmall, yet having thrown it all into the common stock, when the communityfailed, found themselves in a state of complete destitution. Thesepersons, then, forgetting the "doctrine of circumstances, " and everythingbut the result, and the promises of Mr. Owen, censured him in no measuredlanguage, and cannot be convinced of the purity of his intentions in_that_ affair. Indeed, they have always at hand such a multiplicity offacts to prove that Mr. Owen himself mainly contributed to the failure, that one must be blinded by that partiality which so known aphilanthropist necessarily inspires, not to be convinced that, howevercompetent he may be to preach the doctrines of co-operation, he istotally incompetent to carry them into effect. But Mr. Owen has also declared in public that "the New Harmony experimentsucceeded beyond his most sanguine expectations. " Now what may be hispeculiar notions of success, the public are totally ignorant, as he didnot think fit to furnish any explanation; but this the public do know, that between the former and the latter statement there is a slightdiscrepancy. Some of Mr. Owen's friends _in London_ say, that every thing went on wellat Harmony until he gave up the management--that is, that he governed thecommunity for the first few weeks, the short period of its prosperity, andthat it declined only from the time of his ceding the dictatorship. NowMr. Owen _himself_ says, that he only interfered when he observed theywere going wrong; implying that he did not interfere in the commencement, but did so subsequently. These are contradictions which would require agood deal of mystification to reconcile in appearance. All thecommunicants whom I met in America, although they differed on almost everyother point, yet agreed on this, --that Mr. Owen interfered from first tolast during his stay at Harmony, and that at the time when he firstquitted it nothing but discord prevailed. Very little experience of a residence in the backwoods convinced Mr. Owenthat he was not in the situation most consonant with his feelings. He hadbeen, when in Europe, surrounded by people who regarded him as an oracle, and received his _ipse dixit_ as a sufficient solution for everydifficulty. His situation at Harmony was very different; for most of thepersons who came there had been accustomed to exercise their judgment inmatters of practice, and this Mr. Owen is said not to have been able toendure. He would either evade, or refuse, answering direct questions, which naturally made men so accustomed to independence as the Americansare, indignant. The usual answer he gave to any presuming disciple whoventured to request an explanation, was, that "his young friend" was in atotal state of ignorance, and that he should therefore attend the lecturesmore constantly for the future. There is this peculiarity respecting thephilosophy propounded by Mr. Owen, which is, that after a pupil has beenattending his lectures for eighteen months, he (Mr. Owen) declares thatthe said pupil knows nothing at all about his system. This certainlyargues a defect either in matter or manner. His followers appear not to be aware of the fact, that Mr. Owen has notoriginated a single new idea in his whole book, but has simply put forwardthe notions of Rousseau, Voltaire, Condorcet, Plato, Sir Thomas More, &c. , in other language. His merit consists in this, and no small merit it is, that he has collated the ideas of these philosophers--arranged them in atangible shape, and has devoted time and money to assist theirdissemination. I find on one of his cards, printed for distribution, the followingaxioms, in the shape of queries, set forth as being _his_ doctrine, --notthe doctrine which _he advocates_. "Does it depend upon man to be born of such and such parents? "Can he choose to take, or not to take, the opinions of his parents andinstructors? "If born of Pagan or Mahometan parents, was it in his power to become aChristian?" These positions are laid down by Rousseau, in many passages of his works;but as one quotation will be sufficient to establish my assertion, I shallnot trouble myself to look for others. He says, in his "Lettre à M. DeBeaumont, " p. 124, "A l'égard des objections sur les sectes particuliéresdans lesquelles l'universe est divisé, que ne puis-je leur donnez assez deforce pour rendre chacun moins entêté de la sienne et moins ennemi desautres; pour porter chacque homme à l'indulgence, à la douceur, par cetteconsideration si frappante et si naturelle; que s'il fut né dans un autrepays, dans une autre secte il prendrait infailliblement pour l'erreur cequ'il prends pour la verité, et pour la verité, ce qu'il prends pourl'erreur. " None but a man whose mind had been warped by the too constantcontemplation of one particular subject, as Mr. Owen's mind has beenwarped by the eternal consideration of the Utopian republic, could supposethe practicability of carrying those plans into full effect during theexistence of the present generation. He himself, whilst preaching to hishandful of disciples the doctrine of perfect equality, is acting on quitedifferent principles; and he has his new lecture-room divided intocompartments separating the classes in society--thus proving that even hisfew followers are unprepared for such a change as he wishes to introduceinto society, and that he finds the necessity of temporising even with_them_. Another proof of the variance there is between the theory and the practiceof Mr. Owen, may be found in the constitution of his new community. Thefirst article says, that, "An annual subscription paid, of not less thanone pound, constitutes _a member_, who is entitled to attend and _vote_ atall public meetings of the association. " These may be termed thetwenty-shilling freeholders of the community. [4] Then follow the othergrades and conditions. A donation of one hundred pounds, constitutes _avisitor_ for life: a donation of five hundred pounds, _a vice-president_for life: and a donation of one thousand pounds, _a president_, who, "inaddition to the last-mentioned privileges, " will enjoy many others of avaluable nature. King James sold two hundred baronetcies of the United Kingdom, for onethousand pounds each; and Mr. Owen offers an unlimited number ofpresidentships in his incipient Utopia on the same advantageous terms. Iby no means dispute that the distinction Mr. Owen will confer on hispurchasers may be quite as valuable, in his eyes and those of hisdisciples, as that conferred by King James; yet I cannot help suspecting, despite of the insatiable yearning the aristocracy have aftervain-glorious titles, that few of them will come forward as candidates forhis Utopian honours. FOOTNOTES: [4] Since writing the above, I find that the constitution has alreadyundergone an essential change; but Mr. Owen appears to entertain views ofreformation very different indeed from our present Whig administration, for he has actually placed both _members_ and _visitors_ in schedule (A)of _his_ reform bill, and at one fell swoop has deprived this mostdeserving class of all political existence. None but vice-presidents andpresidents have now the power of voting. CHAPTER V. Having remained about a fortnight at Harmony, we made the necessaryarrangements, and, accompanied by B----, set out for St. Louis, inMissouri. We crossed the Wabash into Illinois, and proceeded to Albion, the settlement made by the late Mr. Birkbeck. Albion is at present a small insignificant town surrounded by prairies, onwhich there are several handsome farms. Messrs. Birkbeck and Flowerspurchased large tracts of land in this neighbourhood, for the purpose ofre-selling or letting it to English or other emigrants. These twogentlemen were of the class called in England, "gentlemen farmers, " andbrought with them from that country very large capitals; a considerableportion of which, in addition to the money laid out on purchase, theyexpended on improvements. They are both now dead--their property hasentirely passed into other hands, and the members of their families whostill remain in this country are in comparative indigence. The most inveterate hostility was manifested by the backwoods peopletowards those settlers, and the series of outrages and annoyances to whichthey were exposed, contributed not a little to shorten their days. It atlength became notorious that neither Birkbeck nor Flowers could obtainredress for any grievance whatever, unless by appealing to the superiorcourts, --as both the magistrates and jurors were exclusively of the classof the offenders; and the "Supreme Court of the United States" declared, that the verdicts of the juries, and the decisions of the magistrateswere, in many cases, so much at variance with the evidences, that theywere disgraceful to the country. A son of the latter gentleman, a ladabout fourteen years old, was killed in open day whilst walking in hisfather's garden, by a blow of an axe handle, which was flung at him acrossthe fence. The evidence was clear against the murderer, and yet he wasacquitted. Whilst I was at Vandalia, I saw in a list of lands for sale, amongst other lots to be sold for taxes, one of Mr. Flowers'. The fate ofthese gentlemen and their families should be a sufficient warning topersons of their class in England, not to attempt settling _in thebackwoods_; or if they have that idea, to leave aside altogether refinednotions, and never to bring with them either the feelings or the habits ofa _gentleman farmer_. The whole secret and cause of this _guerre à mort_, declared by the backwoodsmen against Messrs. Birkbeck and Flowers, was, that when they first settled upon the prairies, they attempted to act the_patron_ and the _benefactor_, and considered themselves _entitled_ tosome respect. Now a west-country American would rather die like a cock ona dunghill, than be patronized after the English fashion; he is notaccustomed to receive benefactions, and cannot conceive that any man wouldvoluntarily confer favours on him, without expecting something in return, either in the shape of labour, or goods;--and as to respect, that hastotally disappeared from his code since "the Declaration. " Mr. Birkbeck was called "Emperor of the Prairies;" and notwithstanding thehostility of his neighbours, he seems to have been much respected in theother parts of Illinois, as he was chosen secretary of state; and in thatcharacter he died, in 1825. He at last devoted himself entirely to gainingpolitical influence, seeing that it was the duty of every man in a freecountry to be a politician, and that he who "takes no interest inpolitical affairs, " must be a bad man, or must want capacity to act in thecommon occurrences of life. From Albion we proceeded towards the Little Wabash; but had not got manymiles from that town, when an accident occurred which delayed us sometime. We were driving along through a wood of scrub-oak, or barren, whenour carriage, coming in contact with a stump that lay concealed beneathhigh grass, was pitched into a rut--it was upset--and before we couldrecover ourselves, away went the horse dashing through the wood, leavingthe hind wheels and body of the vehicle behind. He took the path we hadpassed over, and fortunately halted at the next corn-field. We repairedthe damage in a temporary manner, and again set forward. After having crossed the Little Wabash, we had to pass through three milesof swamp frequently above our ancles in the mire, for the horse couldscarcely drag the empty waggon. We at length came out on "Hardgrove'sprairie. " The prospect which here presented itself was extremelygratifying to our eyes. Since I had left the little prairie in theWyandot reserve, I had been buried in eternal forests; and, notwithstanding all the efforts one may make to rally one's spirits, stillthe heart of a European sickens at the sameness of the scene, and hecannot get rid of the idea of imprisonment, where the visible horizon isnever more distant than five or six hundred yards. Yet this is the delightof an Indian or a backwoodsman, and the gloomy ferocity that characterizesthese people is evidently engendered by the surrounding scenery, and maybe considered as indigenous to the forest. Hardgrove's is perhaps thehandsomest prairie in Illinois--before us lay a rich green undulatingmeadow, and on either side, clusters of trees, interspersed through thisvast plain in beautiful irregularity--the waving of the high grass, andthe distant groves rearing their heads just above the horizontal line, like the first glimpse of land to the weary navigator, formed acombination of ideas peculiar to the scene which lay before us. With the exception of one or two miles of wood, occasionally, the whole ofour journey through Illinois lay over prairie ground, and the roads wereso level, that without any extraordinary exertion on the part of ourhorse, he carried us from thirty to forty miles a day. We next crossed the "grand prairie, " passing over the Indian trace. Although this is by no means so picturesque as Hardgrove's, yet theboundless prospect that is presented on first entering this prairie is farthe more sublime--the ideas expand, and the imagination is carried farbeyond the limits of the eye. We saw some deer scouring the plains, andseveral "prairie wolves" skulking in the high grass--this animal issometimes destructive to sheep. The size is about that of our fox. Mostfarmers keep three or four hounds, which are trained to combat the wolf. The training is thus--a dead wolf is first shewn to a young dog, when heis set on to tear it; the next process is to muzzle a live wolf, and tiehim to a stake, when the dog of course kills him; the last is, setting thedog on an unmuzzled wolf, which has been tied to a stake, with his legsshackled. The dog being thus accustomed to be always the victor, neverfails to attack and kill the prairie wolf whenever he meets him. Within thirteen miles of Carlisle, we stopped at an inn, a solitaryestablishment, the nearest habitation being more than six miles distant. The landlord, Mr. Elliot, told us that he was unable to accommodate uswith beds, as his house was already quite full; but that if we coulddispense with beds, he would provide us with every thing else. Having noalternative, we of course acceded to his proposal. There was then holdingat his house what is termed an "inn fair, " or the day after the wedding. The marriage takes place at the house of the bride's father, and the dayfollowing a party is given by the bridegroom, when he takes home his wife. The people here assembled had an extremely healthy appearance, and someof the girls were decidedly handsome, having, with fine floridcomplexions, regular features and good teeth. The landlord and his sonswere very civil, as indeed were all the company there assembled. A great many respectable English yeomen have at different periods settledin Illinois, which has contributed not a little to improve the state ofsociety; for the inhabitants of these prairies, generally speaking, aremuch more agreeable than those of most other parts of the western country. When the night was tolerably far advanced, the decks were cleared, andthree feather beds were placed _seriatem_ on the floor, on which a generalscramble took place for berths--we wrapped ourselves in our cloaks, andlay seventeen in a bed until morning, when we arose, and went out to "havea wash. " The practice at all inns and boarding-houses throughout thewestern country, excepting at those in the more considerable towns, is toperform ablutions gregariously, under one of the porches, either before orbehind the house--thus attendance is avoided, and the interior is keptfree from all manner of pollutions. An abundance of good stone-coal is found all through this state, of whichI saw several specimens. Were it not for this circumstance, the difficultyof procuring wood for fuel and fencing, would more than counterbalance theadvantages, in other respects, presented to settlers on the prairies. The average crops of Indian corn are about fifty bushels per acre, whichwhen planted, they seldom plough or hoe more than once. In the bottomlands of Indiana and Ohio, from seventy to eighty bushels per acre iscommonly produced, but with twice the quantity of labour and attention, independent of the trouble of clearing. There are two denominations ofprairie: the upland, and the river or bottom prairie; the latter is morefertile than the former, having a greater body of alluvion, yet there aremany of the upland prairies extremely rich, particularly those in theneighbourhood of the Wabash. The depth of the vegetable soil on some ofthose plains, has been found frequently to be from eighteen to twentyfeet, but the ordinary depth is more commonly under five. The uplandprairies are much more extensive than the river prairies, and areinvariably free from intermittent fever--an exemption, which to emigrantsmust be of the utmost importance. Previous to our leaving Elliott's inn, we witnessed a chase of two wolves, which had the boldness to come to the sheep-pens close to the house. Unfortunately the dogs were not at hand, and the wolves escaped among thehigh grass. Mr. Elliott positively refused accepting of any compensationin lieu of our supper and lodging: he said he considered our lodging athing not to be spoken of; and as to our supper--which by-the-by was acapital one--he had invited us to that. We merely paid for the horse, thanked him for his hospitality, and departed. During our journey throughIndiana we had invariably to use persuasion, in order to induce thefarmers to take money for either milk or fruit; and whenever we stayed ata farm-house, we never paid more than what appeared to be barelysufficient to cover the actual cost of what we consumed. At Carlisle, a village containing about a dozen houses, we got our vehiclerepaired. We required a new shaft: the smith walked deliberately out--casthis eye on a rail of the fence close by, and in half an hour he hadfinished a capital shaft of white oak. The next town we came to was Lebanon, and we determined on staying therethat evening, in order to witness a revival. They have no regular placesof worship on the prairies, and the inhabitants are therefore subject tothe incursions of itinerant preachers, who migrate annually, in swarms, from the more thickly settled districts. There appeared to be a greatlack of zeal among the denizens of Lebanon, as notwithstanding theenergetic exhortations of the preachers, and their fulminatingdenunciations against backsliders, they failed in exciting muchenthusiasm. The meeting ended, as is customary on such occasions, by acollection for the preachers, who set out on horseback, next morning, tolevy contributions on another body of the natives. From Lebanon we proceeded across a chain of hills, and came in on abeautiful plain, called the "American bottom. " Some of those hills wereclear to the summit, while others were crowned with rich foliage. Beforeus, to the extreme right, were six or seven tumuli, or "Indian mounds;"and to the left, and immediately in front, lay a handsome wood. From thehills to the river is about six miles; and this space appears evidently tohave been a lake at some former period, previous to the Mississippi'sflowing through its present deep channel. Several stagnant ponds lay byour road; sufficient indications of the presence of disease, which thisplace has the character of producing in abundance. The beauty of the spot, and the fertility of the soil, have, notwithstanding, induced severalEnglish families to settle here. Their houses are built of brick, andtheir gardens and farms are laid out and fenced tastefully. After traversing the wood, we at length came in sight of the Mississippi, which is here about three quarters of a mile broad. There is a steamferry-boat stationed at this point, (opposite St. Louis), the constructionof which is rather singular. It is built nearly square, having in themiddle a house containing two spacious apartments, and on each side decks, on which stand horses, oxen, waggons and carriages of every description. St. Louis is built on a bluff bank. The _principal_ streets rise one abovethe other, running parallel with the river; the houses are mostly built ofstone, the bank being entirely composed of that material, the wallswhitewashed, and the roofs covered with tin: from the opposite side itpresents a very gay appearance. The ascent from the water's edge to theback of the town is considerable, but regular. The streets intersect eachother at right angles, as do those of most American towns. They are muchtoo narrow, having been laid down and built on from a plan designed by theSpanish commandant, previous to the Missouri territory becoming part ofthe United States. The population is estimated at six thousand, composedof Creole-French, Irish, and Americans. St. Louis must, at some future period, become decidedly the most importanttown in the western country, from its local and relative situation. It isseated on the most favourable point below the mouths of two noble rivers, the Missouri and the Illinois, [5] having at its back an immense tract offertile country, and open and easy communication with the finest parts ofthe western and north-western territories. These advantages, added to theconstant and uninterrupted intercourse which it enjoys with the southernports, must ultimately make St. Louis a town of wealth and magnitude. We visited General Clarke's museum, which chiefly contains Indian costumesand implements of war, with some minerals and fossils, a portion of whichhe collected while on the expedition to the Rocky mountains with Lewis;and also, two sods of good black turf, from the bogs of Allen, in Ireland. A sight which was quite exhilarating, and reminded me so strongly of thefine odour which exhales from the products of illicit distillation, thatguagers and potteen, like the phantoms of hallucination, were presentingthemselves continually to my imagination for the remainder of that day. General Clarke is a tall, robust, grey-headed old man, with beetle-brows, and uncouthly aspect: his countenance is expressive of anything butintelligence; and his celebrity is said to have been gained principally byhis having been the _companion_ of Lewis to the Rocky mountains. The country around St. Louis is principally prairie, and the soilluxuriant. There are many excellent farms, and some fine herds of cattle, in the neighbourhood: yet the supply of produce seems to be insufficient, as considerable quantities are imported annually from Louisville andCincinnati. The principal lots of ground in and near the town are at thedisposal of some five or six individuals, who, having thus created amonopoly, keep up the price. This, added to the little inducement held outto farming people in a slave state, where no man can work himself withoutlosing _caste_, has mainly contributed to retard the increase ofpopulation and prosperity in the neighbourhood of St. Louis. There are two fur companies established here. The expeditions depart earlyin spring, and generally return late in autumn. This trade is veryprofitable. A person who is at present at the head of one of thosecompanies, was five years ago a bankrupt, and is now considered wealthy. He bears the character of being a regular Yankee; and if the never givinga direct answer to a plain question constitutes a Yankee, he is one mostdecidedly. We had some intention of crossing to Santa Fé, in New Mexico, and we accordingly waited on him for the purpose of making some inquiriesrelative to the departure of the caravans; but to any of the plainquestions we asked, we could not get a satisfactory answer, --at length, becoming tired of hedge-fighting, we departed, with quite as muchinformation as we had before the interview. A trapping expedition is being fitted out for the Rocky mountains, on anextensive scale. The number of persons intended to be employed on this, isabout two hundred. Teams for the transportation of merchandize andluggage are preparing, which is an accommodation never enjoyed before bytrappers, as pack-horses have always hitherto been substituted. Thesewaggons may also be found useful as _barricades_, in case of an attackfrom the Indians. The expedition will be absent two or three years. A trade with Santa Fé is also established. In the Spanish country thetraders receive, in exchange for dry goods and merchandize of everydescription, specie, principally; which makes money much more plentifulhere than in any other town in the western country. The caravans generally strike away, near the head waters of the Arkansasand Red rivers, to the south-west, close to the foot of the Rockymountains--travelling above a thousand miles through the Indian countrybefore they reach the Mexican boundary. These journeys are long andtedious, and require men of nerve and muscle to undertake them; themorasses and rivers which they have to cross--the extensive prairies andsavannahs they have to traverse, and the dense forests to penetrate, aresufficient to subdue any but iron constitutions. The countries west of the Mississippi are likely to be greatly enriched bythe trade with Mexico; as, in addition to the vast quantities of valuablemerchandize procured from that country, specie to a very large amount isput in circulation, which to a new country is of incalculable advantage. The party which lately returned to Fayette in Missouri, brought 200, 000dollars in specie. The lead-mines of Galena and Potosi inundate St. Louis with that metal. The latter mines are extensive, consisting of forty in number, and aresituated near the head of Big-river, which flows into the Merrimac: awater transportation is thus effected to the Mississippi, eighteen milesbelow St. Louis. This, however, is only in the spring and fall, as atother seasons the Merrimac is not navigable for common-sized boats, at agreater distance than fifty miles from its mouth. The Merrimac is upwardsof 200 miles in length, and at its outlet it is about 200 yards inbreadth. The principal buildings in St. Louis are, the government-house, thetheatre, the bank of the United States, and three or four Catholic andProtestant churches. The Catholic is the prevalent religion. There are twonewspapers published here. Cafés, billiard tables, dancing houses, &c. , are in abundance. The inhabitants of St. Louis more resemble Europeans in their manners andhabits than any other people I met with in the west. The more wealthypeople generally spend some time in New Orleans every year, which makesthem much more sociable, and much less _brusque_ than their neighbours. We visited Florissant, a French village, containing a convent and a youngladies' seminary. The country about this place pleased us much. We passedmany fine farms--through open woodlands, which have much the appearanceof domains--and across large tracts of sumach, the leaves of which at thisseason are no longer green, but have assumed a rich crimson hue. TheIndians use these leaves as provision for the pipe. We stayed for eight days at a small village on the banks of theMississippi, about six miles below St. Louis, and four above Jeffersonbarracks, called Carondalet, or, _en badinage, "vide poche. "_ Theinhabitants are nearly all Creole-French, and speak a miserable _patois_. The same love of pleasure which, with bravery, characterizes the Frenchpeople in Europe, also distinguishes their descendants in Carondalet. Every Saturday night _les garçons et les filles_ meet to dance quadrilles. The girls dance well, and on these occasions they dress tastefully. Thesevillagers live well, dress well, and dance well, but havemiserable-looking habitations; the house of a Frenchman being always asecondary consideration. At one of those balls I observed a very prettygirl surrounded by gay young Frenchmen, with whom she was flirting in astyle that would not have disgraced a belle from the _Faubourg St. Denis_, and turning to my neighbour, I asked him who she was; he replied, "Elles'appelle Louise Constant, monsieur, --c'est la rose de village. " Could apeasant of any other nation have expressed himself so prettily, or havebeen gallant with such a grace? Accompanied by our landlord, we visited Jefferson barracks. The officer towhom we had an introduction not being _chez-lui_ at that time, we wereintroduced to some other officers by our host, who united in his singleperson the triple capacity of squire, or magistrate, newspaper proprietor, and tavern-keeper. The officers, as may be expected, are men from everyquarter of the Union, whose manners necessarily vary and partake of thecharacter of their several states. The barracks stand on the bluffs of the Mississippi, and, with the river'sbank, they form a parallelogram--the buildings are on three sides, andthe fourth opens to the river; the descent from the extremity of the areato the water's edge is planted with trees, and the whole has a picturesqueeffect. These buildings have been almost entirely erected by the soldiers, who are compelled to work from morning till night at every kind oflaborious employment. This arrangement has saved the state much money; yetthe propriety of employing soldiers altogether in this manner is veryquestionable. Desertions are frequent, and the punishment hithertoinflicted for that crime has been flogging; but Jackson declares now thatshooting must be resorted to. The soldiers are obliged to be servilelyrespectful to the officers, _pulling off_ the undress cap at theirapproach. This species of discipline may be pronounced inconsistent withthe institutions of the country, yet when we come to consider thematerials of which an _American_ regular regiment is composed, we shallfind the difficulty of producing order and regularity in such a body muchgreater than at first view might be apprehended. In this country any manwho wishes to work may employ himself profitably, consequently all thosewho sell their liberty by enlisting must be the very dregs of society--menwithout either character or industry--drunkards, thieves, and culprits whoby flight have escaped the penitentiary, and enlisted under the impressionthat the life of a soldier was one of idleness; in which they have beenmost grievously mistaken. When we take these facts into consideration, thedifficulty of managing a set of such fellows will appear more than alittle. Yet unquestionably there are individuals among the officers whosebearing is calculated to inspire any thing but that respect which they soscrupulously exact, and without which they declare it would be impossibleto command. The drillings take place on Sundays. Near Carondalet we visited two slave-holders, who employed slaves inagriculture; which practice experience has shewn in every instance to beunprofitable. One had thirteen; and yet every thing about his house ratherindicated poverty than affluence. These slaves lived in a hut, among theouthouses, about twelve