IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ ^ ^0 1.0 1.25 lti|21 |21 |io ^^" M^H ■^ lii 12.2 2f 184 ■" IS U£ 12.0 1.4 1^ Photographic Sciences Corporation <^ -«^\. ^rN 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTER.N.Y. MSSO (716)»72-4S03 '^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notaa techniques et bibiiographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagAe Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pelliculto I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ D Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrie peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge int6rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6talt possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 f ilmtes. Additional comment i:/ Commentaires supplimentaires: Thai toth L'Institut a microf llmi le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lul a AtA possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthode normals de filmage sont indlqute cl-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es Pages restored and/oi Pages restaur^es et/ou pellicuites Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages dicolor^es, tachet6es ou piquies Pages detached/ Pages d6tach6es Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualiti in^gaie de I'impression Includes supplementary materit Comprend du materiel supplimentaire Only edition available/ Seule Mition disponible I — I Pages damaged/ I — I Pages restored and/or laminated/ I I Pages detached/ r~~| Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I j Includes supplementary material/ n~| Only edition available/ The I poss ofth filmii Origi begit the I sion, othe first sion, or ill The I shall TINl whic iVIap: diffe entir begii right requ metl Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totaiement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feulllet d'errata, une pelure. etc., ont M fiimtes d nouveau de fapon A obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est fiimi au taux de rMuction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 1SX 20X 24X 28X 32X re lAtails M du modifier Br une filmag* es The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library of the Public Archives of Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with e printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^»> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol Y (meaning "END"), whichever applies. L'exemplaire film4 fut reproduit grlce k la g4n*rositA de: La bibliothique des Archives publiques du Canada Las imeges suh^antes ont 4t4 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la netteti de I'exempielre film*, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmege. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimte sont filmte en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmte en commengant par la premlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derni^re pege qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte A des taux de rMuction difftrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul ciichA, 11 est film6 A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauchs A droite. et de haut en bas, en prenant le noimbre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. errata Ito a pelure, ;on A n 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. t i I I » \ 't I t • . • I > I • • • 111 > " . • I • 'I > ' ! > I • • ' » J ' , ).' • • ? ! I 1 ' 1 • t . t . t I • * I ft #1 t ♦ • • » • • • • • I • ■ > • • I A ,*ia. '^c aM U--K IMPRESSIONS OP THE WEST AND SOUTH. DURINCK A SIX WEEKS' HOLIDAY, f n TORONTO: A. H. ARMOUR & CO., KII^G STREET WEST. MONTBEAl: B. DAWSON, GfiEAT ST JAMES STKEET. 1858. TOHOKTO : lOVEU AND GIB80W, PEINTEUS^ TONOE STREET. '« PREFACE. These letters first appeared in a Toronto newspaper; and it has been thought by some literary friends of the writer, that their reproduction would, to a certain extent, supply a void, if it were only on one point — the commercial connec- tion between the Western States and Canada : more especially as it is requisite that public men should know that the ques- tion needs to be practically dealt with, and that no delay should occur in the inauguration of those legislative measures without which permanent benefits can not be attained. -? ^ The remaining portion of the letters are mere impressions de voyage of events and influences net only striking different men differently, but changing their aspect with the hour. They are, therefore, put forth with diffidence ; but the writer may at least say they have been written with si.: .sity. W. K. Jarvis Stbekt, Toronto, Jan. 7, 1858. (/<. CONTENTS. VN.^ A.V^-'V W---- ■%.>_• Thk Westeen States . • • » • The Westeen States— Thade with Canada The Westeen States—St. Louis, Missouri The Mississippi New Oeleans New Oeleans to Chableston-Chaeleston— Washington Page 9 19 29 40 62 65 «• «!