feet square--men, women, and children; and inevery respect were fully as miserable and degraded in condition as theunfortunate wretches who reside in the lanes and alleys of St. Giles' andSpitalfields, with this exception, that _they_ were well fed. The otherslave-holder, brother of the former, lived much in the same manner;--butit is necessary to observe that both these persons were hunters, and thathunters have nothing good in their houses but dogs and venison. T---- having gone on a hunting excursion with our host, and some of hisfriends, B---- and I drove the ladies to the plantation of the lattergentleman. He had a farm on the bluffs, which was broken and irregular, asis always the case in those situations. Large holes, called "sink-holes, "are numerous along these banks; the shape of them is precisely that of aninverted cone, through the apex of which the water sinks, and works itsway into the river. Cedar trees grow on the rocks, and the scenery is inmany places extremely grand. Wild-geese congregate in multitudes on theislands in the Mississippi, and at night send forth the most wild andpiercing cries. Our hostess was one of those sylvan Amazons who could handle any thing, from the hunting-knife to the ponderous axe; and she dressed in the truesylph-like costume of the backwoods. Her _robe_, which appeared to be theonly garment with which she encumbered herself, fitted her, as they say atsea, "like a purser's shirt on a handspike, " and looked for all the worldlike an inverted sack, with appropriate apertures cut for head and arms;she wore shoes, in compliment to her guests--her hair hung about hershoulders in true Indian style; and altogether she was a genuine sampleof backwoods' civilization. We were placed in a good bed--the state-bed ofcourse--and as we lay, paid our devotions to Urania, and contemplated thebeauties of the starry firmament, through an aperture in the roof whichwould have admitted a jackass. The proprietor assured us that his slaves produced him no more than thebare interest of the money invested in their purchase, and that he was aslave-holder not from choice, but because it was the prevailing practiceof the country. He said he had two handsome Mulatto girls hired out at thebarracks for six dollars per month each. In St. Louis there were seven Indian chiefs, hostages from the Iowaynation. Their features were handsome--with one exception, they had allaquiline noses--they were tall and finely proportioned, and altogether asfine-looking fellows as I ever saw. The colour of these Indians was muchredder than that of any others I had seen; their heads were shaven, withthe exception of a small stripe, extending from the centre of thecrown back to the _organ of philoprogenitiveness_--the gallantscalping-lock--which was decorated with feathers so as somewhat toresemble the crest of a Greek or Roman helmet. Their bodies were uncoveredfrom the waist upwards, except when they wore blankets, a modernsubstitute for the buffalo-robe, which they commonly wore over the leftshoulder, leaving the right arm and breast bare. The Ioways are a nationdwelling in the Missouri territory, and these hostages deliveredthemselves up pending the investigation of an affray that had taken placebetween their people and the backwoodsmen. The day previous to our departure from St. Louis, the investigation tookplace in the Museum, which is also the office of Indian affairs. Therewere upwards of twenty Indians present, including the hostages. The chargemade against these unfortunate people and on which they had been obligedto come six or seven hundred miles, to stand their trial before _whitejudges_, was, "that the Ioways had come down on the whiteterritory--killed the cattle, and attacked the settlers, by which attackfour citizens lost their lives. " The principal chief implicated in theaffair, named "Big-neck, " was called upon for his defence. In the personof this man there was nothing remarkable. He advanced into the centre ofthe room, and disengaging his right arm from the blanket, shook hands withthe judges, and then, in succession, with all the officers of the court. This ceremony being ended, he paused, and drawing himself up to his fullheight, extended his arm forward towards the judge, and inclining his heada little in the same direction, said, "If I had done that of which mywhite brother accuses me, I would not stand here now. The words of myred-headed father (General Clarke) have passed through both my ears, and Ihave remembered them. I am accused, and I am not guilty. " (Theinterpreter translated each sentence as it was delivered, and gave it asnearly verbatim as possible--observe, the pronoun I is here usedfiguratively, for _his party, and for the tribe_). "I thought I would comedown to see my red-headed father, to hold a talk with him. --I come acrossthe line (boundary)--I see the cattle of my white brother dead--I see theSauk kill them in great numbers--I said that there would be trouble--Iturn to go to my village--I find I have no provisions--I say, let us godown to our white brother, and trade our powder and shot for a little--Ido so, and again turn upon my tracks, until I reach my village. "--He herepaused, and looking sternly down the room, to where two Sauks sat, pointedhis finger at them and said, "The Sauk, who always tells lie of me, goesto my white brother and says--the Ioway has killed your cattle. When thelie (the Sauk) had talked thus to my white brother, he comes, thirty, upto my village--we hear our brother is coming--we are glad, and leave ourcabins to tell him he is welcome--but while I shake hands with my whitebrother, " he said, pointing to his forehead, "my white brother shoots methrough the head--my best chief--three of my young men, a squaw and his[6]child. We come from our huts unarmed--even without our blankets--and yet, while I shake hands with my white brother, he shoots me down--my bestchief. My young men within, hear me shot--they rush out--they fire on mywhite brother--he falls, four--my people fly to the woods without theirrifles. " He then stated that four more Indians died in the forest of coldand starvation, fearing to return to their villages, and being withouteither blankets or guns. At length returning, and finding that their"great chiefs" had delivered themselves up, he came to stand his trial. The next person called was an old chief, named "Pumpkin, " who corroboratedthe testimony of "Big-Neck, " but had not been with the party when theSauks were seen killing the cattle. When he came to that part of the storywhere the Indian comes from his wig-wam to meet the white man, he said, nearly in the same words used by Big-neck, "While I shake hands with mywhite brother, my white brother shoots me down--my best chief"--he herepaused, and lifting his eyes above the heads of the auditors, his lipcurling a little, but resuming again, almost immediately, its naturalposition, he pronounced in a low but distinct guttural tone, the Indianword meaning "_my_ son. " His eye seemed fixed for a few seconds, and then, as if conscious of his weakness, and that the eyes of the great warriorsof his tribe were upon him, he looked slowly round in a kind of solemntriumph, and resumed his tale. There was a strong feeling excited in thecourt by the misfortune of this old man, for the "best chief" of theIoways was his _only_ son. The court asked the chiefs what they thoughtshould be done in the matter? They spoke a few words to each other, andthen answered promptly, that all they required was, that their whitebrother should be brought down also, and confronted with them. Theprisoners were set at liberty on their parole. Nothing could have been more respectable than the silence and gravity ofthe Indians during the investigation. The hostages particularly, werereally imposing in their appearance; an air of solemnity overspread theirmanly countenances, whilst their eyes bespoke that unquailing spirit whichthe habits and vicissitudes of a sylvan life are calculated rather toraise than depress. The Indians, when uncontaminated by the vices of thewhites, are really a fine people; and it is melancholy to reflect that ina few centuries the red-man will be known only by name, for his totalextinction seems almost inevitable. The upshot of this affair proved that the Indians' statement was correct, and a few presents was then thought sufficient to compensate the tribe forthis most unwarrantable outrage. The fact of the prisoners being set free on their parole, proves the highcharacter they maintain with the whites. An officer who had seen a greatdeal of service on the frontiers, assured me that, from _experience_, hehad rather fall into the hands of the Indians, than of thebackwoodsmen. [7] Once, while crossing one of the immense prairies in theMissouri territory during the winter season, this gentleman, Mr. R----, was seized with rheumatic pains, and unable to proceed. His party, consisting only of a few men, had no provisions, nor had they any means oftaking him with them, being completely exhausted themselves--he was lefton the plains to die. An old Indian chief, of one of the hostile tribes, chanced to find him; he carried him home, and nourished him until he wassufficiently recovered to eat with the warriors; when they came to the hutof his host, in order as they said to do honour to the unfortunate whitechief. He remained in their village for two months; at the expiration ofwhich time, being sufficiently recovered, they conducted him to thefrontiers, took their leave, and retired. Clements Burleigh, who resided thirty years in the United States, says, inhis "Advice to Emigrants, " "It may be objected by some that it isdangerous to go to the frontier country, on account of the Indians, wildbeasts, &c. ; this is no more than a scarecrow. Indians in time of peaceare perfectly inoffensive, and every dependence may be placed on them. Ifyou call at their huts, you are invited to partake of what they have--theyeven will divide with you the last morsel they have, if they were starvingthemselves; and while you remain with them you are perfectly safe, asevery individual of them would lose his life in your defence. Thisunfortunate portion of the human race has not been treated with thatdegree of justice and tenderness which people calling themselvesChristians ought to have exercised towards them. Their lands have beenforcibly taken from them in many instances without rendering them acompensation; and in their wars with the people of the United States, themost shocking cruelties have been exercised towards them. I myself foughtagainst them in two campaigns, and was witness to scenes a repetition ofwhich would chill the blood, and be only a monument of disgrace to peopleof my own colour. "Being in the neighbourhood of the Indians during the time of peace, neednot alarm the emigrant, as the Indian will not be as dangerous to him asidle vagabonds that roam the woods and hunt. He has more to dread fromthese people of his own colour than from the Indians. " FOOTNOTES: [5] Eighteen miles below the mouth of the Missouri, and thirty-six belowthat of the Illinois. [6] In the Indian tongue there is no distinction of masculine or femininegender, but simply of animate and inanimate beings. [7] "The freedom of manners, and the uncertainty of life, from thevarious hazards to which it is inevitably exposed, imparts to thecharacter of savages a species of liberality, under which are couchedmany benevolent principles; a respect for the aged, and in severalinstances a deference to their equals. The natural coldness of theirtemperament, admits of few outward demonstrations of civility. They are, however, affable in their mode, and are ever disposed to show towardsstrangers, and particularly towards the unfortunate, the strongest marksof hospitality. A savage will seldom hesitate to share with afellow-creature oppressed by hunger, his last morsel ofprovisions. "--Vide _Heriot_, p. 318. CHAPTER VI. On our return to Illinois from Missouri, we visited the tumuli in the"American bottom, " for the purpose of more closely investigating the formand disposition of these sepulchral mounds. Their shape is invariablyhemispherical, or of the _mamelle_ form. Throughout the country, from thebanks of the Hudson to a considerable distance beyond the Mississippi, tumuli, and the remains of earthen fortifications were dispersed. Those ofthe former which have been removed, were found to contain human bones, earthen vessels, and utensils composed of alloyed metal; which latter factis worthy of particular notice, as none of the Indians of North Americaare acquainted with the art of alloying. The vessels were generally ofthe form of drinking cups, or ewer-shaped cans, sometimes with a flange toadmit a cover. One of those which I saw in a museum at Cincinnati, hadthree small knobs at the bottom on which it stood, and I was crediblyinformed that a dissenting clergyman, through the _esprit de métier_, undertook to prove from the circumstance, that the people who raised thesemounds and fortifications must have been acquainted with the doctrine ofthe Trinity. How far the reverend gentleman is correct in his inference, Ileave for theologians to decide. The Indians do not claim the mounds as depositories for _their_ dead, butare well aware of their containing human bones. They frequently encampnear them, and visit them on their journeys, but more as land marks thanon any other account. They approach them with reverence, as they do allburial places, no matter of what people or nation. The Quapaws have atradition, that they were raised "many hundred snows" ago, by a peoplethat no longer exists; they say, that in those days game was so plentythat very little exertion was necessary to procure a subsistence, andthere were then no wars--these happy people having then no employment, collected, merely for sport, these heaps of earth, which have ever sinceremained, and have subsequently been used by another people, who succeededthem, as depositories of their dead. Another tradition is, that they wereerected by the Indians to protect them from the mammoths, until the GreatSpirit took pity on his red children, and annihilated these enormouselephants. Most of the Indian nations concur in their having been the workof a people which had ceased to exist before the red men possessed thosehunting grounds. The numerous mounds, fortifications, and burial caverns, and the skeletonsand mummies, that have been discovered in these catacombs, sufficientlyestablish the fact, that a people altogether different from the presentaborigines once inhabited these regions. At what period this by-gonepeople flourished still remains a matter of mere conjecture, for to thepresent time no discovery has been made that could lead to any plausiblesupposition. De Witt Clinton having paid more attention to the antiquities of Americathan any other person of whom I am aware, I shall here insert hisdescription of the forts. He says, "These forts were, generally speaking, erected on the most commanding ground. The walls, or breastworks, wereearthen. The ditches were on the exterior of the works. On some of theparapets, oak trees were to be seen, which, from the number of concentriccircles, must have been standing one hundred and fifty, two hundred andsixty, and three hundred years; and there were evident indications, notonly that they had sprung up since the erection of these works, but thatthey were at least a second growth. The trenches were in some cases deepand wide, and in others shallow and narrow; and the breastworks varied inaltitude from three to eight feet. They sometimes had one, and sometimestwo entrances, as was to be inferred from there being no ditches at thoseplaces. When the works were protected by a deep ravine, or large stream ofwater, no ditch was to be seen. The areas of these forts varied from twoto six acres; and the form was in general an irregular ellipsis; in someof them, fragments of earthenware and pulverized substances, supposed tohave been originally human bones, were to be found. " * * * * * "I believe we may confidently pronounce, that all the hypotheses whichattribute these works to Europeans are incorrect and fanciful: 1st. Onaccount of the present number of the works; 2d. On account of theirantiquity; having from every appearance been erected a long time beforethe discovery of America; and, finally, their form and manner are varientfrom European fortifications, either in ancient or modern times. "It is equally clear that they were not the work of the Indians. Until theSenecas, who are renowned for their national vanity, had seen theattention of the Americans attracted to these erections, and had inventedthe fabulous account of which I have spoken, the Indians of the presentday did not pretend to know any thing about their origin. They were beyondthe reach of all their traditions, and were lost in the abyss ofunexplored antiquity. " At the Bull shoals, east branch of White river in Missouri, several feetbelow the surface of the banks, _reliqua_ were found which indicated thatthis spot had formerly been the seat of metalurgical operations. The alloyappeared to be lead united with silver. Arrow-heads cut out of flint, andpieces of earthen pots which had evidently undergone the action of fire, were also found here. The period of time at which these operations werecarried on in this place must have been very remote, as the present bankshave been since entirely formed by alluvial deposits. Near the _Teel-te-nah_ (or dripping-fork), which empties itself into theLa Platte, and not far distant from its junction with that river, there isan extensive cavern, in which are deposited several mummies. Some tribeswhich roam this region have a tradition, that the first Indian ascendedthrough this aperture, and settled on the earth's surface. A few years since, on the Merrimac river in St. Louis county, a number ofpigmy graves were discovered. The coffins were of stone; and the length ofthe bodies which they contained, judging from that of the coffins, couldnot have been more than from three feet and a half to four feet. Thegraves were numerous, and the skeletons in some instances nearly entire. In the month of June (1830), a party of gentlemen, whilst in pursuit ofwild turkeys, in Hart county, Kentucky, discovered, on the top of a smallknoll, a hole sufficiently large to admit a man's body. Having procuredlights, they descended, and at the depth of about sixty feet, entered acavern, sixteen or eighteen feet square, apparently hewn out of solidrock. The whole chamber was filled with human skeletons, which theysupposed, _from the size_, to be those of women and children. The placewas perfectly dry, and the bones were in a state of great preservation. They wished to ascertain how deep the bones lay, and dug through thembetween four and seven feet, but found them quite as plentiful as at thetop: on coming to this depth, dampness appeared, and an unpleasanteffluvia arising, obliged them to desist. There was no outlet to thecavern. A large snake, which appeared to be perfectly docile, passedseveral times round the apartment whilst they remained. In a museum at New York, I saw one of those mummies alluded to, whichappeared to be remarkably small; but I had not an opportunity of examiningit minutely. Those that have been found in the most perfect state ofpreservation were deposited in nitrous caves, and were enveloped in amanner so different from the practices of the Indians, that the ideacannot be entertained of their being the remains of the ancestors of thepresent race. Flint gives the following description of one of them whichhe carefully examined. He says, "The more the subject of the past races ofmen and animals in this region is investigated, the more perplexed itseems to become. The huge bones of the animals indicate them to be vastlylarger than any that now exist on the earth. All that I have seen andheard of the remains of the men, would seem to shew that they were smallerthan the men of our times. All the bodies that have been found in thathigh state of preservation, in which they were discovered in nitrouscaves, were considerably smaller than the present ordinary stature ofmen. The two bodies that were found in the vast limestone cavern inTennessee, one of which I saw at Lexington, were neither of them more thanfour feet in height. It seems to me that this must have been nearly theheight of the living person. The teeth and nails did not seem to indicatethe shrinking of the flesh from them in the desiccating process by whichthey were preserved. The teeth were separated by considerable intervals;and were small, long, white, and sharp, reviving the horrible images ofnursery tales of ogres' teeth. The hair seemed to have been sandy, orinclining to yellow. It is well known that nothing is so uniform in thepresent Indian as his lank black hair. From the pains taken to preservethe bodies, and the great labour of making the funeral robes in which theywere folded, they must have been of the 'blood-royal, ' or personages ofgreat consideration in their day. The person that I saw, had evidentlydied by a blow on the skull. The blood had coagulated there into a mass, of a texture and colour sufficiently marked to shew that it had beenblood. The envelope of the body was double. Two splendid blankets, completely woven with the most beautiful feathers of the wild turkey, arranged in regular stripes and compartments, encircled it. The cloth onwhich these feathers were woven, was a kind of linen of neat texture, ofthe same kind with that which is now woven from the fibres of the nettle. The body was evidently that of a female of middle age, and I shouldsuppose that her majesty weighed, when I saw her, six or eight pounds. " The silly attempts that have been made to establish an oriental origin forthe North American Indians, have never produced any other conviction in anunbiased mind, than that the _facts_ brought forward to support thattheory existed only in the imaginations of those who advanced them. Thecolour, the form, the manners, habits, and propensities of the Indians, all combine to establish that they are a distinct race of human beings, and could never have emanated from any people of European, Asiatic, orAfrican origin. The notion that climate would be sufficient to produce anessential change in the appearance of any number of individuals, cannotnow be maintained; since from the discovery of America, Europeans, Africans, and Indians have inhabited all regions of this vast continent, without undergoing the slightest characteristic change from thedescendants of the original stock, who have remained in their primitivelocations. The Power that induces the existence of plants and loweranimals indigenous to the different sections of the earth, seems also toinduce the existence of a race of men peculiar to the regions in whichthey are found. The languages of America are radically different from those of the oldworld; and no similitude can be traced between the tongues of the redmen, and those of any other people hitherto known. Jarvis, in his Paper onthe Religion of the Indian Tribes of North America, says, "The bestinformed writers agree, that there are, exclusive of the Karalit orEsquimaux, three radical languages spoken by the Indians of North America. Mr. Heckwelder denominates them the Iroquois, the Lenapé, and theFloridian. The Iroquois is spoken by the Six Nations, the Wyandots, orHurons, the Nandowessies, the Assiniboils, and other tribes beyond the St. Lawrence. The Lenapé, which is the most widely extended language on thisside the Mississippi, was spoken by the tribes now extinct, who formerlyinhabited Nova Scotia and the present state of Maine, the Abenakis, Micmacs, Canibas, Openangos, Soccokis, Etchemins, and Souriquois; dialectsof it are now spoken by the Miamis, the Potawatomies, Missisangoes, andKickapoos; the Eonestogas, Nanticokes, Shawanese, and Mohicans; theAlgonquins, Knisteneaux, and Chippeways. The Floridian includes thelanguages of the Creeks, or Muskohgees, Chickesaws, Choctaws, Pascagoulas, Cherokees, Seminolese, and several other tribes in the southern states andFlorida. These three languages are primitive; that is to say, are sodistinct as to have no perceivable affinity. All, therefore, cannot bederived from the Hebrew; for it is a contradiction in terms to speak ofthree languages radically different, as derived from a common source. Which, then, we may well ask, is to be selected as the posterity of theIsraelites: the Iroquois, the Lenapé, or the southern Indians? "Besides, there is one striking peculiarity in the construction ofAmerican languages, which has no counterpart in the Hebrew. Instead of theordinary division of genders, they divide into animate and inanimate. Itis impossible to conceive that any nation, in whatever circumstances theymight be placed, could depart in so remarkable a manner from the idioms oftheir native language. " M. Duponceau, a Frenchman settled at Philadelphia, who is perhaps one ofthe first philologists of the age, concludes a treatise on the samesubject with the following deductions: 1. --"That the American languages, in general, are rich in words and ingrammatical forms; and that in their complicated construction, thegreatest order, method, and regularity prevail. " 2. --"That these complicated forms, which I call polysinthetic, appear toexist in all those languages, from Greenland to Cape Horn. "[8] 3. --"That these forms appear to differ essentially from those of theancient and modern languages of the old hemisphere. " We intended to proceed direct from the banks of the Mississippi toEdwardsville, which lies in a north-easterly direction from St. Louis, butunfortunately got on the wrong track, an occurrence by no means uncommonon the prairies, and by this casualty visited Troy, a _town_ containingtwo houses, namely, a "groggery, " and a farm-house, both owned by the oneperson. The only resemblance this trans-Atlantic Ilium can possibly bearto the city of the ten years' siege, lies in the difficulty ofascertaining its location; for had we not been informed that here stoodthe town of Troy, we should have passed through this, as we did throughmany others, without ever suspecting the fact. Town-making is quite aspeculation in the western country; and the first thing a man does afterpurchasing a few hundred acres of ground, is to "lay off a town lot:" thiscauses the maps to be studded with little circular dots, and great bignames attached to them, which would lead one to suppose the population tobe much greater than it is in reality. From Edwardsville, we proceeded by Ripley and Greenville, to Vandalia, theseat of government of the state. The prairies had lost much of the brilliant green colour which theypossessed when we before crossed them, and they were now assuming rather aburnt appearance. Towards the close of autumn the grass generally becomesso dry as to be easily ignited, which formerly took place by accident, orotherwise, almost every year. The sight must be grand indeed; and wealmost regretted that we were not so fortunate as to be in danger of beingburnt alive--the sight would be worth the risk. There is a penaltyattached to the firing of the woods or prairies, as the plantations arenow becoming too numerously scattered over the country, and property islikely to be injured by these conflagrations. Towards the latter end of October, the season peculiar to this country, denominated the "Indian summer, " commences, and lasts for some weeks. Atthis period, the atmosphere is suffused with a vapour which at a distancehas the appearance of smoke, arising as it were from fires in the forest. The air is always calm and mild on those days, and the sun's disk assumesa broad, reddish appearance. Vandalia is the capital of Illinois, and is seated on the Kaskaskia river, which is only navigable to this point during the "freshets" in autumn andspring. The positions of the capitals are chosen for their centralityalone, and not with reference to any local advantages they may possess. Illinois is a free state, and its constitution is but a counterpart ofthose of Ohio and Indiana. The extent is 380 miles from north to south, and about 140 miles from east to west: area, 52, 000 square miles, or33, 280, 000 acres. The population in 1810, was 12, 282; in 1820, 55, 211:white males, 29, 401; white females, 24, 387; slaves, 917; militia in 1821, 2, 031. The present population is, according to the last census, 157, 575. The increase within the last ten years has been nearly 186 per cent. This state is better circumstanced than any other in the west. It isbounded on the north by the north-west territory; on the south by theOhio; on the east by the Wabash and Lake Michigan; and on the west by theMississippi. The Illinois river is navigable at almost all seasons to verynearly its head waters; and by means of a very short portage acommunication is established between it and Lake Michigan. A canal iscontemplated between this lake and the Wabash. The heath-hen (_tetrao cupido_), or as it is here called, the'Prairie-hen, ' abounds on the prairies, particularly in the neighbourhoodof barrens. This species of grouse, I believe, is not to be met with inEurope; nor has it been accurately described by any ornithologist beforeWilson. One habit of the male of this bird is remarkable: at the season ofincubation, the cocks assemble every morning just before day-break, outside the wood, and there exercise themselves tilting until the sunappears, when they disperse. Hunters have not failed to note thecircumstance, and take advantage of it. We were frequently amused with the movements of the "Turkey buzzard"(_vultur aura_). This bird is well known in the southern and westernstates; and in the former is considered of so much utility that a penaltyis inflicted on any person who may wantonly destroy it. It is perfectlyharmless, never attacking even the smallest living animal, and seemsalways to prefer carrion when in a state of putrefaction. Except whenrising from the ground, the buzzard never flaps its wings, but literallyfloats through the atmosphere, forming graceful ogees. During our journeys across Illinois, we passed several large bodies ofsettlers on their way to Sangamon and Morgan counties in that state. Thesecounties are situated on the Illinois river, and are said to be fertiletracts. The mass of those persons were Georgians, Virginians, andKentuckians, whose comparative poverty rendered their residence in slavestates unpleasant. Perhaps there is nothing more remarkable in the character of the Americansthan the indifference with which they leave their old habitations, friends, and relations. Each individual is taught to depend mainly on hisown exertions, and therefore seldom expects or requires extraordinaryassistance from any man. Attachments seldom exist here beyond that ofordinary acquaintances--these are easily found wherever one may go, arising from a variety of circumstances connected with their institutionsand their necessities; and thus one of the great objections that presentthemselves to change with Europeans scarcely exists here. Observe, I applythis remark more particularly to the western and southern states; for theeastern states being longer settled and more thickly populated, thesefeelings, although they exist, yet they do so in a more modified degree. The appearance presented by the forests at this season is verybeautiful--the trees are covered with leaves of almost every colour, frombright crimson to nearly snow-white; the admixture of green, brown, yellow, scarlet, &c. , such as is almost peculiar to an American forest, produces a very pleasing combination. We again reached Albion, and retraced our steps from thence to Harmony, where we deposited our friend B----; and after having remained there for afew days to refresh ourselves and horse, set forward for Ohio. The weatherhad now become unfavourable, and the frequent rains and high winds wereshaking the leaves down in myriads--the entire of our journey throughIndiana being across forests, we were under one constant shower of leavesfrom Harmony to Cincinnati. One day while getting our horse fed at a tavern in Indiana, the followingconversation took place between the persons there assembled. We weresitting at the door, surrounded by captains, lawyers, and squires, whenone of the gentlemen demanded of another if there had not been a "gougingscrape" at the "Colonel's tavern" the evening before. He replied in theaffirmative; and after having related the cause of quarrel, and said thatthe lie had been given, he continued, "the judge knocked the major rightover, and jumped on to him in double quick time--they had it rough andtumble for about ten minutes--Lord J---s Alm----y!--as pretty a scrape asever you _see'd_--the judge is a wonderfully lovely fellow. " Then followeda description of the divers punishments inflicted by the combatants oneach other--the major had his eye nearly "gouged" out, and the judge hischin almost bitten off. During the recital, the whole party was convulsedwith laughter--in which we joined most heartily. We of course returned by a different route through Indiana, passing fromPrinceton to Portersville, and from thence through Paoli, Salem, and NewLexington, to Madison. The country about Madison is hilly and broken, which makes travelling tedious in the extreme. From the mouth of the BigMiami to Blue river, a range of hills runs parallel to the Ohio, alternately approaching to within a few perches of the river, and recedingto a distance of one to two miles. Below Blue river the hills disappear, and the land becomes level and heavily timbered. There is also anotherrange of hills, extending from the Falls of Ohio to the Wabash in asouth-westerly direction, which are called the "knobs:" to the west ofthese are the "flats;" and from the Wabash to lake Michigan the country ischampaign. Indianopolis is the capital of Indiana, and is seated on the White river. This state averages about 270 miles from north to south, and 144 milesfrom east to west: area, 37, 000 square miles, or 23, 680, 000 acres. Thepopulation in 1810, was 24, 520--in 1820, 147, 178: white males, 79, 919;white females, 69, 107; slaves, 190; militia in 1821, 14, 990. The presentpopulation is 341, 582. Vast quantities of hogs are bred in the state of Indiana, and are sufferedto rove at large in the forests in search of mast. They are in generalperfectly wild, and when encountered suddenly bristle up like an enragedporcupine. Their legs are long; bodies thin; and tail lengthy andstraight. I was informed that if one of those animals be wounded, itsscreams will draw an immense concourse of its brethren around it, and thatthe situation of a person under these circumstances, is by no means voidof danger; as they will not fail to attack him _en masse_. We were oncevery nigh getting into a scrape of this description. Driving along throughthe forest, we had to pass a tract covered with a thick growth ofbrushwood--my friend seeing something stirring among the bushes, drew up, and taking it for a deer, called out to me to fire--I stood up in thevehicle, and levelled where I saw the movement, when, lo! out starts abristling hog, with a grunt just in time to escape with a whole skin. One night having been accidently separated from my fellow-traveller, I hadto stay in a miserable-looking hut close to a creek, the habitation of abackwoodsman. This person's appearance was extremely unprepossessing. Theair of ferocity and wildness which characterized his countenance, added tohis unhealthy, cadaverous aspect, would have been sufficient in any othercountry to make one feel unpleasant at passing the night alone under hisroof. He resided in this unhealthy situation, because the land wasextremely fertile; but stated that every fall some one of his family wasill, and none of them enjoyed good health. Now when we summed up theconsequent loss of labour incident to ill health, the balance of profitseemed to be greatly against bottom land, and much in favour of thehealthful prairies. The farmers use, almost exclusively, the sugar of the maple (_acersaccharinum_) which they manufacture themselves. The space in which anumber of these trees are found, they call a "sugar camp. " The process ofmanufacturing is as follows:--After the first frost, the trees are tapped, by perforating the trunk in an ascending direction. A spout of alder isinserted in the perforation, and the sap drips through this conduit into atrough of wood. The sap is then boiled with a spoonful of slacked lime, the white of an egg or two, and about a pint of milk, to every fifteengallons. An ordinary tree commonly gives four pounds of good coarse brownsugar, which when refined can be made equal to superior lump sugar. A great portion of the roads through which we passed were mere horsepaths, full of stumps, with shrubs entangled across them so thickly, thatwe were often obliged to dismount in order to cut away part of theimpediment. Large trees which have fallen across the road, frequentlyintercept your passage, and you have no alternative but to lift the wheelsof the vehicle over them. As we approached Cincinnati the difficulty of travelling became greatlyaugmented. The rains had cut up the roads into ravines, sometimes fullthree feet in depth, which, added to the clayey nature of the soil, completely exhausted the horse, and rendered him incapable of proceedingfaster than a slow walk, even with the empty carriage. There are a number of Baptists residing at Cincinnati, who frequentlyentertain the inhabitants with public baptisms in the Ohio river. At oneof those ceremonies, about this time, rather a ludicrous occurrence tookplace. The baptizing preacher stands up to his middle in the water, andthe person to be baptized is led to him by another preacher. On thisoccasion the officiating clergyman was rather a slight man, and the ladyto be baptized was extremely large and corpulent--he took her by thehands to perform the immersion, but notwithstanding his most strenuousexertions, he was thrown off his centre. She finding him yield, heldstill harder, until they both sowsed completely under the water, wherethey lay floundering and struggling for some time, amidst the shouts andlaughter of the multitude assembled on shore. At length their brethrenextricated them from this perilous situation. FOOTNOTES: [8] M. Duponceau adduces the following examples: "In the Arancanianlanguage the word '_idnancloclavin_' means 'I do not wish to eat withhim. ' There is a similar verb in the Delaware tongue--'_n'schingiwipona_, 'which means 'I do not like to eat with him. ' To which may be added anotherexample in the latter tongue--'_machtitschwanne_, '--this must betranslated 'a cluster of islands with channels every way, so that it isin no place shut up, or impassable for craft. ' This term is applied to theislands in the bay of New York. " CHAPTER VII. The weather having become cold and disagreeable towards the latter end ofDecember, I set out for New Orleans. The larger class of steam-boats laythen at Shippingsport, immediately below the falls of Ohio, the river notbeing sufficiently high to enable them to pass over those rapids. Boatsdrawing from nineteen to twenty-six inches water can almost at all seasonsply on the Upper Ohio, and during the periods that the large boats aredetained below the Falls, they are constantly employed in transportingproduce, intended for the markets on the Mississippi, to Louisville, fromwhence it is drayed round to Shippingsport and re-shipped. Flat-boats arealso employed for this purpose, and they are preferred, as they pass overthe Falls, and thus land-carriage is avoided. Louisville is the chief town of Jefferson county, in Kentucky, and atpresent it is estimated to contain about 12, 000 inhabitants, includingslaves and free people of colour. The store-keepers here are more wealthythan those of Cincinnati, and their manners less disagreeable. Theinhabitants of the latter town being mostly from the New England states, have in their dealings and manners that dry shrewdness which is the trueYankee characteristic. There are also located in Cincinnati some Irishpedlars, who have by all manner of means acquired wealth, and are now the"biggest bugs"[9] in the place. The public buildings of Louisville are few, and the streets are laid outin the usual style, crossing each other at right angles. It contains afew good brick dwelling-houses, and a number of excellent hack-carriagesare stationed near the steam-boat landing. A canal round the Falls, fromBeargrass-creek to Shippingsport, is being constructed, which will enablesteam-boats of the largest tonnage to pass through; and thus it will openan uninterrupted intercourse between the Upper and Lower Ohio, and theMississippi. The length of this canal is about two and a half miles, andthe original estimate was 200, 000 dollars, but this sum has been foundinsufficient. At Louisville I took a berth on board a boat for New Orleans. Thesteam-boats on the Mississippi are large, and splendidly appointed; theinterior has more the appearance of a well fitted up dining-room than thecabin of a boat. The charge is twenty-five dollars, for which you arefound in every thing except liquors. Meats, fowls, vegetables, fruits, preserves, &c. , are served in abundance, and of the very best quality. Here you may see tradesmen, "nigger traders, " farmers, "congress men, "captains, generals, and judges, all seated at the same table, in truerepublican simplicity. There is no appearance of awkwardness in thebehaviour of the humblest person you see seated at those tables; andindeed their general good conduct is remarkable--I mean when contrastedwith that of the same class in England. The truth is, the tradesman herefinds himself of some importance in the scale of society, and endeavoursto show that he is fully qualified to be seated at the same table, _enpassant_, with the most wealthy citizen. No doubt the higher classes havesome of that high polish rubbed off by these occasional contacts withtheir less-civilized fellow citizens; but the humbler classes decidedlygain what _they_ lose. All dress well, and are _American_ gentlemen. The Ohio is formed by the junction of the Alleghany and Monongahela riversat Pittsburg, that town being seated in the fork--its breadth there, isbetween eight and nine hundred yards. From the mouths of those two riversit narrows and deepens for some distance; but afterwards, from theaccession of the many tributary streams by which it is supplied, graduallybecomes wider and deeper, until it empties itself into the Mississippi. The length of the Ohio, following its meanders, is about 950 miles, and itmay be said to be navigable almost the entire year, as the water must beunusually low when the smaller steam-boats cannot ply to Pittsburg. Thecharacter of this river is somewhat peculiar. But for the improvements onthe banks, when you have seen six or eight miles of this stream, you areacquainted with the remainder as far as the Falls--that is to say, anyvariety that may be in the scenery will occur in any given six miles fromPittsburg to that point. Below Louisville there are one or two rockybluffs, and the face of the country is somewhat different. The channel ofthe Upper Ohio lies between hills, which frequently approach the_mamélle_ form, and are covered with a heavy growth of timber. Where thehills or bluffs do not rise immediately from the river, but recede somedistance, the space between the river and the hill is called bottom land, from the circumstance of its being overflown annually; or having at someformer period formed part of the river's bed, which is indicated by thenature of the soil. The bluffs and bottoms invariably alternate; and whenyou have bluffs on one side, you are sure to have bottom on the other. Thewindings are extremely uniform, with few exceptions, curving in aserpentine form in so regular a manner, that the Indians always calculatedthe distance by the number of bends. "The Falls" are improperly so termed, as this obstruction is nothing morethan a gradual descent for a distance of about a mile and a half, wherethe water, forcing its way over a rugged rocky bottom, presents theappearance of a rapid. Below this the country is of variousaspects--hills, bottom-land, and high rocky bluffs; and towards the mouth, cotton-wood trees, (_populus angulata_), and cane brakes, are interspersedalong the banks. The junction of these two noble rivers, the Ohio andMississippi, is really a splendid sight--the scenery is picturesque, andthe water at the point of union is fully two miles broad. The Mississippi[10] is in length, from its head waters to the _balize_ inthe gulf of Mexico, about two thousand three hundred miles, and flowsthrough an immense variety of country. The section through which itpasses, before its junction with the Missouri, is represented as beingelegantly diversified with woodlands, prairies, and rich bottoms, and thebanks are lined with a luxuriant growth of plants and flowers. Beforereaching the Missouri, the water of the Mississippi is perfectly limpid;but, from the mouth of that river it becomes turgid and muddy--flowsthrough a flat, inundated country, and seems more like an immense flood, than an old and deep-channelled river. As far as great things can becompared to small, it much resembles, within its banks, the Rhone whenflooded, as it sweeps through the department of Vaucluse, after itsjunction with the Saone. From St. Louis to New Orleans, a distance of twelve hundred miles, thereare but six elevated points--the four Chickesaw bluffs, the Iron banks, and the Walnut hills. Numerous islands are interspersed through thisriver; and from the mouth of the Ohio, tall cotton-wood trees andcane-brakes grow in immense quantities along the banks; the latter, beingevergreens, have a pleasing effect in the winter season. The windings ofthe Mississippi are, like those of the Ohio, constant, but not soserpentine, and some of them are of immense magnitude. You traverse everypoint of the compass in your passage up or down: for example, there is abend near _Bayou Placquamine_, the length of which by the water is upwardsof sixty miles, and from one point to the other across the distance is butthree. The town of "Baton Rouge" is situated about 190 miles above New Orleans, and contains a small garrison;--the esplanade runs down to thewater's-edge, and the whole has a pretty effect. Here the sugarplantations commence, and the face of the country is again changed--youfind yourself in the regions of the south. For a distance of fromhalf-a-mile to two miles back, at each side, the land is planted withsugar-canes, and highly cultivated. The planters' houses are tastefullybuilt, surrounded by gardens full of orange-trees, flowers, andevergreens, presenting the idea of perpetual spring, which here is indeedthe case. The winters are seldom more severe than a mild spring inEngland. I first came in on this region at night, at the season ofplanting, when the cast or used canes are burned in heaps on eachplantation. The dark turgid waters--the distant fires, surrounded byclouds of white smoke ascending in winding columns to the skies--thestillness of the night, interrupted only by the occasional cry of thepelican or the crane, and the monotonous thumping of the steam-boatpaddles, formed a strange combination; and had the days of witches andwarlocks not long since passed away, one would have sworn that thesegentry were performing incantations over the mystic cauldrons, casting"seven bullets, " or "raising spirits from the vasty deep. " The Mississippi is in few places more than from half-a-mile to a milewide; and were one to judge of its magnitude by its breadth alone, a veryerroneous estimate would be formed. It is only by contemplating the manyvast rivers which empty themselves into the Mississippi that you can forma correct idea of the immense volume of water that flows through thischannel into the Gulf of Mexico. Many of its larger tributary streamshave the appearance of being as great as itself--the depth aloneindicating the superiority of this mighty river over every other inAmerica; and, considering its length, perhaps over any other in the world. The great valley of the Mississippi extends, in length, from the Gulf ofMexico to a distance of nearly 3000 miles; and is in breadth, from thebase of the Alleghanies to the foot of the Rocky mountains, about 2, 500miles. The soil is composed of alluvial deposits, to a depth of fromtwenty to fifty feet; and I have myself seen, near New Orleans, treeslying in the horizontal position six or seven feet below the surface. Thisvalley has been frequently visited by earthquakes, which have sometimeschanged part of the channel of the river, and at others formed lakes. Those which occurred between the years 1811 and 1813, did serious injury, particularly in the neighbourhood of New Madrid, near the west bank, below the mouth of the Ohio. At several points the bank is sunk eight orten feet below the surface of the adjacent ground, with the treesremaining upright as before. New Orleans is seated on the south-east bank of the Mississippi; and, following the sinuosities of the current, about 109 miles from the Gulf ofMexico. The river takes here a right-angular sweep, and the city proper isbuilt on the exterior point of the bend, the _fauxbourgs_ extending ateach side along the banks. At high water the river rises three feet aboveany part of the city; consequently, were it not for levées that have beenconstructed here, and also along the banks of the river for more than ahundred miles, at both sides, above and below, the whole country would beperiodically inundated. The fall from the levée to Bayou St. John, whichcommunicates with _Lac Pontchartrain_, is about thirty feet, and thedistance one mile. This fall is certainly inconsiderable; but I apprehendthat it would be sufficient to drain the streets effectually, if properattention were directed to that object. The city extends only half-a-mile back, and, including the _fauxbourgs_, about two miles along the river. The streets, being only partially paved, can never be perfectly cleaned, and stagnant water remains in the kennelsat all seasons; this and the exhalations from the swamps in warm weather, produce that pestilential scourge with which the place is annuallyafflicted. The mortality here last season (the autumn of 1829) has beenvariously stated in the public prints at from five to seven thousand, whodied of the yellow fever in the space of about ten weeks. This statement, however, is erroneous; as, from information which I received from thesexton of the American grave-yard, and from the number of fresh graveswhich I saw there, I am inclined to think that the total amount fallsshort of 2500, out of a resident population of less than 40, 000 souls. About 700 were buried in the American grave-yard, and perhaps double thatnumber in that of the French. The port of New Orleans presents the most extraordinary medley of any portin the world. Craft of every possible variety may be seen moored along thelevées, and the markets and adjacent streets crowded with people of almostevery nation in Europe, Africa, and America, who create a frightfulconfusion of tongues. A particular part of the quay is appropriated toeach description of craft, and a penalty is enforced for any deviationfrom port regulations. The upper part is occupied with flat-boats, arks, peeroges, rafts, keel-boats, canoes, and steam-boats; and below these arestationed schooners, cutters, brigs, ships, &c. , in regular succession. The levée is almost constantly filled with merchandize; and the scene ofbustle and confusion which is exhibited here during the early part of theday, fully proves the large amount of commercial intercourse which thiscity enjoys. When Louisiana was ceded to the United States, in 1803, Orleans was thenentirely occupied by Creole-French and Spanish, consequently the majorityof the habitations and public buildings, are in the French and Spanishstyle. The cathedral, which presents a handsome façade of about seventyfeet, the town-hall, and courts, occupy one side of the _placed'armes, _--these, with the American theatre, the _théâtre d'Orleans, _ orFrench opera house, the hospital, and three or four churches, are the onlypublic buildings in the city. The houses are all flat-roofed, and those inthe back streets and fauxbourgs are seldom more than one story high; thepractice of building houses in this manner was pursued in order to avoidinjury from tornadoes, which occasionally visit the valley of theMississippi; latterly they have not been of frequent occurrence, althoughwhen they do arise, they are extremely violent. The town of Urbana, inOhio, this year (1830) has been nearly destroyed by a visitation of thisnature. Pharo-banks, roulette-tables, and gambling of all kinds, are publiclypermitted; but the proprietor of each establishment pays a tax of 5000dollars per annum. The _théâtre d'Orleans_ on Sunday evenings, isgenerally crowded with beautiful French women. Every night during thewinter season there is a _bal paré et masqué_, and occasionally "quadroonballs, " which are attended by the young men of the city and their _chèresamies_ quadroons, who are decidedly the finest women in the country, beingwell formed, and graceful in their carriage. The Louisianians areprohibited by law from marrying with quadroons, although this _caste_ isfree, and many of them have been educated in France, and are highlyaccomplished. In the south, slavery exists in its most unqualified condition, wantingthose milder modifications which serve to dress and decorate the person ofthis ugly fiend. Here may be seen hundreds of animals of our own genusexposed in the public bazaars for sale, and examined with as much care, and precisely in the same manner, as we examine horses. In some of theslave states the law prohibits the separation of families, but thisprohibition is little attended to, as the slave has no possibility ofcoming in contact with any dispensers of justice but the magistrates ofthe state, who, being slave-holders themselves, instead of redressing hisgrievances, would be more likely to order him a lashing, for presuming tocomplain. Many melancholy instances occur here, which clearly illustratethe evils of slavery and its demoralizing influence on the humancharacter. The arguments against slavery are deduced from self-evidentpropositions, and must carry conviction to every well organized mind; yetfrom their application being of too general a character, they seldominterest the feelings, and in the end leave less impression than thesimple statement of a particular occurrence. During my stay, a Doctor---- came down the river with thirty slaves, among which were an old negroand negress, each between sixty and seventy years of age; this unfortunateold woman had borne twenty-one children, all of whom had been at differenttimes sold in the Orleans market, and carried into other states, and intodistant parts of Louisiana. The Doctor said, in order to induce her toleave home quietly, that he was bringing her into Louisiana for thepurpose of placing her with some of her children--"and now, " says the oldnegress, "aldo I suckle my massa at dis breast, yet now he sell me tosugar planter, after he sell all my children away from me. " This gentlemanwas a strict Methodist, or "saint, " and is, I was informed, much esteemedby the preachers of that persuasion, because of his liberal contributionsto their support. Negresses, when young and likely, are often employed as wet nurses bywhite people, as also by either the planter or his friends, to administerto their sensual desires--this frequently as a matter of speculation, forif the offspring, a mulatto, be a handsome female, from 800 to 1000dollars may be obtained for her in the Orleans market. [11] It is anoccurrence of no uncommon nature to see the Christian father sell his owndaughter, and the brother his own sister, by the same father. Slaves donot marry, but pair at discretion; and the more children they produce, thebetter for their masters. On the Levée at New Orleans, are constantly exhibited specimens of thewhite man's humanity, in the persons of runaway slaves. When such anunfortunate negro is retaken, a log is chained to one of his legs, andround his neck is placed an iron collar, from which project three sharpprongs more than a foot in length each. The evils of this infernal system are beginning to re-act upon theChristians, who are latterly kept in a constant state of alarm, fearingthe number and disposition of the blacks, which threaten at no far distantperiod to overwhelm the south with some dreadful calamity. [12] Threeincendiary fires took place at Orleans, during the month I remained inthat city, by which several thousand bales of cotton were consumed. Thecondition of the slaves on the sugar or rice plantations, is trulywretched. They are ill-fed, ill-clad, and worked in gangs under thesuperintendence of a driver, who is armed with a long whip, which he usesat discretion; and it is a fact, well known to persons who have visitedslave countries, that punishments are more frequently inflicted to gratifythe private pique or caprice of the driver, than for crime or neglect ofduty. In the agricultural states, slave labour is found to be altogetherunproductive, which causes this market to be inundated:--within the lasttwo months, 5000 negros have been sold here. The state legislature hasjust passed a law, regulating the introduction of slaves, and commandingall free people of colour, who were not residents previous to 1825, toquit Louisiana in the space of six months. Georgia has enacted a law tothe same effect, with the addition of making penal, _the teaching ofpeople of colour to read or write_. The liberty of the press is by nomeans tolerated in the slave states, as both judges and juries will alwaysdecide according to the local laws, although totally at variance with theconstitution. W. L. Garrison, of Baltimore, one of the editors of apublication entitled, "The Genius of Universal Emancipation, " is nowsuffering fine and imprisonment for an alleged libel, at the suit of aslavite; and a law has been passed by the legislature of Louisiana, suppressing the Orleans journal called "The Liberal. " This latter act isnot only contrary to the constitution of the United States, but also indirect opposition to the constitution of Louisiana. [13] The free states in their own defence have been obliged to prohibit peopleof colour settling within their boundaries. Where then can the unfortunateAfrican find a retreat? He must not stay in this country, and he cannotgo to Africa; and although the British government are encouraging thesettlement of negros in the Canadas, yet latterly, neither the Canadiansnor the Americans like that project. The most probable finale to thisdrama will be, that the Christians must at their own expense ship them toLiberia (for Hayti is inundated), and there throw them on barren shores todie of starvation, or to be massacred by the savages! Miss Wright lately passed through New Orleans with thirty negros which shehad manumitted, and was then going to establish them at Hayti. Theseslaves had been purchased at reduced prices, from persons friendly totheir emancipation, and were kept by Miss Wright until their labour, allowing them a fair remuneration, amounted to the prime outlay. Were it not for the danger that might be apprehended from the congregationof large bodies of negros in particular states or districts, theirliberation would be attended with little inconvenience _to the public_, for their labour might be as effectually secured, and made quite asprofitable, under a system of well-regulated emancipation. We need onlyrefer to England for a case in point:--after the conquest and totalsubjugation of the people of that country by the ancestors of thenobility, the gallant Normans, the feudal system was introduced, andremained in full vigour for some centuries. But, as the country becamemore populous, and the attendance of the knights and barons in parliamentbecame more frequent and necessary, we find villanage gradually fall intodisrepute. The last laws regulating this species of slavery were passed inthe reign of Henry VII; and towards the end of Elizabeth's reign, althoughthe statutes remained unrepealed, as they do still, yet there were nopersons in the state to whom the laws applied. It cannot be denied thatthe labour of the poor English is as effectually secured under the presentarrangements, as it could possibly be under the system of villanage. I look upon slaves as public securities; and I am of opinion, that alegislature's enacting laws for their emancipation, is as flagrant a pieceof injustice as would be the cancelling of the public debt. Slave-holdersare only share-holders; and philanthropists should never talk ofliberating slaves, more than cancelling public securities, without beingprepared to indemnify those persons who unfortunately have their capitalinvested in this species of property. As many varieties of countenance are to be found among blacks as amongwhites. There are Africans in this city who have really handsome features, and whose proportions are just, with strong and finely rounded limbs. Onbecoming more intimate with the general character of the Africans, I likeit better: I find they steal, cheat, and hate their masters; and if theywere to do otherwise I should think them unworthy of liberty--they justlyconsider whatever they take to be but a portion of their own. The policyis to keep them as much as possible in utter ignorance--that theirindignation