• «!' IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. THE WESTERN STATES. Chicago, 13th Nov., 1857. How is it that travellers from Toronto, going West, are kept for one mortal hour at the dreary Railway station in Hamilton of the Great West- em waiting for the Western train ? The question is not very difficult to answer, for that Company has from the first hour of its legislative exist- ence shown a determination to slight Toronto, as if its management were prompted by the rivalship of Hamilton. I am in hopes, however, that the period is fast approaching when the Company will be driven to a more considerate policy. In a few months the connection will be made by the Grand Trunk Railway with London, and the hour now lost in Hamilton will be divided between Toronto and London, so that not only will the cars start later, but time will be allowed for refreshments in London, in place of the rapid bolt with which food is now devoured at that place. I do not mean to say that to wait an hour is, after all, a serious punishment, for one of the earliest lessons inculcated on ^ 10 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. travellers is patience, and if it were a necessity to wait twice that time, doubtless one's philosophy would be equal to the emergency. But the delay is a wilful disregard of what is due to us, and arises from the insufficiency of plant detailed for the service. For, instead of having one set of cars to go and one to return, the same train is made to answer, and the hour is required to shunt the cars and turn the engine. "Were the waiting-room marked by ordinary conveniences, or were there the least attempt shown that comfort was cared for, one might submit more cheerfully. But there is merely the one bare room, with seats around it — excepting where doors open to admit the draughts, which sweep in and out in all directions at this season of the year. It is so cold and comfortless that it is impossible to read, and at the same time one is bewildered with the noise, no little of which arises from the cries of the poor cold children always to be seen on the main arteries of Rail- ways. Possibly the Great Western Company may perpetuate this 'arrangement, nuisance as it is, but they may perhaps n'>w and then remember that their motives are understood, and that their want of consideration is held at a right value. m The route from Toronto to Chicago is one which hardly needs c( i- ment in Toronto, and yet the observer can find now and then stray e- marks to make, not wholly without their value. Both the lines of w tch it is composed are in excellent order, and everything is apparently one to consult the safety of the passengers, so far as it is possible to re. -"y the early faults committed during construction. There is this differ, ence, however, that the Great Western can obtain excellent ballast, while the Michigan Central is driven to resort to a sand mixed with a reddish clay, which it struck me must require careful watching in wet weather. On the other hand, the great source of trouble on the Great Western will be the bridges, and it remains to be seen how the difficulty of re- storing them will be met, as repairs become necessary. That It is a IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. U m difficulty to be faced, both stockholders and engineers must feel, and in my humble opinion, if they are wise, they will not hesitate a moment in making the restorations of iron. The first cost may be serious ; but this met, with ordinary care and attention, there will be little annual outlay, and literally an absence of anxiety. As it is, the wooden Structures must be a source of constant expense, for it is evident that strenuous efforts are put forth to keep the track in a fit condition- and one is whirled over it with ease and comfort. Nevertheless, after twelve hours' ride, one is not sorry to see the lights of Detroit. I my- self must confess to have a slight tendre for this place. "Without touching upon a passage in Canadian history, which is gratifying to our national pride, I have always looked with interest on the scene where the small fort was defended for so many months against Pontiac and his hordes, a century back, (1763.) All memento of it has passed away except the street which bears its name. The creek, however, to the north of the town, still retains its ominous title of " Bloody Run." It was here that our men were led into ambush, on making a sortie from the Fort, and which led to a result not much unlike the slaughter of the troops who some weeks back, marching to relieve Agra, fell into an ambush. I endeavoured to find out the position of the Fort, and I learn that Fort Street passed through it, and its site was between Cass and "Wayne Streets, not far, indeed, from the residence of General Cass. The last remnant of it was taken away in 1 830, and all traces of it have disappeared. I do believe that the Detroit people are among the most courteous in the Union. Does this cha- racteristic arise from the influence of the early French settlers ? Be it as it may, there is everything in Detroit to put the traveller in good humour. Among other benefits, the municipal regulations are some- thing more than a lex scripta. Unlike those of Toronto, they are en- forced, and a cabman is not only content to take a quarter-dollar, when that sum is his fare, but thanks you for paying him ; and if you require 12 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. a little information, will actually give it. When shall we attain to such a happy state of things, in what a Florida man once described to me as " the Northern settlements of Lake Ontario V* The time for passing from Detroit to Chicago has lately been extended, and the time-tables which give instructions to the employes of the road, assign as fi reason for the change, that there is a desire to lessen the wear and tear both on the line and on the plant. Hence the journey is somewhat tedious, being fourteen hours ; for you leave at half-past ten in the morning, and arrive at midnight. The track, however, is very smooth, and parties are scattered over the line