should therefore develope itself in the most degrading manner, is not surprising. There are two public schools established at New Orleans, which aresupported out of the fund arising from five gaming-houses, they paying atax of 25, 000 dollars per annum. These schools are conducted on theLancastrian system, each having a Principal and a Professor, and thestudies are divided into daily sessions. The morning session is devoted toreading, spelling, arithmetic, and English grammar; commences at nineA. M. , and closes at one P. M. The evening session commences at three, andends at five o'clock; and is devoted to penmanship, geography, and theFrench language. This is the arrangement of the English primary school, which is kept in the Old Poydras House, Poydras-street, in the upper partof the city; and is called the Upper Primary School, to distinguish itfrom the French establishment, which is kept in the lower part of thecity. The English school has an English principal, and a French professor;and the French school, a French principal and an English professor. Dr. Kinnicutt, the principal of the Upper Primary School, is a gentleman ofconsiderable ability, and to his friendly politeness I am indebted for theabove information. The ravages of the yellow fever in New Orleans are immense; but I amcredibly informed that many deaths occur here from neglect after the feverhas subsided, when the patient is in a totally debilitated condition, incapable of affording himself the slightest assistance. Orleans isgenerally crowded with strangers, who are most susceptible to theepidemic; and it is decidedly the interest of persons keeping hotels andboarding-houses that such guests should give up the ghost, for in thatcase their loose cash falls into the hands of the proprietor. I do notmean to insinuate that a knife is passed across the throat of thepatient; but merely that it is the opinion of physicians, and some of themost respectable people of the city, that every _facility_ is affordedstrangers to die, and that in many cases they actually die of grossneglect. The wealthy merchants live well, keep handsome establishments, and goodwines. The Sardanapalian motto, "Laugh, sing, dance, and be merry, " seemsto be universally adopted in this "City of the Plague. " The planters' andmerchants' villas immediately in the vicinity are extremely tasteful, andare surrounded by large parterres filled with plantain, banana, palm, orange, and rose trees. On the whole, were it not for its unhealthiness, Orleans would be a most desirable residence, and the largest city in theUnited States, as it is most decidedly the best circumstanced in acommercial point of view. The question of the purchase of Texas from the Mexican government has beenwidely mooted throughout the country, and in the slave districts it hasmany violent partizans. The acquisition of this immense tract of fertilecountry would give an undue preponderance to the slave states, and thiscircumstance alone has prevented its purchase from being universallyapproved of; for the grasping policy of the American system seems toanimate both congress and legislatures in all their acts. The Americanscommenced their operations in true Yankee style. The first settlement madewas by a person named Austin, under a large grant from the Mexicangovernment. Then "pioneers, " under the denomination of "explorers, " begangradually to take possession of the country, and carry on commercialnegotiations without the assent of the government. This was followed bythe public prints taking up the question, and setting forth the immensevalue of the country, and the consequent advantages that would arise tothe United States from its acquisition. The settlers excited movements, and caused discontent and dissatisfaction among the legitimate owners; andat their instigation, insurrections of the Indians took place, whichgreatly embarrassed the government. At this stage of the affair, Mr. Poinsett, the American minister, commenced his diplomatic manoeuvres inthe city of Mexico--fomenting disaffection, encouraging parties, andotherwise interfering in the internal concerns of the country. He appears, however, to have carried his intrigues beyond the bounds of discretion, asthey were discovered; and he consequently became so obnoxious to thegovernment and people of Mexico, that Jackson found it necessary to recallhim, and send a Colonel Butler in his stead, commissioned to offer5, 000, 000 dollars for the province of Texas. Mr. Poinsett's object in acting as he did, was that he might embarrass thegovernment, and take advantage of some favourable crisis to drive aprofitable bargain; or that, during some convulsion that would be likelyto lead to a change, the expiring executive would be glad to grasp at hisoffer, and thereby a claim would be established on the country, which theUnited States would not readily relinquish. The policy of the Britishgovernment suffering the Mexican republic to be bullied out of thisprovince would be very questionable indeed, as the North Americans commandat present quite enough of the Gulf of Mexico, and their overweeninginclination to acquire extent of territory would render their proximity tothe West Indian Islands rather dangerous; however, it would be much moreadvantageous to have the Mexicans as neighbours than the people of theUnited States. The Mexican secretary of state, Don Lucas Alaman, in a very able andelaborate report made to Congress, sets forth the ambitious designs of theAmerican government, and the proceedings of its agents with regard to thisprovince. He also recommends salutary measures for the purpose ofretaining possession and preventing further encroachments; which theCongress seems to have taken into serious consideration, as very importantresolutions have been adopted. The Congress has decreed, that hereafterthe Texas is to be governed as a colony; and, except by special commissionof the Governor, the immigration of persons _from the United States_, isstrictly forbidden. So much at present for the efforts of the Americans toget possession of the Texas; and if the British government be alive to theinterests of the nation, they never shall;--for, entertaining the hostilefeelings that they do towards the British empire, their closer connexionwith the West Indies would certainly not be desirable. FOOTNOTES: [9] A "big bug, " is a great man, in the phraseology of the westerncountry. [10] In the Indian tongue, _Meschacebe_--"old father of waters. " [11] I have been informed by a gentleman who has resided in the EnglishWest Indian Islands, that he has known instances there of highly educatedwhite women, young and unmarried, making black mothers suckle puppylap-dogs for them. [12] Previous to my leaving America, a most extensive and well-organisedconspiracy was discovered at Charleston, and several of the conspiratorswere executed. The whole black population of that town were to have risenon a certain day, and put their oppressors to death. [13] Extract from "The Liberal" of 19th March, 1830:-- "Constitution des Etats unis. "Art. 1 er. Des Amendments. "Le Congrés n'aura pas le droit de faire aucune loi pour abreger la liberté de la parole ou de la presse, &c. "Constitution de L'Etat de la Louisiane. "Art. 6, v. 21. "La presse sera libre à tous ceux qui entreprendront d'examiner les procédures de la legislature ou aucune branche du gouvernement; et aucune loi sera jamais faite pour abreger ses droits, &c. "Loi faite par la legislature de l'Etat de la Louisiane. "Acte pour punir les crime y mentionés et pour d'autre objets. "Sect. 1ére. Il et décrété, &c. Que quiconque écrira, imprimera, publiera, ou répandra toute pièce ayant une tendance à produire du mécontentement parmi la population de couleur libre, ou de l'insubordination parmi les esclaves de cet Etat, sera sur conviction du fait, pardevant toute cour de juridiction competante condamné à l'emprisonnement aux travaux forcés pour la vie ou à la peine de mort, à la discretion de la cour!!!! "Sec. 2. Il est de plus décrété, que quiconque se servira d'expressions dans un discours public prononcé au barreau, au barre des Judges, au Théâtre, en chaire, ou dans tout lieu quelconque; quiconque se servira d'expressions dans des conversations ou des discours particulars, ou fera usage des signes ou fera des actions ayant une tendance à produire du mecontentement parmi la population de couleur libre ou à exciter à l'insubordination parmi les esclaves de cet Etat; quiconque donnera sciemment la main à apporter dans cet Etat aucun papier, brochure ou livre ayant la même tendance que dessus, sera, sur conviction, pardevant toute cour de juridiction competante, condamné à l'emprisonnement aux travaux forcés pour un terme qui ne sera pas moindre de trois ans et qui n'excédera pas vingt un ans, ou à la peine de mort à la discretion de la cour!!!! "Sec. 3. Il est de plus décrété, que seront considerées comme illegales toute réunions de negres; mulatres ou autres personnes de couleur libre dans le temples, les ecoles ou autres lieux pour y apprendre à lire ou à ecrire: et les personnes qui se réuniront ainsi; sur conviction du fait, pardevant toute cour de juridiction competente, seront emprisonneés pour un terme qui ne sera pas moindre d'un mois et qui n'excédera pas douze mois, à la discrétion!!!! "Sec. 4. Il est de plus décrété, que toute personne dans cet état qui enseignera, permettra qu'on enseigne ou fera enseigner à lire ou à ecrire à un esclave quelconque, sera, sur conviction du fait, pardevant toute cour de juridiction competante, condamné à un imprisonnement qui ne sera pas moindre d'un mois et n'excédera pas douze mois!!!!" * * * * * From the remarks of the same journal of the 23rd March, it would appear that the third and fourth sections of this most enlightened and Christian act have been rejected, as being "_too bad_. " "Nous avons lu la publication officielle de l'acte intitulé: 'acte pour empêcher l'introduction des personnes de couleur libres dans cet Etat, et pour d'autres objets. ' Il est trop long pour que nous puissons le publier, nous en donnons l'extrait suivant. "1. Toute personne de couleur libre, qui sera rentreé dans cet état depuis 1825, sera forcée d'en sortir. "2. Aucune personne, de couleur libre, ne pourra à l'avenir s'introduire dans cet état sous aucun pretexte quelconque. "3. Le blanc qui aura fait circuler des écrits tendant à troubler le repos public, ou censurant les actes de la legislature concernant les esclaves ou les personnes de couleur libres, sera puni rigoureusement. "4. L'émancipation des esclaves est soumise à quantité de formalités. "Tous les noirs, grieffes et mulatres, au premier degré, libres, sont obligés de se faire enregistrer au bureau du maire, à Nelle. Orleans, ou chez les judges de paroisse dans les autres parties de l'état. "Nous voyons avec joie, que la partie du bill tendant à empêcher l'instruction des personnes de couleur, a été rejeté. " CHAPTER VIII. Having spent a month in Orleans and the neighbouring plantations, I tookmy leave and departed for Louisville. The steam-boat in which I ascendedthe river was of the largest description, and had then on board betweenfifty and sixty cabin passengers, and nearly four hundred deck passengers. The former paid thirty dollars, and the latter I believe six, on thisoccasion. The deckers were provided only with an unfurnished berth. Thesteam-boats, on their passage up and down the rivers, stop at nearly allthe towns of importance, both for the purpose of landing and receivingfreight, which enabled me to visit most of the settlements along thebanks. For several hundred miles from New Orleans, the trees, particularly thosein the cypress swamps, are covered with tellandsea, or Spanish moss, whichhangs down from the branches so thickly, as to give a most gloomy aspectto the forest. It is found to be a good substitute for horse hair, and isuniversally used by upholsterers for stuffing mattresses, cushions, &c. The process of preparing it is very simple: being taken from the trees, itis placed in water for a few days, until the outer pellicle has rotted; itis then dried, when a long fibre resembling horse hair is obtained. Natchez, in the state of Mississippi, is about 300 miles above Orleans, and is the largest and wealthiest town on the river, from that city up toSt. Louis. It stands on bluffs, perhaps 300 feet above the water atordinary periods. It contains nearly 4000 inhabitants, and is decidedlythe prettiest town for its dimensions in the United States. Natchez, although upwards of 400 miles from the sea, is considered a port; and agrant of 1500 dollars was made by congress for the purpose of erecting alight-house; the building has been raised, and stands there, a monument ofuseless expenditure. There are a number of "groggeries, " stores, and otherhabitations, at the base of the bluffs, for the accommodation offlat-boatmen, which form a distinct town, and the place is called, incontradistinction to the city above, Natchez-under-the-hill. Swarms ofunfortunate females, of every shade of colour, may be seen here sportingwith the river navigators, and this little spot presents one continuedscene of gaming, swearing, and rioting, from morning till night. The ravages of the yellow fever in this town are always greater inproportion to the population than at New Orleans; and it is a remarkablefact, that frequently when the fever is raging with violence in the cityon the hill, the inhabitants below are entirely free from it. In additionto the exhalations from the exposed part of the river's bed, there areothers of a still more pestilential character, which arise from stagnantpools at the foot of the hill. The miasmata appear to ascend until theyreach the level of the town above, where the atmosphere being less dense, and perhaps precisely of their own specific gravity, they float, andcommingle with it. The country from Baton-rouge to Vicksburg, on the walnut hills, is almostentirely devoted to the cultivation of cotton, the soil and climate beingfound particularly congenial to the growth of that plant. The great tradeof Natchez is in this article. The investment of capital in thecultivation of cotton is extremely profitable, and a plantationjudiciously managed seldom fails of producing an income, in a few years, amounting to the original outlay. Each slave is estimated to produce from250 to 300 dollars per annum; but of course from this are to be deductedthe _wear and tear_ of the slave, and the casualties incident to humanlife. On sugar plantations the profit is much more on each individual; butthe risk is greater, and the deaths are generally calculated at one-thirdof the gang in ten years: this is the cause why slaves _on sugarplantations_ are so miserably fed and clad, for their being rendered lesswretched would not make them less susceptible to the epidemic. Each acreof well-cultivated land produces from one and a half to two bales ofcotton, and even the first year the produce will cover the expenses. Aplanter may commence with 10, 000 or 12, 000 dollars, and calculate oncertain success; but with less capital, he must struggle hard to attainthe desired object. A sugar plantation cannot be properly conducted withless than 25, 000 or 30, 000 dollars, and the first year produces no return. The cotton begins to ripen in the month of October--the buds open, and theflowers appear. A slave can gather from 100 to 150 lbs. A day. Rice andtobacco are also grown in the neighbourhood of the cotton lands, but ofcourse the produce is inferior to that of the West Indies. Occasionally, along the banks of the Mississippi, you see here and therethe solitary habitation of a wood-cutter. Immense piles of wood are placedon the edge of the bank, for the supply of steam-boats, and perhaps asmall corn patch may be close to the house; this however is not commonlythe case, as the inhabitants depend on flat-boats for provisions. Thedwelling is the rudest kind of log-house, and the outside is sometimesdecorated with the skins of deer, bears, and other animals, hung up todry. Those people are commonly afflicted with fever and ague; and I haveseen many, particularly females, who had immense swellings orprotuberances on their stomachs, which they denominate "ague-cakes. " TheMississippi wood-cutters scrape together "considerable of dollars, " butthey pay dearly for it in health, and are totally cut off from thefrequent frolics, political discussions, and elections; which last, especially, are a great source of amusement to the Americans, and tend tokeep up that spirit of patriotism and nationality for which they are sodistinguished. The excitement produced by these elections prevents thepeople falling into that ale-drinking stupidity, which characterizes thelow English. The "freshets" in the Mississippi are always accompanied with an immensequantity of "drift-wood, " which is swept away from the banks of theMissouri and Ohio; and the navigation is never totally devoid of danger, from the quantity of trees which settle down on the bottom of the river. Those trees which stand perpendicularly in the river, are called"planters;" those which take hold by the roots, but lie obliquely with thecurrent, yielding to its pressure, appearing and disappearing alternately, are termed "sawyers;" and those which lie immovably fixed, in the sameposition as the "sawyers, " are denominated "snags. " Many boats have beenstove in by "snags" and "sawyers, " and sunk with all the passengers. Atpresent there is a snag steam-boat stationed on the Mississippi, which hasalmost entirely cleared it of these obstructions. This boat consists oftwo hulks, with solid beams of timber uniting the bows. It has a mostpowerful engine; and when the crew discover a snag, which always lies withthe stream, and is known by the ripple on the water, they run down belowit for some distance in order to gather head-way--the boat is then run atit full tilt, and seldom fails of breaking off the projecting branch closeto the trunk. We arrived, a fine morning about nine o'clock, at Memphis in Tennessee, and lay-to to put out freight. We had just sat down, and were regalingourselves with a substantial breakfast, when one of the boilers burst, with an explosion that resembled the report of a cannon. The change wassudden and terrific. Between fifty and sixty persons were killed andwounded. The scene was the most horrifying that can be imagined--the deadwere shattered to pieces, covering the decks with blood; and the dyingsuffered the most excruciating tortures, being scalded from head to foot. Many died within the hour; whilst others lingered until evening, shriekingin the most piteous manner. The persons assembled on shore displayed themost disgusting want of sympathy; and most of the gentlemen passengerstook care to secure their luggage before rendering any assistance to theunfortunates. A medical gentleman, who happened to be on board (a DoctorOtis, I think, from Carolina), was an exception. This gentleman--andgentleman he really was, in every respect--attended with the mostunremitting care on all the wounded without distinction. A collection wasmade by the cabin passengers, for the surviving sufferers. The wretch whofurnished oil on the occasion, hearing of the collection, had theconscience to make a charge of sixty dollars, when the quantity furnishedcould not possibly have amounted to a third of that sum. The boiler recoiled, cutting away part of the bow, and the explosion blewup the pilot's deck, which rendered the vessel totally unfit for service. I remained three days at Memphis, and visited the neighbouring farms andplantations. Several parties of Chickesaw Indians were here, trading theirdeer and other skins with the townspeople. This tribe has a reservationabout fifty miles back, and pursues agriculture to a considerable extent. After the massacre and extermination of the Natchez Indians, by theChristians of Louisiana, the few survivors received an asylum from theChickesaws; who, notwithstanding the heavy vengeance with which they werethreatened, could never be induced to give up the few unhappy "children ofthe Sun" who confided in their honour and generosity: the fugitivesamalgamated with their protectors, and the Natchez are extinct. Some of the Indians here assembled, indulged immoderately in the use ofardent spirits, with which they were copiously supplied by the whitepeople. During these drinking fits, there is always one at least of theparty who remains sober, in order to secure the knives, &c. Hence theAmericans derive the cant phrase of "doing the sober Indian, " which theyapply to any one of a company who will not _drink fairly_. One of theIndians had a pony which he wished to sell, having occasion for somearticles, and his skins not bringing him as much as he had anticipated. Atownsman demanded the price. The Indian put up both his hands, intimatingthat he would take ten dollars. The pony was worth double the sum; but thespirit of barter would not permit the white man to purchase withoutreducing the price: he offered the Indian five dollars. The Indian wasevidently indignant, but only gave a nod of dissent. After somehesitation, the buyer, finding that he could not reduce the price, saidhe would give the ten dollars. The Indian then held up his fingers, andcounted fifteen. The buyer demurred at the advance; but the Indian wasinexorable, and at length intimated that he would not trade at all. Suchis the character of the Aborigines--they never calculate on _your_necessities, but only on their own; and when they are in want of money, demand the lowest possible price for the article they may wish tosell--but if they see you want to take further advantage of them, theyinvariably raise the price or refuse to traffic. Hunting in Tennessee is commonly practised on horseback, with dogs. Whenthe party comes upon a deer-track, it separates, and hunters are posted, at intervals of about a furlong, on the path which the deer when startedis calculated to take. Two or three persons then set forward with thedogs, always coming up against the wind, and start the deer, when thesentinels at the different points fire at him as he passes, until he isbrought down. Another mode is to hunt by torch-light, without dogs. Inthis case, slaves carry torches before the party; the light of which soamazes the deer, that he stands gazing in the brushwood. The glare of hiseyes is always sufficient to direct the attention of the rifleman, wholevels his piece at the space between them, and seldom fails of hittinghim fairly in the head. A boat at length arrived from New Orleans, bound for Nashville inTennessee, and I secured a passage to Smithland, at the mouth of theCumberland river, where I had a double opportunity of getting toLouisville, as boats from St. Louis, as well as those from Orleans, stopat that point. The day following my arrival a boat came up, and Iproceeded to Louisville. On board, whilst I was amusing myself forward, Iwas accosted by a deck-passenger, whom I recollected to have seen atHarmony. He told me, amongst other things, that a Mr. O----, who residedthere, had been elected captain, and added that he was "a considerableclever fellow, " and the best captain they ever had. I inquired whatpeculiar qualification in their new officer led him to that conclusion. Expecting to hear of his superior knowledge in military tactics, I wasastounded when he seriously informed me, in answer, that on a lateoccasion (I believe it was the anniversary of the birth of Washington), after parade, he ordered them into a "groggery, " "not to take a _little_of something to drink, but by J---s to drink as much as they had a mindto. " It must be observed, that this individual I had seen but once, in thestreets of Harmony, and then he was in a state of inebriation. Anotheranecdote, of a similar character, was related to me by an Englishmanrelative to his own election to the post of brigadier-general. Thecandidate opposed to him had served in the late war, and in his address tothe electors boasted not a little of the circumstance, and concluded bystating that he was "ready to lead them to a cannon's mouth whennecessary. " This my friend the General thought a poser; but, however, hedetermined on trying what virtue there was--not in stones, like the "oldman" with the "young saucebox, "--but in a much more potent article, whisky; so, after having stated that although he had not served, yet hewas as ready to serve against "the hired assassins of England"--this isthe term by which the Americans designate our troops--as his opponent, heconcluded by saying, "Boys, Mr. ---- has told you that he is ready to leadyou to a cannon's mouth--now _I_ don't wish you any such misfortune asgetting the contents of a cannon in your bowels, but if necessary, perhaps, I'd lead you as far as he would; however, men, the short and thelong of it is, instead of leading you to the mouth of a cannon, I'll leadyou this instant to the mouth of a barrel of whisky. " This was enough--theelectors shouted, roared, laughed, and drank--and elected my friendBrigadier-general. Brigadier-general! what must this man's relatives inEngland think, when they hear that he is a Brigadier-general in theAmerican army? Yet he is a very respectable man (an auctioneer), and muchsuperior to many west country Generals. The fact is, a dollar's-worth ofwhisky and a little Irish wit would go as far in electioneering as fivepounds would go in England; and were it not for the protection afforded bythe ballot, the Americans would be fully as corrupt, and would exercisethe franchise as little in accordance with the public interest, as theEnglish and Irish who enjoy the freedom of corporate towns. Some aspirantsto office in the New England states, about the time of the lastpresidential election, tried the system of bribing, and obtained promisesfully sufficient to insure their returns; but on counting the votes, itwas found that more than one half the persons who were paid to vote _for_, must have voted _against_ the person who had bribed them. It is needlessto say this experiment was not repeated. The Americans thought it badenough to take the bribe, but justly concluded that it would be a doublecrime to adhere to the agreement. The bravo who takes a purse to commit anassassination, and does not do that for which he has been paid; is anangel, when compared to the villain who performs his contract. The usual time occupied in a voyage from Orleans to Louisville is from tento twelve days, and boats have performed it in the surprisingly shortspace of eight days. The spur that commerce has received from theintroduction of steam-boats on the western waters, can only be appreciatedby comparing the former means of communication with the present. Previousto 1812, the navigation of the Upper Ohio was carried on by means of about150 small barges, averaging between thirty and forty tons burden, and thetime consumed in ascending from the Falls to Pittsburg was a full month. On the Lower Ohio and the Mississippi there were about twenty barges, which averaged 100 tons burden, and more than three months was occupied inascending from Orleans to Louisville with West India produce, the crewbeing obliged to poll or _cordelle_ the whole distance. Seldom more thanone voyage to Orleans and back was made within the year. In 1817, asteam-boat arrived at Louisville from New Orleans in twenty-five days, anda public dinner and other rejoicings celebrated the event. From thatperiod until 1827, the time consumed in this voyage gradually diminished, and in that year a boat from New Orleans entered the port of Louisville ineight days and two hours. There are at present on the waters of the Ohioand Mississippi, 323 boats, the aggregate burden of which is 56, 000 tons, the greater proportion measuring from 250 to 500 tons. The people of this country cannot properly be compared with theinhabitants of England; their institutions are different, and theirhabits and manners must necessarily be dissimilar. Indeed, they are asunlike the English as any people can well be, and many of them with whom Iconversed, denied flatly the descent. They contend that they are acompound of the best blood of Europe, and that the language of Englandonly prevailed because, _originally_, the majority of settlers wereEnglish; but that since the revolution, the whole number of emigrants fromthe other countries of Europe greatly exceeded the proportion from Englandand Ireland. Their temperament, organisation, and independent spirit, appear to bear them out in this assertion. In England we have all the grades and conditions of society that are to befound in America, with the addition of two others, the highest and thelowest classes. There is no extensive class here equivalent to the Englishor Irish labourer; neither is there any class whose manners are stampedwith that high polish and urbanity which characterises the aristocracy ofEngland. The term _gentleman_ is used here in a very different sense fromthat in which it is applied in Europe--it means simply, well-behavedcitizen. All classes of society claim it--from the purveyor of old bones, up to the planter; and I have myself heard a bar-keeper in a tavern and astage driver, whilst quarrelling, seriously accuse each other of being "nogentleman. " The only class who live on the labour of others, and withouttheir own personal exertions, are the planters in the south. There arecertainly many persons who derive very considerable revenues from houses;but they must be very few, if any, who have ample incomes from land, andthis only in the immediate vicinity of the largest and oldest cities. English novels have very extensive circulation here, which certainly is ofno service to the country, as it induces the wives and daughters ofAmerican gentlemen (alias, shopkeepers) to ape gentility. In Louisville, Cincinnati, and all the other towns of the west, the women haveestablished circles of society. You will frequently be amused by seeing alady, the wife of a dry-goods store-keeper, look most contemptuously atthe mention of another's name, whose husband pursues precisely the sameoccupation, but on a less extensive scale, and observe, that "she onlybelongs to the third circle of society. " This species of embryoaristocracy--or as Socrates would, call it, Plutocracy--is based on wealthalone, and is decidedly the most contemptible of any. There are, notwithstanding, very many well-bred, if not highly polished, women in thecountry; and on the whole, the manners of the women are much moreagreeable than those of the men. Early in the summer I proceeded to Maysville, in Kentucky, which liesabout 220 miles above the Falls. Here having to visit a gentlemen in theinterior, I hired a chaise, for which I paid about two shillings Britishper mile. A great deal of excitement was just then produced among the inhabitants ofMaysville by the president's having put his veto on the bill, passed bycongress, granting loans to the "Maysville and Lexington road, " and the"Louisville canal" companies. The Kentuckians were in high dudgeon, anddenounced Jackson as an enemy to internal improvement, and to the westernstates. It would appear that the friends of Adams and Clay, had determinedto place Jackson in a dilemma which would involve his character, either asa friend to internal improvement or an enemy to lavish expenditure. Accordingly, they passed an unusual number of bills, appropriating moneyto the clearing of creeks, building of bridges, and making of canals andturnpike roads; the amount of which, instead of leaving a surplus of tenmillions to the liquidation of the national debt, would not only havetotally exhausted the treasury, but have actually exceeded by 20, 000, 000dollars the revenue of the current year. This manoeuvre was timelydiscovered by the administration, and the president consequently refusedto put his signature to those bills, amongst a number of others. Herefused on two grounds. The first was, that although it had been thepractice of congress to grant sums of money for the purpose of makingroads and perfecting other works, which only benefited one or two states;yet that such practice was not sanctioned by the constitution--the federallegislature having no power to act but with reference to the generalinterests of the states. The second was, that the road in question waslocal in the most limited sense, commencing at the Ohio river, and runningback sixty miles to an interior town, and consequently, the grant inquestion came within neither the constitutional powers nor practice ofcongress. The president recommends that the surplus revenue, after the debt shallhave been paid off, should be portioned out to the different states, inproportion to their ratio of representation; which appears to bejudicious, as the question of congressional power to appropriate money toroad-making, &c. , although of a general character, involves also the rightof jurisdiction; which congress clearly has not, except where the defenceof the country, or other paramount interests, are concerned. The national debt will be totally extinguished in four years, when thiscountry will present a curious spectacle for the serious consideration ofEuropean nations. During the space of fifty-six years, two successful warshave been carried on--one for the establishment, and the other for themaintenance of national independence, and a large amount of public worksand improvements has been effected; yet, after the expiration of fouryears from this time, there will not only be no public debt, but therevenue arising from protecting tariff duties alone will amount to morethan the expenditure by upwards of 10, 000, 000 dollars. A brief abstract from the treasury report on the finances of the UnitedStates, up to the 1st January, 1831, may not be uninteresting. Dollars. Cts. Balance in the treasury, 1st January, 1828 6, 668, 286 10 Receipts of the year 1828 24, 789, 463 61 _____________Total 31, 457, 749 71Expenditure for the year 1828 25, 485, 313 90 _____________Leaving a balance in the treasury, 1stJanuary, 1829, of 5, 972, 435 81 Receipts from all sources during theyear 1829 24, 827, 627 38 Expenditures for the same year, including3, 686, 542 dol. 93 ct. On account ofthe public debt, and 9, 033 dol. 38 ct. For awards under the first article of thetreaty of Ghent 25, 044, 358 40 Balance in the treasury on 1st January, 1830 5, 755, 704 79 The receipts from all sources during theyear 1830 were 24, 844, 116 51 viz. Customs 21, 922, 391 39 Lands 2, 329, 356 14 Dividends on bank stock 490, 000 00 Incidental receipts 102, 368 98 _____________ The expenditures for the same year were 24, 585, 281 55 viz. Civil list, foreign intercourse, and miscellaneous 3, 237, 416 04 Military service, includingfortifications, ordnance, Indian affairs, pensions, arming themilitia, and internalimprovements 6, 752, 688 66 Naval service, includingsums appropriatedto the gradualimprovement of thenavy[14] 3, 239, 428 63 Public debt 11, 355, 748 22 _____________ Leaving a balance in the treasuryon the 1st of January, 1831, of 6, 014, 539 75 _Public Debt_. Dollars. Cts. The payments made on account of thePublic Debt, during the first threequarters of the year 1831, amounted to 9, 883, 479 46 It was estimated that the payments tobe made in the fourth quarter of thesame year, would amount to 6, 205, 810 21 ______________Making the whole amount of disbursmentson account of the Debt in 1831 16, 089, 289 67 THE PUBLIC DEBT, ON THE SECOND OF JANUARY, 1832, WILLBE AS FOLLOWS, VIZ. ;-- 1. _Funded Debt_. Dollars. Cts. Three per cents, per actof the 4th of August, 1790, redeemable at thepleasure of government 13, 296, 626 21 Five per cents, per act ofthe 3rd of March, 1821, redeemable after the 1stJanuary, 1823 4, 735, 296 30 Five per cents, (exchanged), per act of 20th ofApril, 1823; one thirdredeemable annuallyafter 31st of December, 1830, 1831 and 1832 56, 704 77 Four and half per cents. Per act of the 24th ofMay, 1824, redeemableafter 1st of January, 1832 1, 739, 524 01 Four and half per cents. (exchanged), per act ofthe 26th of May, 1824;one half redeemableafter the 31st day ofDecember, 1832 4, 454, 727 95 ______________ 24, 282, 879 24 2. _Unfunded Debt_. Registered Debt, beingclaims registered priorto the year 1793, forservices and suppliesduring the revolutionary war 27, 919 85 Treasury notes 7, 116 00 Mississippi stock 4, 320 09 ______________ 39, 355 94 Making the whole amount of the PublicDebt of the United States 24, 322, 235 18 ______________ Which is, allowing 480 cents to thesovereign, in sterling money £5, 067, 132 6_s_. 7_d_. General Jackson has proposed another source of national revenue, in theestablishment of a bank; the profits of which, instead of going into thepockets of stock-holders as at present, should be placed to the credit ofthe nation. If an establishment of this nature could be formed, withoutinvolving higher interests than the mere pecuniary concerns of thecountry, no doubt it would be most desirable. But how a _government_ bankcould be so formed as that it should not throw immense and dangerousinfluence into the hands of the executive, appears difficult to determine. If it be at all connected with the government, the executive must exercisean extensive authority over its affairs; and in that case, the mercantileportion of the community would lie completely under the surveillance ofthe president, who might at pleasure exercise this immense patronage toforward private political designs. No doubt there have been abuses to aconsiderable extent practised by the present bank of the United States inthe exercise of its functions; but how those abuses are likely to beremedied by Jackson's plan, does not appear. For, let the directors beappointed by government, or elected by congress, they must still exercisediscretional power; and they are quite as likely to exercise itunwarrantably as those who have a direct interest in the prosperity of theconcern. I totally disapprove of the attempt to correct the abuses of onemonopoly by the establishment of another in its stead, of a still moredangerous character; and I am inclined to think that if two banks werechartered instead of one, each having ample capital to insure publicconfidence, competition alone would furnish a sufficient motive to inducethem to act with justice and liberality towards the public. In 1766, Kentucky was first explored, by John Finlay, an Indian trader, Colonel Daniel Boon, and others. They again visited it in 1769, when thewhole party, excepting Boon, were slain by the Indians--he escaped, andreached North Carolina, where he then resided. Accompanied by about fortyexpert hunters, comprised in five families, in the year 1775, he setforward to make a settlement in the country. They erected a fort on thebanks of the Kentucky river, and being joined by several otheradventurers, they finally succeeded. The Kentuckians tell of many a bloodybattle fought by these pioneers, and boast that their country has beengained, every inch, by conquest. The climate of Kentucky is favourable to the growth of hemp, flax, tobacco, and all kinds of grain. The greater portion of the soil is richloam, black, or mixed with reddish earth, generally to the depth of fiveor six feet, on a limestone bottom. The produce of corn is about sixtybushels on an average per acre, and of wheat about thirty-five; cotton ispartially cultivated. The scenery is varied, and the country wellwatered. The Kentuckians all carry large pocket knives, which they never fail touse in a scuffle; and you may see a gentleman seated at the tavern door, balanced on two legs of a chair, picking his teeth with a knife, the bladeof which is full six inches long, or cutting the benches, posts, or anything else that may lie within his reach. Notwithstanding this, theKentuckians are by no means more quarrelsome than any other people of thewestern states; and they are vastly less so than the people of Ireland. But when they do commence hostilities, they fight with great bitterness, as do most Americans, biting, gouging, and cutting unrelentingly. I never went into a court-house in the west _in summer_, without observingthat the judges and lawyers had their feet invariably placed upon thedesks before them, and raised much higher than their heads. This, however, is only in the western country; for in the courts at Orleans, New York, and Philadelphia, the greatest order and regularity is observed. I hadbeen told that the judges often slept upon the bench; but I must confess, that although I have entered court-houses at all seasons during the spaceof fifteen months, I never saw an instance of it. I have frequentlyremonstrated with the Americans, on the total absence of forms andceremonies in their courts of justice, and was commonly answered by "Yes, that may be quite necessary in England, in order to overawe a parcel ofignorant creatures, who have no share in making the laws; but with us, aman's a man, whether he have a silk gown on him or not; and I guess he candecide quite as well without a big wig as with one. You see, we have donewith wiggery of all kinds; and if one of our judges were to wear such anappendage, he'd be taken for a merry-andrew, and the court would become akind of show-box--instead of such arrangements producing with ussolemnity, they would produce nothing but laughter, and the greatestpossible irregularity. " I was present at an election in the interior of the state. The office wasthat of representative in the state legislature, and the candidates were ahatter and a saddler; the former was also a militia major, and a Methodistpreacher, of the Percival and Gordon school, who eschewed the devil andall the backsliding abominations of the flesh, as in duty bound. Sundry"stump orations" were delivered on the occasion, for the enlightenment ofthe electors; and towards the close of the proceedings, by way of anappropriate finale, the aforesaid triune-citizen and another gentleman, had a gouging scrape on the hustings. The major in this contest provedhimself to be a true Kentuckian; that is, half a horse, and half analligator; which contributed not a little to ensure his return. After theelection, I was conversing with one of the most violent opponents of thesuccessful candidate, and remarked to him, that I supposed he would rallyhis forces at the next election to put out the major: he replied, "I can'ttell that!" I said, "why? will you not oppose him?" "Oh!" he says, "forthat matter, he may do his duty pretty well. " "And do you mean to say, "continued I, "that if he should do so, you will give him no opposition?"He looked at me, as if he did not clearly comprehend, and said, "Why, Iguess not. " The boatmen of the Ohio and Mississippi are the most riotous and lawlessset of people in America, and the least inclined to submit to theconstituted authorities. At Cincinnati I saw one of those personsarrested, on the wharf, for debt. He seemed little inclined to submit; as, could he contrive to escape to the opposite shore, he was safe. He calledupon his companions in the flat-boat, who came instantly to hisassistance, and were apparently ready to rescue him from the clutches ofthis trans-Atlantic bum-bailiff. The constable instantly pulled out--not apistol, but a small piece of paper, and said, "I take him in the name ofthe States. " The messmates of this unfortunate navigator looked at him forsome time, and then one of them said drily, "I guess you must go with theconstable. " Subsequently, at New York, one evening returning to my hotel, I heard a row in a tavern, and wishing to see the process of capturingrefractory citizens, I entered with some other persons. The constable wasthere unsupported by any of his brethren, and it seemed to me to bemorally impossible that, without assistance, he could take half a dozenfellows, who were with difficulty restrained from whipping each other. However, his hand seemed to be as potent as the famous magic wand ofArmida, for on placing it on the shoulders of the combatants, they fellinto the ranks, and marched off with him as quietly as if they had beensheep. The rationale of the matter is this: those men had all exercisedthe franchise, if not in the election of these very constables, ofothers, and they therefore not only considered it to be their duty tosupport the constable's authority, but actually felt a strong inclinationto do so. Because they _knew_ that the authority he exercised was onlydelegated to him by themselves, and that, in resisting him, they wouldresist their own sovereignty. Even in large towns in the western country, the constable has no men under his command, but always finds most powerfulallies in the citizens themselves, whenever a lawless scoundrel, or aculprit is to be captured. At Flemingsburg I saw an Albino, a female about fourteen years old. Herparents were clear negros, of the Congo or Guinea race, and in every thingbut colour she perfectly resembled them. Her form, face, and hair, possessed the true negro characteristics--curved shins, projecting jaw, retreating forehead, and woolly head. The skin was rather whiter than thatof the generality of Europeans, but was deficient in glossiness, andalthough perfectly smooth, had a dry appearance. The wool on the head wasof a light flaxen colour, and the iris of the eye was of a reddish-bluetinge. Her eyes were so weak as to bear with difficulty the glare of day. Most Albinos are dim sighted until twilight, when they appear to have asperfect vision as persons with the strongest sight, and in many cases, even more acute. This individual had evidently weak sight, as the eyelidswere generally half closed, and she always held her head down during daylight. Near the banks of the Ohio, full three hundred miles from the sea, I foundconglomerations of marine shells, mixed with siliceous earth; and innearly all the runs throughout Kentucky, limestone pebbles are found, bearing the perfect impressions of the interior of shells. The mostabundant proofs are every where exhibited, that at one period the vastsavannahs and lofty mountains of the New world were submerged; and perhapsthe present bed of the ocean was once covered with verdure, and the seatof the sorrows and joys of myriads of human beings, who erected cities, and built pyramids, and monuments, which Time has long since swept away, and wrapt in his eternal mantle of oblivion. That a constant, but almostimperceptible change is hourly taking place in the earth's surface, appears to be established; and independent of the extraordinary_bouleversements_, which have at intervals convulsed our globe, thisgradual revolution has produced, and will produce again, a totalalteration in the face of nature. FOOTNOTES: [14] Amongst other plans to this effect, there is one proposed, by whichmidshipmen on half-pay will be obliged to make at least two voyagesannually, in merchant ships, as mates, and all others must have done so, in order to entitle them to be reinstated in their former rank. Anotheris, that there shall be small vessels, rigged and fitted out in warstyle, appropriated to the purpose of teaching pupils, practically, thescience of navigation, and the discipline necessary to be observed onboard vessels of war. The Americans may not eat their fish with silverforks, nor lave their fingers in the most approved style; yet they are byno means so contemptible a people as some of our small gentry affect tothink. They may too, occasionally, be put down in political argument, bythe dogmatical method of the quarter-deck; but I must confess that _I_never was so fortunate as to come in contact with any who reasoned sobadly as the persons Captain Bazil Hall introduces in his book. CHAPTER IX. The wailings of the Cherokee, the Choctaw, and the Creek, may have beenwafted across the waters of the great salt lake, and the Pale-face in hisown land may have heard their lamentations;--but the distant voice isscattered by the passing winds, and is heard like the whisper of a summerbreeze as it steals along the prairies of the west, or the cry of thewish-ton-wish as it faintly reaches the ear of the navigator, when, in thestilly night, he floats down "the old father of waters. " The present posture of Indian affairs, and the peculiar situation of theIndian nations east of the Mississippi, have caused that unfortunatepeople to be the topic of much political controversy and conversation; asuccinct account of the political condition of these tribes, and of thepolicy which has been pursued, and which is being pursued towards them, bythe executive government, may not therefore be uninteresting. When Georgia, by becoming a member of the Union, ceded part of hersovereignty to the general executive, that government acknowledged herclaimed limits, and guaranteed to her the protection of the Union againstforeign and domestic violence. Subsequently, in the year of 1802, inconsideration of a certain portion of lands ceded, the United Statesbecame bound to purchase for Georgia, any claim which the Cherokee nationmight have on lands within her boundaries, whenever such purchase could bemade on reasonable terms. On these positions are based the Georgianclaims, which the United States government has hitherto pleaded inabilityto satisfy, inasmuch as all efforts to purchase the Indian lands haveproved fruitless. After the lapse of twenty-seven years, Georgia, finding herself preciselyin the same condition in which she then stood, has determined on forciblytaking possession of the Cherokee lands, and extending her sovereigntyover the Cherokee people. But as this cannot be effected without doingmanifest violence to the Indian rights, she brings forward arguments toshow, that _she_ never acknowledged the independence of the Cherokeenation; that that nation, from the time of the first settlement made byEuropeans in America, stood in the position of a conquered people; thatthe sovereignty consequently dwelt in the hands of Great Britain; andthat, on the Declaration of independence, Georgia, by becoming a freestate, became invested with all the powers of sovereignty claimed orexercised by Great Britain over the Georgian territory: and further, thatin November, 1785, when the first and only treaty was concluded with theCherokees by the United States, during the articles of confederation, bothshe and North Carolina entered their solemn protests against this allegedviolation of their legislative rights. The executive government pretendsnot to argue the case with Georgia, and is left no alternative but eitherto annul its _conditional_ treaty with that state, or to cancel _thirteendistinct treaties_ entered into with the Indians, despoil them of theirlands, and rob them of their independence. Jackson's message says, "It istoo late to inquire whether it was just in the United States to includethem and their territory within bounds of new states, whose limits theycould control. That step cannot be retracted. A state cannot bedismembered by Congress, or restrained in the exercise of herconstitutional powers. " Here the executive government acknowledges that itmade promises to Georgia, which it has been unable to perform--that itguaranteed to that state the possession of lands over which it had nolegitimate control, on the mere assumption of being able to make theirpurchase. The Cherokees in their petition and memorials to Congress show, that GreatBritain never exercised any sovereignty over them;--that in peace and inwar she always treated them as a free people, and never assumed to herselfthe right of interfering with their internal government:--that in everytreaty made with them by the United States, their sovereignty and totalindependence are clearly acknowledged, and that they have ever beenconsidered as a distinct nation, exercising all the privileges andimmunities enjoyed by any independent people. They say, "In addition tothat first of all rights, the right of inheritance and peaceablepossession, we have the faith and pledge of the United States, over andover again, in treaties made at various times. By these treaties ourrights as a separate people are distinctly acknowledged, and guaranteesgiven that they shall be secured and protected. So we have alsounderstood the treaties. The conduct of the government towards us, fromits organization until very lately--the talks given to our beloved men bythe Presidents of the United States--and the speeches of the agents andcommissioners--all concur to show that we are not mistaken in ourinterpretation. Some of our beloved men who signed the treaties are stillliving, and their testimony tends to the same conclusion. " * * * * "Inwhat light shall we view the conduct of the United States and Georgia intheir intercourse with us, in urging us to enter into treaties and cedelands? If we were but tenants at will, why was it necessary that ourconsent must first be obtained before these governments could take lawfulpossession of our lands? The answer is obvious. These governmentsperfectly understand our rights--our right to the country, and our rightto self-government. Our understanding of the treaties is further supportedby the intercourse law of the United States, which prohibits allencroachment on our territory. " The arguments used by the Cherokees are unanswerable; but in what willthat avail them, when injustice is intended by a superior power, which, regardless of national faith, has determined on taking possession of theirlands? The case stands thus: the executive government enters into anagreement with Georgia, and engages to deliver over to the state theIndian possessions within her claimed limits--without the Indians _havingany knowledge of, or participation in the transaction. _ Now what, may Iask, have the Indians to do with this? Ought they to be made answerablefor the gross misconduct of the two governments, and to be despoiled, contrary to every principle of justice, and in defiance of the most plainand fundamental law of property? It puts one in mind of the judgment ofthe renowned "Walter the Doubter, " who decided between two citizens, that, as their account books appeared to be of equal _weight_, therefore theiraccounts were balanced, and that _the constable_ should pay the costs. TheUnited States government has made several offers to the Cherokees fortheir lands; which they have as constantly refused, and said, "that theywere very well contented where they were--that they did not wish to leavethe bones of their ancestors, and go beyond the Mississippi; but that, ifthe country be so beautiful as their white brother represents it, theywould recommend their white brother to go there himself. " Georgia presses upon the executive; which, in this dilemma, comes forwardwith affected sympathy--deplores the unfortunate situation in which it isplaced, but of course concludes that faith must be kept with Georgia, andthat the Cherokee must either go, or submit to laws that make it farbetter for him to go than stay. It is true Jackson says in his message, "This emigration should be voluntary; for it would be cruel as unjust tocompel the Aborigines to abandon the graves of their fathers, and seek ahome in a distant land. " But General Jackson well knows that the laws ofGeorgia leave the Indian no choice--as no community of men, civilized orsavage, could possibly exist under such laws. The benefit and protectionof the laws, to which the Indian is made subject, are entirely withheldfrom him--he can be no party to a suit--he may be robbed and murdered withimpunity--his property may be taken, and he may be driven from hisdwelling--in fine, he is left liable to every species of insult, outrage, cruelty, and dishonesty, without the most distant hope of obtainingredress; for in Georgia _an Indian cannot be a witness to prove factsagainst a white man. _ Yet General Jackson says, "this emigration should be_voluntary_;" and in the very same paragraph, with a single sweep of thepen, he annihilates all the treaties that have been made with thatpeople--tramples under foot the laws of nations, and deprives the Indianof his hunting-grounds, one of his sources of subsistence. He says, --"Butit seems to me visionary to suppose that, in this state of things, claimscan be allowed on tracts of country on which they have neither dwelt normade improvements, merely because they have seen them from the mountain, or passed them in the chase. " It certainly may be unphilosophical topermit any man to possess more ground than he can till with his own hands;yet surely arguments that we do not admit as regards ourselves, we canwith no sense of propriety use towards others, particularly when our ownacts are directly in the very teeth of this principle. There is more landat present within the limits and in the possession of the United Statesthan would be sufficient to support thirty times the presentpopulation--yet to this must be added the hunting-grounds of the Indians, merely because "it is _visionary to suppose_ they have any claim on whatthey do not _actually occupy!"_ I have now before me the particulars of thirteen treaties[15] made by theUnited States with the Cherokee nation, from the year 1785 down to 1819inclusive; in all of which the rights of the Indians are clearlyacknowledged, either directly, or by implication; and by the seventharticle of the treaty of Holston, executed in 1791, being the firstconcluded with that people by the United States, under their presentconstitution, all the lands not thereby ceded are solemnly guaranteed tothe Cherokee nation. The subsequent treaties are made with reference to, and in confirmation of this, and continually reiterate the guaranteestherein tendered. To talk of justice, and honour, would be idle and visionary, for theseseem to have been thrown overboard at the very commencement of thecontest; but I would ask the American _people_, is their conduct towardsthe Indians politic?--is it politic in America, in the face of civilizednations, to violate treaties? is it politic in her, to hold herself up tothe world as faithless and unjust--as a nation, which, in defiance of allmoral obligation, will break her most sacred contracts, whenever itbecomes no longer her interest to keep them, and she finds herself in acondition to do so with impunity? is she not furnishing foreign statesmenwith a ready and powerful argument in defence of their violating treatieswith her? can they not with justice say--America has manifested in herproceedings towards the Cherokee nation, that she is faithless--that shekeeps no treaties longer than it may be her _interest_ to do so--and are_we_ to make ourselves the dupes of such a power, and wait until she findsherself in a condition to deceive us? I could produce many arguments toillustrate the impolicy of this conduct; but as I intend confining myselfto a mere sketch, I shall dwell but as short a time as may be consistenton the several facts connected with the case. That the Aborigines have been cruelly treated, cannot be doubted. The verywords of the Message admit this; and the tone of feeling and conciliationwhich follows that admission, coupled as it is with the intended injusticeexpressed in other paragraphs, can be viewed in no other light than as apiece of political mockery. The Message says, "their present condition, contrasted with what they once were, makes a most powerful appeal to oursympathies. Our ancestors found them the uncontrolled possessors of thesevast regions. By persuasion and force, they have been made to retire fromriver to river, and from mountain to mountain, until some of the tribeshave become extinct, and others have left but remnants, to preserve for awhile their once terrible names. " Now the plan laid down by the president, in order to prevent, if possible, the total decay of the Indian people, is, to send them beyond the Mississippi, and _guarantee_ to them thepossession of ample territory west of that river. How far this is likelyto answer the purpose _expressed_, let us now examine. The Cherokees, by their intercourse with and proximity to the whitepeople, have become half civilized; and how is it likely that _their_condition will be improved by driving them into the forests and barrenprairies? That territory is at present the haunt of the Pawnees, theOsages, and other warlike nations, who live almost entirely by the chase, and are constantly waging war even with each other. As soon as theCherokees, and other half-civilized Indians, appear, they will be regardedas common intruders, and be subject to the united attacks of these people. There are even old feuds existing among themselves, which, it is but tooprobable, may be renewed. Trappers and hunters, in large parties, yearlymake incursions into the country beyond the boundaries of the UnitedStates, and in defiance of the Indians kill the beaver and thebuffalo--the latter merely for the _tongue and skin_, leaving the carcaseto rot upon the ground. [16] Thus is this unfortunate race robbed of theirmeans of subsistence. Moreover, what guarantee can the Indians have, thatthe United States will keep faith for the future, when it is admitted thatthey have not done so in times past? How can they be sure that they maynot further be driven from river to river, and from mountain to mountain, until they reach the shores of the Pacific; and who can tell but that thenit may be found expedient to drive them into the ocean? The policy of the United States government is evidently to get the Indiansto exterminate each other. Its whole proceedings from the time thisquestion was first agitated to the present, but too clearly indicate thisintention; and if we wanted proof, that the executive government of theUnited States _would act_ on so barbarous and inhuman a policy, we needonly refer to the allocation of the Cherokees, who exchanged lands inTennessee for lands west of the Mississippi, pursuant to the treaty of1819. It was well known that a deadly enmity existed between the Osagesand Cherokees, and that any proximity of the two people, would inevitablylead to fatal results; yet, with this knowledge, the executive governmentplaced those Cherokees in the country lying between the Arkansaw and Redrivers, _immediately joining the territory of the Osages. _ It isunnecessary to state that the result was _as anticipated_--they dailycommitted outrages upon the persons and properties of each other, and thedeath of many warriors, on both sides, ensued. The sympathy expressed in that part of the Message relating to theIndians, if expressed with sincerity, would do much honour to the feelingsthat dictated it; but when we come to examine the facts, and investigatethe implied allegations, we shall find that they are most gratuitous; and, consequently, that the regret of the president at the probable fate of theIndian, should he remain east of the Mississippi, is grossly hypocritical. He says, "surrounded by the whites, with their arts of civilization, which, by destroying the resources of the savage, doom him to weakness anddecay:[17] the fate of the Mohegan, the Narragansett, and the Delaware, isfast overtaking the Choctaw, the Cherokee, and the Creek. That this fatesurely awaits them, if they remain within the limits of the States, doesnot admit of a doubt. Humanity and national honour demand that everyeffort should be made to avert so great a calamity. " From what facts thepresident has drawn these conclusions does not appear. Neither thestatements of the Cherokees, nor of the Indian agents, nor the report ofthe secretary of war, furnish any such information; on the contrary, withthe exception of one or two agents _at Washington_, all give the mostflattering accounts of advancement in civilization. The Rev. Samuel A. Worcester, in his letter to the Rev. E. S. Ely, editor of the"Philadelphian, " completely refutes all the unfavourable statements thathave been got up to cover the base conduct of Jackson and the slavites. This gentleman has resided for the last four years among the Cherokees, and has surely had abundant means of observing their condition. The letter of David Brown (a Cherokee), addressed, September 2, 1825, tothe editor of "The Family Visitor, " at Richmond, Virginia, states, that"the Cherokee plains are covered with herds of cattle--sheep, goats, andswine, cover the valleys and hills--the plains and valleys are rich, andproduce Indian corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, oats, indigo, sweet and Irishpotatoes, &c. The natives carry on a considerable trade with the adjoiningstates, and some of them export cotton in boats down the Tennessee to theMississippi, and down that river to New Orleans. Orchards arecommon--cheese, butter, &c. Plenty--houses of entertainment are kept bynatives. Cotton and woollen cloths are manufactured in the nation, andalmost every family grows cotton for its own consumption. Agriculturalpursuits engage the chief attention of the nation--different branches ofmechanics are pursued. Schools are increasing every year, and education isencouraged and rewarded. " To quote David Brown verbatim, on thepopulation, --"In the year 1819, an estimate was made of the Cherokees. Those on the west were estimated at 5, 000, and those on the east of theMississippi, at 10, 000 souls. The census of this division of the Cherokeeshas again been taken within the current year (1825), and the returns arethus made: native citizens, 13, 563; white men married in the nation, 147;white women ditto, 73; African slaves, 1177. If this summary of theCherokee population, from the census, is correct, to say nothing of thoseof foreign extract, we find that in six years the increase has been 3, 563souls. National pride, patriotism, and a spirit of independence, mark theCherokee character. " He further states, "the system of government isfounded on republican principles, and secures the respect of the people. "An alphabet has been invented by an Indian, named George Guess, theCherokee Cadmus, and a printing press has been established at New Echota, the seat of government, where there is published weekly a paper entitled, "The Cherokee Phoenix, "--one half being in the English language, and theother in that of the Cherokee. The report of the secretary of war, upon the present condition of theIndians, states of the Chickesaws and Choctaws, all that has been abovesaid of the Cherokees. But of the last-mentioned people, the secretary'saccounts appear to be studiously defective. Yet the fact is notorious, that both the Chickesaws and Choctaws are far behind the Cherokees incivilization. With these facts before our eyes, what are we to think of the grief of thepresident, at the decay and increasing weakness of the Cherokees? Can itbe regarded in any way but as a piece of shameless hypocrisy, too glaringin its character to escape the notice even of the most inobservantindividual. It has been said that the question involves manydifficulties--to me there appears none. The United States, in the year1791, guarantee to the Indians the possession of all their lands not thenceded--and confirm this by numerous subsequent treaties. In 1802, theypromise to Georgia, the possession of the Cherokee lands "_whenever suchpurchase could be made on reasonable terms_" This is the simple state ofthe case; and if the executive were inclined to act uprightly, the line ofconduct to be pursued could be determined on without much difficulty. Georgia has no right to press upon the executive the fulfilment ofengagements which were made conditionally, and consequently with animplied reservation; and the United States should not violate _manypositive treaties_, in order to fulfil _a conditional one_. [18] I shall now advert to some of the charges touching the character of theIndians. It is said, that they are debauched and insincere. This chargehas been particularly made against the Creeks, and I believe is notaltogether unfounded. Yet, if this be now the character of the oncewarlike and noble Creek, let the white man ask himself who has made himso? Who makes the "firewater, " and who supplies the untutored savage withthe means of intoxication? The white-man, when he wishes to tradeprofitably with the Indian, fills the cup, and holds it forth--he says, 'drink, my brother, it is good'--the red-man drinks, and the wily whitepoints at his condition, says he is uncivilized, and should go forth fromthe land, for his presence is contamination! As to the charge of hypocrisy--this too has been taught or forced upon theIndians by the conduct of the whites. Missionaries have been constantlygoing among them, teaching dogmas and doctrines, far beyond thecomprehension of some learned white-men, and to the savage totallyunintelligible. These gentlemen have told long stories; and when posed bysome quaint saying, or answered by some piece of traditional information, handed down from generation to generation, by the fathers and mothers ofthe tribe, have found it necessary to purchase the acquiescence of a fewIndians by bribes, in order that their labours might not seem to have beenaltogether unsuccessful. This conduct of the Missionaries was soon_understood_ by the Indians, and the temptation held out was too great tobe resisted. Blankets and gowns converted, when inspiration and gospeltruths had failed. Mr. Houston of Tennessee, after having attained the honour of beinggovernor of his state, and having enjoyed all the considerationnecessarily attached to that office, at length became tired of civilizedlife, and retired among the Creeks to end his days. He has resided longamong them, and knows their character well; yet, in one of his statementsmade to the Indian board at New York, he says, that the attempts toChristianize the Indians in their present state, he was of opinion, muchas he honoured the zeal that had prompted them, were fruitless, _orworse. _ The supposed conversions had produced no change of habits. Sodegraded had become the character of this once independent people, thatprofessions of religious belief had been made, and the ordinances ofreligion submitted to, "when an Indian wanted a new blanket, or a squaw anew gown. "[19] Thus, according to governor Houston, the only fruitsproduced by the boasted labours of the missionaries, have beendissimulation and deceit; and demoralization has been the result ofteaching _doctrinal_ Christianity to the children of the forest. Yet wemust, in candour, acknowledge that Mr. Houston is not singular in thatopinion, since we find, so far back as the year 1755, Cadwallader Caldenexpress himself much to the same effect. "The Five Nations, " he says, "area poor and generally called barbarous people, bred under the darkestignorance; and yet a bright and noble genius shines through these blackclouds. None of the greatest Roman heroes have discovered a greater loveof country, or contempt of death, than these people, called barbarous, have shown when liberty came in competition. Indeed I think our Indianshave outdone the Romans in this particular. Some of the greatest of thoseRoman heroes have murdered themselves to avoid shame or torments; but ourIndians have refused to die meanly or with little pain, when they thoughttheir country's honour would be at stake by it; but have given theirbodies willingly to the most cruel torments of their enemies, to show, asthey said, that 'the Five Nations' consisted of men whose courage andresolution could not be shaken. But what, alas! have we Christians done tomake them better? We have, indeed, reason to be ashamed that theseinfidels, by our conversation and neighbourhood, are become worse thanthey were before they knew us. Instead of virtue, we have only taught themvice, that they were entirely free from before that time. "[20] The Rev. Timothy Flint, who was himself a missionary, in his "Ten Years' Residencein the Valley of the Mississippi, " observes, page 144, --"I have surelyhad it in my heart to impress them with the importance of the subject(religion). I have scarcely noticed an instance in which the subject wasnot received either with indifference, rudeness, or jesting. Of all racesof men that I have seen, they seem most incapable of religiousimpressions. They have, indeed, some notions of an invisible agent, butthey seemed generally to think that the Indians had their god as thewhites had theirs. " And again, "nothing will eventually be gained to thegreat cause by colouring and mis-statement, " alluding to the practice ofthe missionaries; "and however reluctant we may be to receive it, the realstate of things will eventually be known to us. We have heard of theimperishable labours of an Elliott and a Brainard, in other days. But inthese times it is a melancholy truth, that Protestant exertions toChristianize them have not been marked with apparent success. TheCatholics have caused many to hang a crucifix around their necks, whichthey show as they show their medals and other ornaments, and this is toooften all they have to mark them as Christians. We have read thenarratives of the Catholics, which detailed the most glowing and animatingviews of success. I have had accounts, however, from travellers in theseregions, that have been over the Stony mountains into the great missionarysettlements of St. Peter and St. Paul. These travellers (and some of themwere professed Catholics) unite in affirming that the converts will escapefrom the missions whenever it is in their power, fly into their nativedeserts, and resume at once their old mode of life. " That the vast sums expended on missions should have produced so littleeffect, we may consider lamentable, but it is lamentably true; for inaddition to the mass of evidence we have to that effect, fromdisinterested white men, we have also the speeches and communications ofthe Indians themselves. The celebrated Seneca chief, Saguyuwhaha (keeperawake), better known in the United States by the name of Red-jacket, in aletter communicated to Governor De Witt Clinton, at a treaty held atAlbany, says, "Our great father, the President, has recommended to ouryoung men to be industrious, to plough and to sow. This we have done; andwe are thankful for the advice, and for the means he has afforded us ofcarrying it into effect. We are happier in consequence of it; _but anotherthing recommended to us, has created great confusion among us, and ismaking us a quarrelsome and divided people; and that is, the introductionof preachers into our nation_. These black-coats contrive to get theconsent of some of the Indians to preach among us; and whenever this isthe case, confusion and disorder are sure to follow, and the encroachmentof the whites on our lands is the inevitable consequence. "The governor must not think hard of me for speaking thus of thepreachers: I have observed their progress, and whenever I look back tosee what has taken place of old, I perceive that whenever they came amongthe Indians, they were the forerunners of their dispersion; that theyalways excited enmities and quarrels amongst them; that they introducedthe white people on their lands, by whom they were robbed and plundered oftheir property; and that the Indians were sure to dwindle and decrease, and be driven back, in proportion to the number of preachers that cameamong them. "Each nation has its own customs and its own religion. The Indians havetheirs, given them by the Great Spirit, under which they were happy. Itwas not intended that they should embrace the religion of the whites, andbe destroyed by the attempt to make them think differently on that subjectfrom their fathers. "It is true, these preachers have got the consent of some of the chiefs tostay and preach amongst us; but I and my friends know this to be wrong, and that they ought to be removed; besides, we have been threatened by Mr. Hyde--who came among us as a schoolmaster and a teacher of our children, but has now become a black-coat, and refuses to teach them any more--thatunless we listen to his preaching and become Christians, we shall beturned off our lands. We wish to know from the governor, if this is to beso? and if he has no right to say so, we think _he_ ought to be turned offour lands, and not allowed to plague us any more. We shall never be atpeace while he is among us. "We are afraid too, that these preachers, by and by, will become poor, _and force us to pay them for living among us, and disturbing us. _ "Some of our chiefs have got lazy, and instead of cultivating their landsthemselves, employ white people to do so. There are now eleven familiesliving on our reservation at Buffalo; this is wrong, and ought not to bepermitted. The great source of all our grievances is, that the whites areamong us. Let _them_ be removed, and we will be happy and contented amongourselves. We now cry to the governor for help, and hope that he willattend to our complaints, and speedily give us redress. "[21] This melancholy hostility to the missionaries is not confined to aparticular tribe or nation of Indians, for all those people, in everysituation, from the base of the Alleghanies to the foot of the Rockymountains, declare the same sentiments on this subject; and althoughpolicy or courtesy may induce some chiefs to express themselves lessstrongly than Red-jacket has expressed himself, we have but too manyproofs that their feelings are not more moderate. On the fourth ofFebruary, 1822, the president of the United States, in council, received adeputation of Indians, from the principal nations west of theMississippi, who came under the protection of Major O'Fallon, when eachchief delivered a speech on the occasion. I shall here insert an extractfrom that of the "Wandering Pawnee" chief, more as a specimen of Indianwisdom and eloquence than as bearing particularly on the subject. Speakingof the Great Spirit, he said, "We worship him not as you do. We differfrom you in appearance, and manners, as well as in our customs; and wediffer from you in our religion. We have no large houses, as you have, toworship the Great Spirit in: if we had them to-day, we should want othersto-morrow; for we have not like you a fixed habitation--we have no settledhome except our villages, where we remain but two months in twelve. We, like animals, rove through the country; whilst you whites reside betweenus and heaven. But still, my great Father, we love the Great Spirit--weacknowledge his supreme power--our peace, our health, and our happinessdepend upon him, and our lives belong to him--he made us, and he candestroy us. "My great Father, --some of your good chiefs, as they are called(missionaries), have proposed to send some of their good people among usto change our habits, to make us work for them, and live like the whitepeople. I will not tell a lie--I am going to tell the truth. You love yourcountry--you love your people--you love the manner in which they live, andyou think your people brave. I am like you, my great Father; I love mycountry--I love my people--I love the manner in which we live, and thinkmyself and warriors brave. [22] Spare me then, my Father; let me enjoy mycountry, and pursue the buffalo and the beaver, and the other wild animalsof our country, and I will trade their skins with your people. I havegrown up and lived thus long without work--I am in hopes you will sufferme to die without it. We have plenty of buffalo, beaver, deer, and otherwild animals--we have also an abundance of horses--we have every thing wewant--we have plenty of land, _if you will keep your people off it_. MyFather has a piece on which he lives (Council bluffs), and we wish him toenjoy it--we have enough without it--but we wish him to live near us, togive us good council--to keep our ears and eyes open, that we may continueto pursue the right road--the road to happiness. He settles alldifferences between us and the whites, between the red-skinsthemselves--he makes the whites do justice to the red-skins, and he makesthe red-skins do justice to the whites. He saves the effusion of humanblood, and restores peace and happiness in the land. You have already sentus a father (Major O'Fallon); it is enough--he knows us, and we knowhim--we keep our eye constantly upon him, and since we have heard _your_words, we will listen more attentively to _his_. "It is too soon, my great Father, to send those good chiefs amongst us. _We are not starving yet_--we wish you to permit us to enjoy the chaseuntil the game of our country is exhausted--until the wild animals becomeextinct. Let us exhaust our present resources before you make us toil andinterrupt our happiness. Let me continue to live as I have done; and afterI have passed to the good or evil spirit, from off the wilderness of mypresent life, the subsistence of my children may become so precarious asto need and embrace the assistance of those good people. "There was a time when we did not know the whites--our wants were thenfewer than they are now. They were always within our control--we had thenseen nothing which we could not get. Before our intercourse with thewhites (who have caused such a destruction in our game) we could lie downto sleep, and when we awoke we would find the buffalo feeding around ourcamp--but now we are killing them for their skins, and feeding the wolveswith their flesh, to make our children cry over their bones. "Here, my great Father, is a pipe which I present to you, as I amaccustomed to present pipes to all the Red-skins in peace with us. It isfilled with such tobacco as we were accustomed to smoke before we knewthe white people. It is pleasant, and the spontaneous growth of the mostremote parts of our country. I know that the robes, leggings, andmoccasins, and bear-claws are of little value to _you_; but we wish you tohave them deposited and preserved in some conspicuous part of your lodge, so that when we are gone and the sod turned over our bones, if ourchildren should visit this place, as we do now, they may see and recognizewith pleasure the depositories of their fathers; and reflect on the timesthat are past. " I shall now take leave of the Indians and their political condition, byobserving that the proceedings of the American government, throughout, towards this brave but unfortunate race, have only been exceeded inatrocity by the past and present conduct of the East India governmenttowards the pusillanimous but unoffending Hindoos. _Note_. --This chapter I wrote during my stay in Kentucky, and the first part of it, in substance, was inserted in the "Kentucky Intelligencer, " at the request of the talented editor and proprietor, John Mullay, Esq. FOOTNOTES: [15] In November, 1785, during the articles of confederation, a treaty isconcluded with the Cherokees, which establishes a boundary, and allots tothe Indians a great extent of country, now within the limits of NorthCarolina and Georgia. In 1791, the treaty of Holston is concluded; by which a new boundary isagreed upon. This was the first treaty made by the United States undertheir present constitution; and by the seventh article, a solemnguarantee is given for all the lands not then ceded. On the 7th of February, 1792, by an additional article to the lasttreaty, 500 dollars are added to the stipulated annuity. In June, 1794, another treaty is entered into, in which the provisions ofthe treaty of 1791 are revived, an addition is made to the annuity, andprovision made for marking the boundary line. In October, 1798, a treaty is concluded which revives former treaties, and curtails the boundary of Indian lands by a cession to the UnitedStates, for an additional compensation. In October, 1804, a treaty is concluded, by which, for a considerationspecified, more land is ceded. In October, 1805, two treaties are made, by which an additional quantityof land is ceded. On 7th January, 1806, by another treaty, more land is ceded to the UnitedStates. In September, 1807, the boundary line intended in the last treaty, issatisfactorily ascertained. On 22d March, 1816, a treaty is concluded, by which lands in SouthCarolina are ceded, for which the United States engage South Carolinashall pay. On the same day another treaty is made, by which the Indiansagree to allow the use of the water-courses in their country, and also topermit roads to be made through the same. On the 14th of September, 1816, a treaty is made, by which an additionalquantity of land is ceded to the United States. On the 8th of July, 1817, a treaty is concluded, by which an exchange oflands is agreed on, and a plan for dividing the Cherokees settled. On the 27th of February, 1819, another treaty is concluded, in executionof the stipulations contained in that of 1817, in several particulars, and in which an additional tract of country is ceded to the UnitedStates. [16] "The white hunter, on encamping in his journeys, cuts down greentrees, and builds a large fire of long logs, sitting at some distancefrom it. The Indian hunts up a few dry limbs, cracks them into littlepieces a foot in length, builds a small fire, and sits close to it. Hegets as much warmth as the white hunter without half the labour, and doesnot burn more than a fiftieth part of the wood. The Indian considers theforest his own, and is careful in using and preserving every thing whichit affords. He never kills more than he has occasion for. The whitehunter destroys all before him, and cannot resist the opportunity ofkilling game, although he neither wants the meat nor can carry the skins. I was particularly struck with this wanton practice, which latelyoccurred on White river. A hunter returning from the woods, heavily ladenwith the flesh and skins of five bears, unexpectedly arrived in the midstof a drove of buffalos, and wantonly shot down three, having no otherobject than the sport of killing them. This is one of the causesof the enmity existing between the white and red hunters ofMissouri". --_Schoolcroft's Tour in Missouri_, page 52. [17] Does the General include among the arts of civilization, that ofsystematically robbing the Indians of their farms and hunting grounds? Ifso, no doubt _these arts of civilization_, must inevitably "destroy theresources of the savage, " and "doom him to weakness and decay. " [18] The Indians apply the term "Christian honesty, " precisely in thesame sense that the Romans applied "_Punica fides_. " [19] There is an old Indian at present in the Missouri territory, to whomhis tribe has given the cognomen of "much-water, " from the circumstanceof his having been baptized so frequently. [20] Heriot says (page 320), "They have evinced a decided attachment totheir ancient habits, and have _gained_ less from the means that mighthave smoothed the asperities of their condition, than they have _lost_ bycopying the vices of those, who exhibited to their view the arts ofcivilization. " [21] This letter was dictated by Red-jacket, and interpreted by HenryObeal, in the presence of ten chiefs, whose names are affixed, atCanandaigua, January 18, 1821. [22] "The attachment which savages entertain for their mode of lifesupersedes every allurement, however powerful, to change it. ManyFrenchmen have lived with them, and have imbibed such an invinciblepartiality for that independent and erratic condition, that no meanscould prevail on them to abandon it. On the contrary, no single instancehas yet occurred of a savage being able to reconcile himself to a stateof civilization. Infants have been taken from among the natives, andeducated with much care in France, where they could not possibly haveintercourse with their countrymen and relations. Although they hadremained several years in that country, and could not form the smallestidea of the wilds of America, the force of blood predominated over thatof education: no sooner did they find themselves at liberty than theytore their clothes in pieces, and went to traverse the forests in searchof their countrymen, whose mode of life appeared to them far moreagreeable than that which they had led among the French. "--_-Heriot_, p. 354. This passage of Heriot's is taken nearly verbatim from Charlevoix, v. 2, p. 109. CHAPTER X. I left Kentucky, and passed up the river to Wheeling, in Virginia. Thereis little worthy of observation encountered in a passage up this part ofthe Ohio, except the peculiar character of the stream, which has beenbefore alluded to. At Marietta, at the mouth of the Muskingum, ship-building is carried on; and vessels have been constructed atPittsburg, full 2000 miles from the gulf of Mexico. About seventy miles upthe Kenhawa river, in Virginia, are situated the celebrated salt springs, the most productive of any in the Union. They are at present in thepossession of a chartered company, which limits the manufacture to800, 000 bushels annually, but it is estimated that the fifty-seven wellsare capable of yielding 50, 000 bushels each, per annum, which would makean aggregate of 2, 850, 000 bushels. Many of these springs issue out ofrocks, and the water is so strongly impregnated with salt, that from 90 to130 gallons yield a bushel. The whole western country bordering the Ohioand its tributaries, is supplied with salt from these works. Wheeling, although not large, enjoys a considerable share of commercialintercourse, being an entrepôt for eastern merchandize, which istransported from the Atlantic cities across the mountains to this town andPittsburg, and from thence by water to the different towns along therivers. The process of "hauling" merchandize from Baltimore and Philadelphia tothe banks of the Ohio, and _vice versâ_, is rather tedious, the roadslying across steep and rugged mountains. Large covered waggons, light andstrong, drawn by five or six horses, two and two, are employed for thispurpose. The waggoner always rides the near shaft horse, and guides theteam by means of reins, a whip, and his voice. The time generally consumedin one of these journeys is from twenty to twenty-five days. All the mountains or hills on the upper part of the Ohio, from Wheeling toPittsburg, contain immense beds of coal; this added to the mineralproductions, particularly that of iron ore, which abound in this sectionof country, offers advantages for manufacturing, which are of considerableimportance, and are fully appreciated. Pittsburg is called the Birminghamof America. Some of those coal beds are well circumstanced, the coal beingfound immediately under the super-stratum, and the galleries frequentlyrunning out on the high road. Notwithstanding the local advantages, andthe protection and encouragement at present afforded by the tariff, England need never fear any extensive competition with her manufacturesin foreign markets from America, as the high spirit of the people of thatcountry will always prevent them from pursuing, extensively, the sordidoccupations of the loom or the workshop. The upper parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania are in a high state ofimprovement; the land is hilly, and the face of the country picturesque. The farms are well cultivated, and there is a large portion of pastureland in this and the adjoining states. I encountered several large drovesof horses and black cattle on their way to the neighbourhood ofPhiladelphia and to the state of New York. The black cattle are purchasedprincipally in Ohio, whence they are brought into the Atlantic states, tobe fattened and consumed. The farmers and their families in Pennsylvania, have an appearance of comfort and respectability a good deal resemblingthat of the substantial English yeoman; yet farming here, as in all partsof the country, is a laborious occupation. I crossed the Monongahela at Williamsport, and the Youghaghany atRobstown, and so on through Mountpleasant to the first ridge of mountains, called "the chestnut ridge. " I determined on crossing the mountains onfoot; and after having made arrangements to that effect, I commencedsauntering along the road. Near Mountpleasant, I stopped to dine at thehouse of a Dutchman by descent. After dinner, the party adjourned, as iscustomary, to the bar-room, when divers political and polemical topicswere canvassed with the usual national warmth. An account of his lateMajesty's death was inserted in a Philadelphia paper, and happened to benoticed by one of the politicians present, when the landlord asked me howwe elected our king in England. I replied that he was not elected, butthat he became king by birthright, &c. A Kentuckian observed, placing hisleg on the back of the next chair, "That's a kind of unnatural. " AnIndianian said, "I don't believe in that system myself. " A third--"Do youmean to tell me, that because the last king was a smart man and knew hisduty, that his son, or his brother, should be a smart man, and fit for thesituation?" I explained that we had a premier, ministers, &c. ;--when thelast gentleman replied, "Then you pay half-a-dozen men to do one man'sbusiness. Yes--yes--that may do for Englishmen very well; but, I guess, itwould not go down here--no, no, Americans are a little more enlightenedthan to stand that kind of wiggery. " During this conversation, a personhad stepped into the room, and had taken his seat in silence. I was aboutto reply to the last observations of my antagonist, when this gentlemanopened out, with, "yes! that may do for Englishmen very well"--he was anEnglishman, I knew at once by his accent, and I verily believe theidentical radical who set the village of Bracebridge by the ears, andpitched the villagers to the devil, on seeing them grin through ahorse-collar, when they should have been calculating the interest of thenational debt, or conning over the list of sinecure placemen. He held inhis hand, instead of "Cobbett's Register, " the "GreenvilleRepublican. "--He had substituted for his short-sleeved coat, "around-about. "--He seemed to have put on flesh, and looked somewhat morecontented. "Yes, yes, " he says, "that may do for Englishmen very well, butit won't do here. Here we make our own laws, and we keep them too. It maydo for Englishmen very well, to have _the liberty_ of paying taxes for thesupport of the nobility. To have _the liberty_ of being incarcerated in agaol, for shooting the wild animals of the country. To have _the liberty_of being seized by a press-gang, torn away from their wives and families, and flogged at the discretion of my lord Tom, Dick, or Harry's bastard. "At this, the Kentuckian gnashed his teeth, and instinctively grasped hishunting-knife;--an old Indian doctor, who was squatting in one corner ofthe room, said, slowly and emphatically, as his eyes glared, his nostrilsdilated, and his lip curled with contempt--"The Englishman is adog"--while a Georgian slave, who stood behind his master's chair, grinnedand chuckled with delight, as he said--"_poor_ Englishman, him meaner manden black nigger. "--"To have, " continued the Englishman, "_the liberty_ ofbeing transported for seven years for being caught learning the use of thesword or the musket. To have the tenth lamb, and the tenth sheaf seized, or the blanket torn from off his bed, to pay a bloated, a plethoric bishopor parson, --to be kicked and cuffed about by a parcel of 'Bourbon_gendarmerie_'--Liberty!--why hell sweat"--here I--slipped out at the sidedoor into the water-melon patch. As I receded, I heard the whole partyburst out into an obstreperous fit of laughter. --A few broken sentences, from the Kentuckian and the radical, reached my ear, such as "backedout"--"damned aristocratic. " I returned in about half an hour to pay mybill, when I could observe one or two of those doughty politicians whoremained, leering at me most significantly. However, I--"smiled, and saidnothing. " "The Chestnut ridge" is a chain of rocky, barren mountains, covered withwood, and the ascent is steep and difficult. It is named from the quantityof chestnut trees that compose the bulk of its timber. Being a littlefatigued in ascending, I sat down in a wood of scrub oak. When I had beensome time seated on a large stone, my ear caught the gliding of a snake. Turning quickly, I perceived, at about a yard's distance, a reptile ofthat beautiful species the rattle-snake. He ceased moving: I jumped up, and struck at his head with a stick, but missed the blow. He instantlycoiled and rattled. I now retreated beyond the range of his spring. Perceiving that I had no intention of giving him fair play by comingwithin his reach, he suddenly uncoiled and glid across a log, thinking tomake good his retreat; but being determined on having--not his scalp, forthe head of a rattle-snake is rather a dangerous toy--but his rattle, Ipursued him across the log. He now coiled again, and rattled mostfuriously, thus indicating his extreme wrath at being attacked: the biteof this reptile is most venomous when he is most enraged. I took up a flatstone, about six inches square, and lobbed it on his coil. He suddenlydarted out towards me; but, as I had anticipated, he was encumbered withthe stone. I now advanced, and struck him on the head with my stick. Irepeated the blow until he seemed to be deprived of sensation, when I drewmy hunting knife and decapitated him. For a full hour afterwards the bodyretained all the vigour and sensitiveness which it possessed previous todecapitation, and on touching any part of it, would twist round in thesame manner as when the animal was perfect. Sensation graduallydisappeared, departing first from the extremities--more towards thewounded extremity than towards the other, but gradually from both, untilit was entirely gone. The length of this reptile was about four feet, andthe skin was extremely beautiful. Nothing could exceed the beauty of hiseye. A clear black lustre characterizes the eye of this animal, and issaid to produce so powerful an effect on birds and smaller animals, as todeprive them of the power of escaping. This snake had eight rattles, sothat he must have been at least eleven years old. I understood afterwardsthat there was a rattle-snakes' den in the neighbourhood. They appear tolive in society, and the large quantities that are frequently foundcongregated together are astonishing. The Jacksonville (Illinois) Gazetteof the 22d April, 1830, says, "Last week, a den of rattle-snakes wasdiscovered near Apple Creek, by a person while engaged in digging for rockin that part of our country. He made known the circumstance to theneighbours, who visited the place, where they killed 193 rattle-snakes, the largest of which (as our informant, who was on the spot, told us)measured nearly four feet in length. Besides these, there were sixteenblack snakes destroyed, together with one copper-head. Counting the youngones, there were upwards of 1000 killed. " There are two species ofrattle-snake, which are in constant hostility with each other. The commonblack snake, whose bite is perfectly innoxious, and the copper-head, havealso a deadly enmity towards the rattle-snake, which, when they meet it, they never fail to attack. The next ridge of mountains is called the "laurel hills, " which arecovered with an immense growth of different species of laurel. Betweenthese and the Alleghany ridge are situated "the glades"--beautiful fertileplains in a high state of cultivation. This district is most healthy, andfevers and agues are unknown to the inhabitants. Here the "Delawares ofthe hills" once roamed the sole lords of this fine country; and perhapsfrom the very eminence from whence I contemplated the beauty of the scene, some warrior, returning from the "war path" or the chase, may have gazedwith pleasure on the hills of his fathers, the possessions of a long lineof Sylvan heros, and in the pride of manhood said--'The Delawares aremen--they are strong in battle, and cunning on the trail of their foes--atthe 'council fire' there is wisdom in their words. Who counts more scalpsthan the Lenni Lenapé warrior?--he can never be conquered--the strangershall never dwell in his glades. ' Where now is the "Delaware of thehills?"--gone!--his very name is unknown in his own land, and not avestige remains to tell that _there_ once dwelt a great and powerfultribe. When the white man falls, his high towers and lofty battlements arelaid crumbling with the dust, yet these mighty ruins remain for ages, monuments of his former greatness: but the Indian passes away, silent asthe noiseless tread of the moccasin--the next snow comes, and his "trail"is blotted out for ever. I toiled across the Alleghanies, which are completely covered with timber, and passed on to a place within about thirty miles of Chambersburg, on abranch of the Potomac. Here, coming in upon _civilization_, I took thestage to Baltimore. In my pedestrian excursion the road lay for severalmiles along the banks of the Juniata, which is a very fine river. Thescenery is romantic, and is much beautified by a large growth ofmagnificent pines. The Alleghany ridge is composed chiefly of sand-stone, clay-slate, and lime-stone-slate, sand-stone sometimes in large blocks. I encountered several parties of French, Irish, Swiss, Bavarians, Dutch, &c. Going westward, with swarms of children, and considerable quantitiesof household lumber:--symptoms of seeking _El dorado_. In the neighbourhood of Baltimore there are many handsome residences, andthe farms are all well cleared, and in many cases walled in. The number ofcomparatively miserable-looking cabins which are dispersed along the roadnear this town, and the long lists of crimes and misdemeanours with whichthe Journals of Baltimore and Philadelphia are filled, sufficientlyindicate that these cities have arrived to an advanced state ofcivilization. For, wherever there are very rich people, there must be verypoor people; and wherever there are very poor people, there mustnecessarily exist a proportionate quantity of crime. Men are poor, onlybecause they are ignorant; for if they possessed a knowledge of their ownpowers and capabilities, they would then know, that however wealth may bedistributed, all real wealth is created by labour, and by labour alone. Baltimore is seated on the north side of the Patapsco river, within a fewmiles of the Chesapeak bay. It received its name in compliment to theIrish family of the Calverts. The harbour, at Fell Point, has abouteighteen feet water, and is defended by a strong fort, called Mc Henry'sfort, on Observation Hill. Vessels of large tonnage cannot enter thebasin. In 1791 it contained 13, 503 inhabitants; in 1810, 46, 487; and atpresent it contains 80, 519. There are many fine buildings and monuments inthis city; and the streets in which business is not extensivelytransacted, are planted with Lombardy poplar, locust, and pride-of-chinatrees, --the last mentioned especially afford a fine shade. A considerable schooner trade is carried on by the merchants of Baltimorewith South America. The schooners of this port are celebrated for theirbeauty, and are much superior to those of any other port on the Continent. They are sharp built, somewhat resembling the small Greek craft one seesin the Mediterranean. A rail-road is being constructed from this place tothe Ohio river, a distance of upwards of three hundred miles, and aboutfourteen miles of the road is already completed, as is also a viaduct. Ifthe enterprising inhabitants of Baltimore be able to finish thisundertaking, it must necessarily throw a very large amount of wealth intotheir hands, to the prejudice of Philadelphia and New York. But theexpense will be enormous. I left Baltimore for Philadelphia in one of those splendid and spacioussteam-boats peculiar to this country. We paddled up the Chesapeak bayuntil we came to Elk river--the scenery at both sides is charming. Alittle distance up this river commences the "Chesapeak and Delawarecanal, " which passes through the old state of Delaware, and unites thewaters of the two bays. Here we were handed into a barge, or what we incommon parlance would term a large canal boat; but the Americans are thefondest people in the universe of big names, and ransack the Dictionaryfor the most pompous appellations with which to designate their works orproductions. The universal fondness for European titles that obtains here, is also remarkable. The president, is "his excellency, "--"congressmen, "are "honorables, "--and every petty merchant, or "dry-goods store-keeper, "is, at least, an esquire. Their newspapers contain many specimens of thislove of monarchical distinctions--such as, "wants a situation, asstore-keeper (shopman), a gentleman, &c. " "Two gentlemen were convictedand sentenced to six months' imprisonment for horse-stealing, &c. " Thesetwo items I read myself in the papers of the western country, and thelatter was commented on by a Philadelphia journal. You may frequently see"Miss Amanda, " without shoes or stockings--certainly for convenience oreconomy, not from necessity, and generally in Dutch houses--and "that_ere_ young lady" scouring the pails! An accident lately occurred in oneof the factories in New England, and the local paper stated, that "oneyoung lady was seriously injured, "--this young lady was a spinner. Observe, I by no means object to the indiscriminate use of the terms_gentleman_ and _lady_, but merely state the fact. On the contrary, so faram I from finding fault with the practice, that I think it quite fair;when any portion of republicans make use of terms which properly belong toa monarchy, that all classes should do the same, it being unquestionablytheir right. It does not follow, because a man may be introduced as an_American gentleman_, that he may not be simply a mechanic. The Chesapeak and Delaware canal is about fourteen miles in length; andfrom the nature of the soil through which it is cut, there was somedifficulty attending the permanent security of the work. On reaching theDelaware, we were again handed into a steamer, and so conducted toPhiladelphia. The merchant shipping, and the numerous pleasure andsteam-boats, and craft of every variety, which are constantly moving onthe broad bosom of the Delaware, present a gay and animated scene. Philadelphia is a regular well-built city, and one of the handsomest inthe states. It lies in latitude 39° 56' north, and longitude, west ofLondon, 75° 8'; distant from the sea, 120 miles. The city stands on anelevated piece of ground between the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, abouta mile broad from bank to bank, and six miles from their junction. TheDelaware is about a mile wide at Philadelphia, and ships of the largesttonnage can approach the wharf. The city contains many fine buildings ofSchuylkill marble. The streets are well paved, and have broad _trottoirs_of hard red brick. The police regulations are excellent, and cleanlinessis much attended to, the kennels being washed daily during the summermonths, with water from the reservoirs. The markets, or shambles, extendhalf-a-mile in length, from the wharf up Market-street, in six divisions. In addition to the shambles, farmers' waggons, loaded with every kind ofcountry produce for sale, line the street. There are five banking establishments in the city: the Bank of NorthAmerica, the United States Bank, the Bank of Pennsylvania, the Bank ofPhiladelphia, and the Farmers' Bank. The principal institutions are, the Franklin library, which containsupwards of 20, 000 volumes. Strangers are admitted gratis, and arepermitted to peruse any of the books. The Americans should adopt thispractice in all their national exhibitions, and rather copy the liberalityof the French than the sordid churlishness of the English, who compelforeigners to pay even for seeing the property of the nation. The otherinstitutions are, the University of Pennsylvania, a College, MedicalTheatre, College of Physicians, Philosophical Hall, Agricultural andLinnean Societies, Academy of Fine Arts, and the Cincinnati Society, whichoriginated in an attempt to establish a sort of aristocracy. The memberswere at its formation the surviving officers of the revolution; they wearan eagle, suspended by a ribbon, which, at their death, they haveappointed to be taken by their eldest sons. There are besides, theAcademies of the Philadelphian Friends, and the German Lutherans; Sundayand Lancasterian schools; and, of course, divers Bible and TractSocieties, which are patronized by all the antiquated dames in the city, and superintended by the Methodist and Presbyterian parsons. The Methodistparsons of this country have the character of being men of gallantry; andindeed, from the many instances I have heard of their propensity in thisway, from young Americans, I should be a very sceptic to doubt the fact. There are also St. George's, St. Patrick's, St. David's, and St. Andrew'sSocieties for the relief and colonization of British emigrants; a Frenchand a German Emigrant Society, and several hospitals. There are twotheatres and an amphitheatre. Peal's Museum contains a large collection, which is scientifically arranged; among other fossils is the perfectskeleton of a mammoth, found in a bed of marle in the state of New York. The length of this animal, from the bend of the tusks to the rump, wasabout twenty-seven feet, and the height and bulk proportionate. The navy-yard contains large quantities of timber, spars, and rigging, prepared for immediate use, as also warlike stores of every description. There is here, a ship of 140 guns, of large calibre, and a frigate. Bothare housed completely, and in a condition to be launched in a few months, if necessary. They are constructed of the very best materials, and in themost durable and solid manner. There are now being constructed, seriatim, twenty-five ships of the line--one for every state in the Union. Thegovernment occasionally sells the smaller vessels of war to merchants, inorder to increase the shipping, and to secure that those armed vesselswhich are afloat, may be in the finest possible condition. A corvette, completely equipped, was lately sold to his majesty the autocrat of theRussias; but was dismasted in a day or two after her departure fromCharleston. She was taken in tow by the vessel of a New York merchant, andcarried into the port of that city. The merchant refused any compensationfrom the Russian minister, although his vessel was, when she fell in withthe wreck, proceeding to the Austral regions, and her putting about wasgreatly disadvantageous. The minister returned thanks publicly, on thepart of his master, and expressed his majesty's sense of the invariableconsideration and friendship with which his majesty's subjects are treatedby the citizens of America. There appears to be a universal wish among theAmericans to cultivate an alliance, offensive and defensive, with hismajesty of Russia. The cry is, "all the Russians want is a fleet, andwe'll lend them that. " In fact, a deadly animosity pervades Americatowards Great Britain; and although it is not publicly confessed, for theAmericans are too able politicians to do that, yet it is no less certain, that "_Delenda est Carthago_, " is their motto. Let England look to it. Herpower is great; but, if the fleets of America, France, and Russia, were tocombine, and land on the shores of England hordes of Russians, andbattalions of disciplined Frenchmen--if this were to be done, with theIrish people, instead of allies as they should be, her deadly enemies, herpower is annihilated at a blow! For let it be remembered, that there is norallying principle in the temperament of the mass of the English people;and that formerly one single victory, --the victory of Hastings, completelysubjugated them. Hume, who was decidedly an impartial historian, iscompelled to say of that conquest, "It would be difficult to find in allhistory a revolution more destructive, or attended with a more completesubjection of the ancient inhabitants. Contumely seems even to have beenwantonly added to oppression; and the natives were universally reduced tosuch a state of meanness and poverty, that the English name became a termof reproach; and several generations elapsed before one family of Saxonpedigree was raised to any considerable honours, or could so much asobtain the rank of baron of the realm. "--Yet the English people owe muchto the ancestors of the aristocracy, who introduced among them the artsand refinements of civilization, and by their wisdom and disciplinedvalour have raised the country to that pitch of greatness, so justlytermed "the envy of surrounding nations. " I do not contend, that because anation may have acquired the name of great, that therefore _the people_are more happy; but am rather inclined to think the contrary, forconquests are generally made and wealth is accumulated for the benefit ofthe few, and at the expense of the many. A law has been lately passed by the legislature of Pennsylvania, taxingwholesale and retail dealers in merchandize, excepting those importers offoreign goods who vend the articles in the form in which they areimported. This act classes the citizens according to their annual amountof sales, and taxes them in the same proportion. Those who effect sales tothe amount of fifty thousand dollars, constitute the first class; of fortythousand dollars, the second class; of thirty thousand dollars, the thirdclass; of twenty thousand dollars, the fourth class; of fifteen thousanddollars, the fifth class; of ten thousand dollars, the sixth class; offive thousand dollars, the seventh class; and all persons effecting salesnot exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars, constitute the eighthclass. The first class shall pay for license, annually, fifty dollars; thesecond class, forty dollars; the third class, thirty dollars; the fourthclass, twenty-five dollars; the fifth class, twenty dollars; the sixthclass, fifteen dollars; the seventh class, twelve dollars and fifty cents, and the eighth class ten dollars. Direct taxation has been found in all cases to be obnoxious, and thisparticular mode, I apprehend, is calculated to produce very perniciouseffects. The laws of a republic should all tend to establish and support, as far as is practicable, the principle of equality, and any act that hasa contrary tendency must be injurious to the community. Now this act drawsa direct line of demarcation between citizens, in proportion to the extentof their dealings; and as in this country a man's importance is entirelyestimated by his supposed wealth, the citizens of Pennsylvania canhenceforth only claim a share of respectability, proportionate to the_class_ to which they belong. The west country ladies have shewn a greataptitude for forming "circles of society, " and the promulgation of thislaw affords them a most powerful aid in establishing a _store-keepingaristocracy_. The large cities in America are by no means so lightly taxed as might besupposed from the cheapness of the government; the public works, publicbuildings, and police establishments, requiring adequate funds for theirmaintenance and support; however, the inhabitants have the consolation ofknowing that this must gradually decrease, and that their money is laidout for their own advantage, and not for the purpose of pensioning off themistresses and physicians of viceroys, as in Ireland. [23] Another thing isto be observed, that in addition to the _national_ debt, each state has a_private_ debt, which in many cases is tolerably large. These debts havebeen created by expenditures on roads, canals, and public buildings. Themode of taxation latterly adopted by the legislature is not popular, andmany of the public prints have remonstrated against the system. "ThePhiladelphia Gazette, " of the 24th Sept. 1830, makes the followingremarks--"The subject of unequal and oppressive taxation deserves moreattention than it has hitherto received from our citizens. The misery ofEngland is occasioned less by the amount of revenue that is raised there, than by the manner in which it is raised. In Pennsylvania we are going onrapidly, making our state a second England in regard of debt and taxation. Our public debt is already 13, 000, 000 dollars; and before our canals andrail-roads shall be completed, it will probably amount to 18 or 20millions. The law imposing taxes of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 dollars onretailers, is not the only just subject of complaint. The _collateralinheritance_ tax is equally unjust. The tavern-keepers are besides to betaxed from 20 to 50 dollars each. Nor does the matter end here. At thenext session of the legislature, it will, in all probability, be foundnecessary to lay on additional taxes: and when the principle of unjusttaxation is once admitted in legislation, it is difficult to say how farit will be carried. " Whilst staying at Philadelphia an account of the French revolutionarrived, and the merchants, there and at New York, were in high spirits, thinking that war was inevitable. A war in Europe is always hailed withdelight in America, as it opens a field for commercial enterprise, andgives employment to the shipping, of which at present they are much inneed. During the long and ruinous war in Europe, the mercantile and shippinginterests of the United States advanced with an unexampled degree ofrapidity. The Americans were then the carriers of nearly all Europe, andscarcely any merchandize entered the ports of the belligerent powers, butin American bottoms. This unnatural state of prosperity could not last:peace was established, and from that era the decline of commerce in theUnited States may be dated. The merchants seem not to have calculated onthis event's so soon taking place, or to have overrated the increase ofprosperity and population in their own country, as up to that period, andfor some years afterwards, there does appear to have been no relaxation ofship-building, and little diminution of mercantile speculations. Atpresent the ship-owners are realizing little beyond the expenses of theirvessels, and in many cases the bottoms are actually in debt. The frequentfailures in the Atlantic cities, of late, are mainly to be attributed tounsuccessful ship speculations; and I am myself aware of more than oneinstance, where the freight was so extremely low, as to do little morethan cover the expenditure of the voyage. On my return to Europe, whilestaying at Marseilles, twelve American vessels arrived in that port withinthe space of two months; and before my departure, nine of these returnedto the United States with ballast (stones), and I believe only two withfull cargos. In a national point of view, the difficulty of obtaining employment forthe shipping of America may not have been so injurious as at first viewit appears to be; on the contrary, I am of opinion that it has beenadvantageous. Whilst a profitable trade could with facility be carried onwith and in Europe, the merchants seldom thought of extending theirenterprises to any other parts of the world; but since the decline of thattrade, communications have been opened with the East Indies, Africa, allthe ports of the Mediterranean, and voyages to the Pacific, and to theAustral regions, are now of common occurrence. The museums in the Atlanticcities bear ample testimony to the enterprising character of the Americanmerchants, which by their means are filled with all the curious andinteresting productions of the East. This has encouraged a taste forscientific studies, and for travelling; which must ultimately tend toraise the nation to a degree of respectability little inferior to theoldest European state. FOOTNOTES: [23] An Irish viceroy lately paid his physician by conferring on him abaronetcy, and a pension of two hundred pounds a year, of the publicmoney. CHAPTER XI. Having sojourned for more than three weeks at Philadelphia, I departed forNew York. The impressions made on my mind during that time were highlyfavourable to the Philadelphians and their city. It is the handsomest cityin the Union; and the inhabitants, in sociability and politeness, havemuch the advantage of any other body of people with whom I came incontact. The steamer takes you up the Delaware river to Bordentown, in New Jersey, twenty-four miles from Philadelphia. The country at either side is in ahigh state of cultivation. It is interspersed with handsome country seats, and on the whole presents a most charming prospect. There is scarcely asingle point passed up the windings of the Delaware, but presents a newand pleasing variety of landscape--luxuriant foliage--gently swellinghills, and fertile lawns; which last having been lately mown, were coveredwith a rich green sward most pleasing to the eye. The banks of the riverat Bordentown are high, and the town, as seen from the water, has a prettyeffect. Here a stage took us across New Jersey to Amboy. This is not alarge town, nor can it ever be of much importance, being situated too nearthe cities of New York and Philadelphia. At Amboy we again took thesteam-boat up the bay, and after a delightful sail of thirty miles, through scenery the most beautiful and magnificent, we arrived at NewYork. When I was at New York about fifteen months before, I was informed thatthe working classes were being organized into regular bodies, similar tothe "union of trades" in England, for the purpose of retaining allpolitical power in their own hands. This organization has taken place atthe suggestion of Frances Wright, of whom I shall again have occasion tospeak presently, and has succeeded to an astonishing extent. There arethree or four different bodies of the "workies, " as they call themselvesfamiliarly, which vary somewhat from each other in their principles, andgo different lengths in their attacks on the present institutions ofsociety. There are those of them called "agrarians, " who contend thatthere should be a law passed to prohibit individuals holding beyond acertain quantity of ground; and that at given intervals of time thereshould be an equal division of property throughout the land. This is themost ultra, and least numerous class; the absurdity of whose doctrinesmust ultimately destroy them as a body. Various handbills and placards maybe seen posted about the city, calling meetings of these unions. Some ofthose handbills are of a most extraordinary character indeed. I shallhere insert a copy of one, which I took off a wall, and have now in mypossession. It may serve to illustrate the character of those clubs. THE CAUSE OF THE POOR. The Mechanics and other working men of the city of New York, andof _these_ such and such only as live by their own usefulindustry, who wish to retain all political power in their ownhands; WHO ARE IN FAVOUR OF AND WHO ARE OPPOSED TO A just compensation for labour, Banks and Bankers, Abolishing imprisonment for debt, Auctions and Auctioneers, An efficient lien law, Monopolies and A general system of education; Monopolists of all descriptions, including food, clothing and instruction, equal for all, Brokers, at the public expense, _without separation of children from_ Lawyers, and _parents, _ Rich men for office, and to allExemption from sale by execution, those, either rich or poor, of mechanics' tools and who favour them, implements sufficiently extensive to enable them to Exemption of Property from carry on business: Taxation: Are invited to assemble at the Wooster-street Military Hall, onThursday evening next, 16th Sept. , at eight o'clock, to select byBallot, from among the persons proposed on the 6th Instant, Candidates for Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Senator, and a NewCommittee of Fifty, and to propose Candidates for Register, forMembers of Congress, and for Assembly. By order of the Committee of Fifty. JOHN R. SOPER, _Chairman_. JOHN TUTHILL, _Secretary_. So far for the "Workies;" and now for Miss Wright. If I understand thislady's principles correctly, they are strictly Epicurean. She contends, that mankind have nothing whatever to do with any but this tangibleworld;--that the sole and only legitimate pursuit of man, is terrestrialhappiness;--that looking forward to an ideal state of existence, divertshis attention from the pleasures of this life--destroys all real sympathytowards his fellow-creatures, and renders him callous to their sufferings. However different the _theories_ of other systems may be, she contendsthat the _practice_ of the world, in all ages and generations, shews thatthis is the _effect_ of their inculcation. These are alarming doctrines;and when this lady made her _debût_ in public, the journals contended thattheir absurdity was too gross to be of any injury to society, and that ina few months, if she continued lecturing, it would be to empty benches. The editor of "The New York Courier and Enquirer" and she have been inconstant enmity, and have never failed denouncing each other whenopportunity offered. Miss Wright sailed from New York for France, whereshe still remains, in the month of July, 1830; and previous to herdeparture delivered an address, on which "the New York Enquirer" makes thefollowing observations:-- "The parting address of Miss Wright at the Bowery Theatre, on Wednesdayevening, was a singular _melange_ of politics and impiety--eloquence andirreligion--bold invective, and electioneering slang. The theatre was verymuch crowded, probably three thousand persons being present; and what wasthe most surprising circumstance of the whole, is the fact, that about_one half of the audience were females--respectable females_. "When Fanny first made her appearance in this city as a lecturer on the'new order of things, ' she was very little visited by respectable females. At her first lecture in the Park Theatre, about half a dozen appeared; butthese soon left the house. From that period till the present, we had notheard her speak in public; but her doctrines, and opinions, andphilosophy, appear to have made much greater progress in the city than weever dreamt of. Her fervid eloquence--her fine action--her _soprano-toned_voice--her bold and daring attacks upon all the present systems ofsociety--and particularly upon priests, politicians, bankers, andaristocrats as she calls them, have raised a party around her ofconsiderable magnitude, and of much fervour and enthusiasm. " * * * * * "The present state of things in this city is, to say the least of it, very singular. A bold and eloquent woman lays siege to the veryfoundations of society--inflames and excites the public mind--declaimswith vehemence against every thing religious and orderly, and directs thewhole of her movements to accomplish the election of a ticket next fall, under the title of the 'working-man's ticket. '[24] She avows that herobject is a thorough and radical reform and change in every relation oflife--even the dearest and most sacred. Father, mother, husband, wife, son, and daughter, in all their delicate and endearing relationships, areto be swept away equally with clergymen, churches, banks, parties, andbenevolent societies. Hundreds and hundreds of respectable families, byfrequenting her lectures, give countenance and currency to these startlingprinciples and doctrines. Nearly the whole newspaper press of the citymaintain a death-like silence, while the great Red Harlot of Infidelity ismadly and triumphantly stalking over the city, under the mantle of'working-men, ' and making _rapid progress_ in her work of ruin. If asolitary newspaper raise a word in favour of public virtue and privatemorals, in defence of the rights, liberties, and property of thecommunity, it is denounced with open bitterness by some, and secretlystabbed at by them who wish to pass for good citizens. Miss Wright saysshe leaves the city soon. This is a mere _ruse_ to call her followersaround her. The effect of her lectures is already boasted of by herfollowers. 'Two years ago, ' say they, --'_twenty persons_ could scarcely befound in New York who would openly avow infidelity--now we have _twentythousand_. --Is not that something?' "We say it is something--something that will make the whole city think. " On the day of my departure for Europe, is was announced to the merchantsof New York, that the West India ports were opened to American vessels. This is a heavy blow to the interests of the British colonies; and it doesnot appear that even Great Britain _herself_ has received any equivalentfor inflicting so serious an injury on a portion of the empire by no meansunimportant. The Canadians and Nova Scotians found a market for theirsurplus produce in the West Indies, for which they took in return theproductions of these islands--thus a reciprocal advantage was derived tothe sister colonies. But now, from the proximity of the West Indies to theAtlantic cities of the United States, American produce will be poured intothese markets, for which, in return, little else than specie will bebrought back to the ports of the Republic. It may be said, that an equivalent has been obtained by the removal ofrestrictions hitherto laid on British shipping. This I deny is any thinglike an equivalent, as the trade with America is carried on almostexclusively in American bottoms. I particularly noted at New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York, the paucity of British vessels inthose ports; and ascertained that it was the practice among Americanmerchants, who it must be observed are nearly all extensive ship-owners, to withhold cargos, even at some inconvenience, from foreign vessels, andawait the arrival of those of their own country. I do not positivelyassert that the ships of _any other_ nation are preferred to those ofEngland; but, as far as my personal observations on that point have gone, I am strongly inclined to think that such is the fact. The mercantile and shipping interests of Great Britain must continue todecline, if the government suffers itself continually to be cajoled intomeasures of this nature, and effects treaties the advantages of whichappear to be all on one side, and in lieu of its concessions receives nojust equivalent; unless a little empty praise for "liberal policy" and"generosity, " can be so termed. I am well aware that it may have been ofsome small advantage to the West Indies to be enabled to obtain theirsupplies from the United States; but with reference to the policy of themeasure, I speak only of the empire at large. Nearly all the Canadianswith whom I conversed, freely acknowledged that they have not shaken offthe yoke of England, only because they enjoyed some advantages by theirconnexion with her: but as these are diminished, the ties become loosened, and at length will be found too weak to hold them any longer. Disputeshave already arisen between the people and the government relative tochurch lands, which appropriations they contend are unjust and dishonest. No doubt the question of tariff duties on the raw material imported intoEngland, is one of great delicacy as connected with the manufacturinginterests of the country; yet it does appear to me, that a small dutymight without injury be imposed on American cottons _imported in Americanbottoms_. This would afford considerable encouragement to the shipping ofGreat Britain and her colonies, and could by no means be injurious to themanufacturing interests. The cottons of the Levant have been latterlyincreasing in quantity, and a measure of this nature would be likely topromote their further and rapid increase; which is desirable, as it wouldleave us less dependent on America, than we now are, for the raw material. The shipping of America is not held by the cotton-growing states; andalthough the nationality of the southerns is no doubt great, yet theirlove of self-interest is much greater, and would always preponderate intheir choice of vessels. It would be even better, if found necessary, tomake some arrangement in the shape of draw-back, than that a nation whichhas imposed a duty on our manufactured goods, almost amounting to aprohibition, should reap so much advantage from our system of "liberal andgenerous" policy. I shall conclude these _rambling_ sketches byobserving, that there are two things eminently remarkable in America: theone is, that every American from the highest to the lowest, thinks theRepublican form of government _the best;_ and the other, that theseditious and rebellious of all countries become there the most peaceableand contented citizens. We sailed from New York on the 1st of October, 1830. The monotony of a seavoyage, with unscientific people, is tiresome beyond description. Thejournal of a single day is the history of a month. You rise in themorning, and having performed the necessary ablutions, mount ondeck, --"Well Captain, how does she head?"--"South-east by east"--(ourcourse is east by south). --"Bad, bad, Captain--two points off. " You thenpromenade the quarter-deck, until the black steward arrests yourprogress--grins in your face, and announces breakfast. Down you go, andfall foul of ham, beef, _pommes de terre frites_, jonny-cakes, and _cafésans lait;_ and generally, in despite of bad cooking and occasionallee-lurches, contrive to eat an enormous meal. Breakfast being despatched, you again go on deck--promenade--gaze on the clouds--then read a little, if perchance you have books with you--lean over the gunwale, watching thewaves and the motion of the vessel; but the eternal water, clouds, andsky--sky, clouds, and water, produce a listlessness that nothing canovercome. In the Atlantic, a ship in sight is an object which arouses theattention of all on board--to speak one is an aera, and furnishes to thecaptain and mates a subject for the day's conversation. Thus situated, anoccasional spell of squally weather is by no means uninteresting:--thelowering aspect of the sky--the foaming surges, which come rolling on, threatening to overwhelm the tall ship, and bury her in the fathomlessabyss of the ocean--the laugh of the gallant tars, when a sea sweeps thedeck and drenches them to the skin--all these incidents, united, ratheramuse the voyager, and tend to dispel the inanity with which he isafflicted. During these periods, I have been for hours watching themotions of the "stormy petrel" (_procellaria pelagica_), called bysailors, "mother Carey's chickens. " These birds are seldom seen in calmweather, but appear to follow the gale, and when it blows most heavilythey are seen in greatest numbers. The colour is brown and white; the sizeabout that of the swallow, whose motions oh the wing they resemble. Theyskim over the surface of the roughest sea, gliding up and down theundulations with astonishing swiftness. When they observe their prey, theydescend flutteringly, and place the feet and the tips of the wings on thesurface of the water. In this position I have seen many of them rest forfive or six seconds, until they had completed the capture. The petrel isto be seen in all parts of the Atlantic, no matter how distant from land;and the oldest seaman with whom I have conversed on the subject, never sawone of them rest. Humboldt says, that in the Northern Deserta, thepetrels hide in rabbit burrows. A few days' sail brought us into the "Gulf stream, " the influence of whichis felt as high as the 43° north latitude. We saw a considerable quantityof _fucus natans_, or gulf weed, but it generally was so far from thevessel, that I could not contrive to procure a sprig. Mr. Luccock, in hisNotes on Brazil, says, that "if a nodule of this weed, taken fresh fromthe water at night, is hung up in a small cabin, it emits phosphorescentlight enough to render objects visible. " He describes the leaves of thisplant as springing from the joints of the branches, oblong, indented atthe edges, about an inch and a half long, and a quarter of an inch broad. Humboldt's description is somewhat different: he calls it the "vine-leavedfucus;" says, "the leaves are circular, of a _tender_ green, and indentedat the edges, stem brown, and three inches long. "--What I saw of thisweed rather agrees with that described by Humboldt--the leaves wereshaped like the vine leaf, and of a rusty-green colour. That portion ofthe Atlantic between the 22d and 34th parallels of latitude, and 26th and58th meridians of longitude, is generally covered with fuci, and is termedby the Portuguese, _mar do sargasso_, or grassy sea. It was supposed bymany, from the large quantities of this weed seen in the Gulf stream, thatit grew on the Florida rocks, and by the influence and extension of thecurrent, was detached and carried into this part of the Atlantic. However, this position is not tenable, as a single branch of fucus has never beenfound on the Florida reef. Humboldt, and other scientific men, are ofopinion that this weed vegetates at the bottom of the ocean--that beingdetached from its root, it rises to the surface; and that such portion ofit as is found in the stream, is drawn thither by the sweeping of thecurrent along the edge of the weedy sea. Moreover, the fuci that arefound in the northern extremity of the Florida stream are generallydecayed, while those which are seen in the southern extremity appear quitefresh--this difference would not exist if they emanated from the Gulf. We stood to the north of the Azores, with rather unfavourable winds, andat length came between the coast of Africa and Cape St. Vincent. Here wehad a dead calm for four entire days. The sky was perfectly cloudless, andthe surface of the ocean was like oil. Not being able to do better, we gotout the boat and went turtle fishing, or rather catching, in company witha very fine shark, which thought proper to attend us during our excursion. In such weather the turtles come to the surface of the water to sleep andenjoy the solar heat, and if you can approach without waking them, theyfall an easy prey, being rendered incapable of resistance by their shellyarmour. We took six. Attached to the breast of one was a remora, or"sucking fish. " The length of this animal is from six to eightinches--colour blackish--body, scaleless and oily--head rather flat, onthe back of which is the sucker, which consists of a narrow oval-shapedmargin with several transverse projections, and ten curved rays extendingtowards the centre, but not meeting. The Indians of Jamaica and Cubaemployed this fish as falconers do hawks. In calm weather, they carriedout those which they had kept and fed for the purpose, in their canoes, and when they had got to a sufficient distance, attached the remora to thehead of the canoe by a strong line of considerable length. When the remoraperceives a fish, which he can do at a considerable distance, he dartsaway with astonishing rapidity, and fastens upon it. The Indian lets gothe line, to which a buoy is attached to mark the course the remora hastaken, and follows in his canoe until he thinks the game is exhausted; hethen draws it gradually in, the remora still adhering to his prey. Oviedosays, "I have known a turtle caught by this method, of a bulk and weightwhich no single man could support. " For four days we were anxiously watching for some indications of a breeze, but were so frequently deceived with "cat's paws, " and the occasionalslight flickering of the dog vane, that we sank into listless resignation. At length our canvass filled, and we soon came within sight of the Straitsof Gibraltar. On our left was the coast of Spain, with its vineyards andwhite villages; and on our right lay the sterile hills of Barbary. Opposite Cape Trafalgar is Cape Spartel, a bold promontory, on the westside of which is a range of basaltic pillars. The entrance to theMediterranean by the Straits, when the wind is unfavourable, is extremelydifficult; but to pass out is almost impossible, the current continuallysetting in through the centre of the passage. Hence, onwards, the sail wasextremely pleasant, being within sight of the Spanish coast, and theIslands of Yvica, Majorca, and Minorca, successively, until we reachedthe Gulf of Lyons. When the northerly wind blows, which, in Provence, istermed the _mistral_, the waves roll against the coast of Provence, andthe recoil produces that ugly chopping sea for which this gulf isrenowned. In the Mediterranean, even in the calmest weather, a lightpleasant breeze springs up after sunset; this and the cloudless sky, andunobscured brilliancy of the stars, are attractions sufficient to allurethe most somnolent and unromantic mortal to remain on deck. The molusca, or oceanic insect, which emits a phosphorescent light, appeared here in vast quantities, which induced me to try experiments. Itook a piece of black crape, and having folded it several times, pouredsome sea water taken fresh in a bucket, upon it: the water in the bucket, when agitated by the hand, gave out sparkling light. When the crape wasthoroughly saturated with water, I took it to a dark part of the cabin, when it seemed to be studded with small sparkling stars; but more of theanimals I could not then discern. Next day I put some water in a glasstumbler, and having exposed it to a strong solar light, with the help of amagnifying glass was enabled distinctly to discern the moluscae. Whenmagnified, they appeared about the size of a pin's head, of a yellowishbrown colour, rather oval-shaped, and having tentaculae. The medusa is agenus of molusca; and I think M. Le Seur told me he reckons forty-three orforty-four species of that genus. We crossed the Gulf of Lyons, and came within the road of Marseilles, where we were taken charge of by a pilot. When we reached the mouth of thebasin, a boat came alongside of us, and a man handed up a piece of wood, and said, "Mettez sur cela le nom du capitaine et du batiment;"--we wereto perform quarantine. Whoever has performed quarantine can commiserateour condition. No one can quit the quarantine ground, or rather the spacein the harbour alloted to vessels performing quarantine. If it benecessary to send any papers from the ship on shore, they are taken with aforceps and plunged into vinegar. If the sails of any other vessel touchthose of one in quarantine, she too must undergo several days' probation. Our time was five days; but as we had clean bills of health, and had lostnone of our crew on the passage, we were allowed to count the day of ourentering and the day of our going out of quarantine. The usual ceremoniesbeing performed, I again stepped on European ground, and felt myself athome. FOOTNOTES: [24] The "Education ticket, " that of the "workies, " carried every thingbefore it in New York and the adjoining states, at the election ofmembers of congress, &c. APPENDIX. NEW CENSUS OF THE UNITED STATES. An abstract of a "careful revision of the enumeration of the United Statesfor the years 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, and 1830, " compiled at theDepartment of State, agreeably to law; and an ABSTRACT from the AggregateReturns of the several Marshals of the United States of the "FifthCensus. " STATES. 1790. 1800. 1810. 1820. 1830. Maine 96, 540 151, 719 228, 705 298, 335 399, 463New Hampshire 141, 899 183, 762 214, 360 244, 161 269, 533Massachusetts 378, 717 423, 243 472, 040 523, 287 610, 014Rhode Island 69, 110 69, 122 77, 031 83, 059 97, 210Connecticut 258, 141 231, 002 262, 042 275, 202 297, 011Vermont 85, 416 154, 465 217, 713 233, 764 280, 679New York 340, 120 586, 756 959, 049 1, 372, 812 1, 913, 508New Jersey 184, 139 211, 949 245, 555 277, 575 320, 778Pennsylvania 434, 373 602, 365 810, 091 1, 049, 458 1, 347, 672Delaware 59, 096 64, 273 72, 674 72, 749 76, 739Maryland 319, 728 341, 548 380, 546 407, 350 446, 913D. Columbia -- 14, 093 24, 023 33, 039 39, 588Virginia 748, 308 880, 200 974, 622 1, 065, 379 1, 211, 266N. Carolina 393, 751 478, 103 555, 500 638, 829 738, 470S. Carolina 249, 073 345, 591 415, 115 502, 741 581, 458Georgia 82, 548 162, 101 252, 433 340, 987 516, 504Kentucky 73, 077 220, 955 406, 511 564, 317 688, 844Tennessee 35, 791 105, 602 231, 727 422, 813 684, 822Ohio -- 45, 365 230, 760 581, 434 937, 679Indiana -- 4, 875 24, 520 147, 178 341, 582Mississippi -- 8, 850 40, 352 75, 448 136, 806Illinois -- -- 12, 233 55, 211 157, 575Louisiana -- -- 76, 556 153, 407 215, 791Missouri -- -- 20, 845 66, 586 140, 084Alabama -- -- -- 127, 902 309, 206Michigan -- -- 4, 762 8, 896 31, 123Arkansas -- -- -- 14, 273 30, 383Florida -- -- -- -- 34, 725 3, 929, 827 5, 305, 925 7, 289, 314 9, 638, 131 12, 856, 437 INCREASE FROM 1820 TO 1830. Per Cent. Per Cent. Maine 33, 398 S. Carolina 15, 657N. Hampshire 10, 391 Georgia 51, 472Massachusetts 16, 575 Kentucky 22, 066Rhode Island 17, 157 Tennessee 62, 044Connecticut 8, 151 Ohio 61, 998Vermont 19, 005 Indiana 132, 087New York 39, 386 Mississippi 81, 032New Jersey 15, 564 Illinois 185, 406Pennsylvania 25, 416 Louisiana 40, 665Delaware 5, 487 Missouri 110, 380Maryland 9, 712 Alabama 141, 574D. Columbia 20, 639 Michigan 250, 001Virginia 13, 069 Arkansas 113, 273N. Carolina 15, 592 Florida -- Average 32, 392 EXTRACTS FROM "THE CHEROKEE PHOENIX, " OF JULY 31, 1830. _The following is part of a Letter written by a Creek Chief, from theArkansas territory. _ "The son of General M'Intosh, (an Indian chief), with the M'Intosh party, held a treaty with the government, and were induced, by promises, toremove to Arkansas. They were promised 'a home for ever, ' if they wouldselect one, and that bounds should be marked off to them. This has notbeen done. They were assured that they should draw a proportionate part ofthe annuity due to the Creek nation every year. They have planted cornthree seasons--yet they have never drawn one cent of any annuity due tothem! Why is this? They were promised blankets, guns, ammunition, traps, kettles, and a _wheelwright_. They have drawn some few of each class ofarticles, and only a few--they have no wheelwright. They were poor;--butabove this, they were promised pay for the improvements abandoned by themin the old nation. This they have not received. They were further assuredthat they should receive, upon their arrival on Arkansas, _thirty dollars_per head for each emigrant. This they have not received. But the actingsub-agent, in the spring 1829, finding their wants very pressing (indeedmany of them were in a famishing condition), gave to each one his duebill, in the name of the agent, for the amount of bounty due them, andtook their receipts for the amount, as vouchers for the agent, to settlehis account by with the government. The consequence was, that the Indians, not regarding paper as of any real value, would go to the traders, andsell the due bills at what they could get for them. And the traders havingno confidence in the promises of the government through its agents, unitedwith the hazard of delay at all events, would not give the real value ofthe amount promised by the due bills. If the Indians attempted to tradethem to the whites for cattle, or any thing which they stood in need of, the consequence was, that they were compelled to make a discount uponthem. Not finding them worth as many dollars as they purported to be for, they were willing to let them go upon any terms, rather than keep them intheir possession. The due bills amounted, in all, to about _twenty-onethousand dollars_, which due bills are now in the hands of the originalholders, or the purchasers, but not lifted by the agent according to hispromise. (Is not the government bound by the acts of its agent orattorney?). It is but fair to estimate the loss of the Indians at onethird of the sum above stated, and this loss owing entirely to thegovernment, by its agent's withholding the fulfilment of its contract withthe M'Intosh party. * * * * * "Mr. Joseph Brearly was left here by his father, the agent, in charge ofhis affairs, and being apprised of a party of _emigrants_ about to arrive, was making preparations to obtain the provisions necessary to subsist themfor one year; and for that purpose had advertised to supply six thousandbushels of corn. The day came for closing the contract, when ColonelArbuckle, commanding Cantonment Gibson, handed in a bid, in the name ofthe Creek nation, to furnish the amount of corn required at _one dollarand twelve cents_ per bushel; the next lowest bid to his was _one dollarand fifty cents_; so that Colonel Arbuckle saved the government 2, 280dollars. * * * * * "Mr. Blake, the sub-agent sent by Colonel Crowell, had superseded Mr. Brearly, and was engaged in giving his receipts for the corn deliveredunder the contract. A speculation was presented; and as the poor Indianswere to be the victims of rapacity, why, it was all very well. Theaforesaid Major Love, to secure the speculation, repaired to St. Louis, with _letters of credit_ from Mr. Blake, the sub-agent of Colonel Crowell, and purchased several thousand dollars' worth of merchandize, and so soonas he could reach the Creek agency, commenced purchasing the corn receiptsissued by the sub-agent. It is reasonable to suppose that the goods weresold, on an average, at two hundred per centum above cost and carriage;and by this means the Indians would get about one third of the value oftheir corn at the contract price!--they offered to let the receipts go attwenty-five per cent. Discount, if they could only obtain cash for them. "The United States owe the Creeks money--they have paid them none in threeyears--the money has been appropriated by congress. It is withheld by theagents. The Indians are destitute of almost every comfort for the want ofwhat is due to them. If it is longer withheld from them, it can only beso, upon the grounds that the poor Indian, who is unable to compel theUnited States to a compliance with solemn treaties, must linger out amiserable degraded existence, while those who have power to extend to himthe measure of justice, will be left in the _full_ possession of _all_ the_complacency_ arising from the solemn _assurance_, that they are eitherthe _stupid_ or _guilty_ authors of his degradation and misery. "TAH-LOHN-TUS-KY. "P. S. The Creeks have sent frequent memorials, praying relief from the WarDepartment; also a delegation, but can obtain no relief!!" _Extract from a Communication made by a Cherokee Chief. _ "A company of whites was in this neighbourhood, with forged notes andfalse accounts to a very considerable amount upon the Indians, andforcibly drove off the property of several families. This, Sir, is thecause of our misery, poverty, and degradation, for which we have been somuch reproached. This is what makes us _poor devils_. If we fail to makegood crops, some of the white neighbours must starve, for many of them aredependent upon us for support, either by fair or foul means. Some of thepoor creatures are now travelling among us, almost starved, begging forsomething to eat--they are actually worse than Indians. If they can't getby begging, they steal. To make us clear of these evils, and make us happyfor ever, the unabating avarice of some of the Georgians, by theirrepeated acts of cruelty, point us to homes in the west--but as long as wehave a pony or a hog to spare them, we will never go, and not then. Thisland is heaven's gift to us--it is the birthright of our fathers: as longas these mountains lift their lofty summits to heaven, and these beautifulrivers roll their tides to the mighty ocean, so long we will remain. Mayheaven pity and save our distressed country! "VALLEY TOWNS. " The following Extracts may serve to show the state of the country to whichthe Indians are compelled to emigrate: [FROM THE KENTUCKY INTELLIGENCER. ] _Extract of a Letter, dated Prairie du Chien. _ "January 15, 1830. "There is a prospect, I think, that the Indian department in this part ofthe country will soon require efficient officers. There is little doubtthat there will be a general and sanguinary war among the Indians in thespring. The outrages of the Sauks and Foxes, can be endured no longer. Within a short time, they have cut off the head of a young MunomoneeIndian, at the mouth of Winconscin river--killed a Winnebago woman andboy, of the family of Dekaree, and a Sioux called Dixon. The whole Siouxnation have made arrangements for a general and simultaneous attack on theFoxes; the Winnebagoes, and probably the Munomonees will join them. " "Little Rock, Ark. Ter. Feb. 5. "_Murderous Battle. _--A gentleman who arrived here yesterday, direct fromthe Western Creek agency, informs us that a war party of Osages returnedjust before he left the agency, from a successful expedition against thePawnee Indians. He was informed by one of the chiefs, that the partyseized a Pawnee village, high up on the Arkansas, and had surrounded itbefore the inmates were apprised of their approach. At first the Pawneesshowed a disposition to resist; but finding themselves greatly outnumberedby their assailants, soon sallied forth from their village, and tookrefuge on the margin of a lake, where they again made a stand. Here theywere again hemmed in by the Osages, who throwing away their guns, fellupon them with their knives and tomahawks, and did not cease the work ofbutchery as long as any remained to resist them. Not one escaped. All wereslain, save a few who were taken prisoners, and who are perhaps destinedto suffer a more cruel death than those who were butchered on the spot. Our informant did not learn what number of Pawnees were killed, butunderstood that the Osages brought in sixty or seventy scalps, besidesseveral prisoners. "We also learn, that the Osages are so much elated with this victory, thatanother war party were preparing to go on an expedition against someChoctaws who reside on Red river, with whom they have been at variance forsome time past. " _Extract of a Letter from an Officer of the Army, dated Prairie du Chien. _ [FROM THE NEW YORK COM. ADVERTIZER. ] "May 6, 1830. "_Indian Hostilities. _--When coming down the Mississippi, on the raft oftimber, a war party of Sioux came to me and landed on the raft, but didnot offer any violence. They were seventy strong, and well armed; and whenthey arrived at the Prairie, they were joined by thirty Menominees, andthen proceeded down the river in pursuit of the Sauks and Foxes, who laybelow. This morning they all returned, and reported that they had killedten of the Foxes and two squaws. I saw all the scalps and other trophieswhich they had taken; such as canoes, tomahawks, knives, guns, war clubs, spears, &c. A paddle was raised by them in the air, on which was strungthe head of a squaw and the scalps. They killed the head chief of the Foxnation, and took from them all the treaties which the nation had madesince 1815. I saw them, and read such as I wished. One Sioux killed, andthree wounded, was all the loss of the northern party. The Winnebagoeshave joined with the Sioux and Menominees, and the Potawatomies havejoined with the Sauks and Foxes. We shall have a great battle in a day ortwo. "