keeping it in repair. I may as well mention that I am informed that considerable attention has been paid by the officers of the road to the improvement of the permanent way. It is, perhaps, necessary to explain that one of the irrout defects on a line, is the sinking of the joints where the two bars rac ( t, and where the evil is allowed to remain unremedied, the line soon becomes rough and disagreeable to travel over. Hence the many various patterns of chairs, and the closer distribution of ties in the neidibourhood of the joints. On the Michigan Central a plan has been adopted, which assumed something more than the phase of an cx[)sriment, but which has been abandoned, as the benefits derived did not satisfy the expectations based on the expense. No harm, however, resulted, and like the chip in porridge, which, provided it be clean, is harmless, so in this case, no mjury has been done ; and a negative good has been achieved, in the proof that no benefit is to be derived from the system. The plan I allude to is, to place under the joints a piece of hardwood, eight feet long by two inches thick and fifteen inches wide, sinking the ties on which it rests, so that this plate of wood lies on the ties immediately under the rail. The fairest possible trial has been given to it, and the result is as I have said. foil It was a cold, sharp morning, when I stepped out of the hotel into •?r IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 13 m- f the heart of Chicago, and the scene was one full of liveliness and ani- mation. I had not gone one hundred yards hefore I was struck with a peculiarity in the strange difference of level of the footpaths. I found myself constantly ascending and descending steps. "Without explanation it would appear to he an ahsurd attention to individual caprice, at the expense of the popular convenience, whereas the very opposite is the case, and nowhere can he found a greater example of good municipal government, conducted, too, with a courage setting at defiance all influences, and looking entirely for support to good sen;t , and to those soher second thoughts which in the end generally prevail. Chicago naturally is hut a trifle ahove the level of Lake Michigan, which even now is rising annually. It varies from 6 feet to 1 7 leet higher, and some of the main avenues are on the lowest level. Tims the system of sewerage could be but ill carried out, unless the grade of such streets were placed at a higher level. But the difliculty ex- isted, that in the earliest annals of this wonderful place — for vxith barely the existence of a quarter of a century, it has now 110,0(){) inhabitants — costly buildings were put up at a level which would be affected by any change of grade. Some few of them might possibly be raised ; on the other hand, there were others of so expensive a character as to be beyond that remedy. Still there was the improve- ment called for, and common sense pointed out that without drainage there rould be no health. Higher grades were accordingly determined on and the streets raised, that is, the centre of the road, while the foot- paths were kept to the old level, retaining walls being built to the sides of the carriage-way to keep it from falling outwards. As new buildings are put up the new level is given ; but as the old ones keep to the original side walk, these strange inequalities exist, and the foot- paths present the appearance I describe. A few years will lead to con- formity, and then the wisdom of the present measures will be appre- ciated. I have mentioned the population of Chicago, and the qucs- 14 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. tirn follows, is it a city ? I am hardly prepared after but a few houra' stay here to answer the question myself. The term city means much. It is not simply a commercial centre, but there must be found all the combination and power which can influence the politics, the tone, the feelinf^s, and the habits of the territory tributary to it. From a me- tropolis must emanate a literature, if not rich in thought, at least original and written with power, to be worthy of the name. There must exist circles where are found none but polished manners and that exquisite refinement which never even accidentally pains. There, too, is the type of good-breeding, of dress and conversation, and of all on which we base our social ethics. No man of common sense in Chi- cago, who has been, I will not say to Europe, but simply to Boston, New York or Philadelphia, and at a venture I add New Orleans, would deny this proposition abstractedly. Applying it to Chicago, what would be his reply ? I think that we might make a compromise and agree to say that Chicago is a western city. To my mind the very term is suggestive. Commercially there are few points more marked. Eleven railways centre there. It is the head of Lake navigation — of those large inland waters which we in Canada have done so much to dcvelope ; pud to perfect which, effort after eifort is yet imperatively called for. It is the one great point on the high road from the sea- board to the West, and from the West to the North. It is the ruling market in western commercial operations. It follows necessarily that there is much wealth, much hospitality, great display, and lavish living. But here we stop. Everybody knows everybody. The Press, although marked by energy and ability, is unknown out of the state of Illinois. The two theatres are notable enough edifices — the new one especially — but neither is sufficiently lighted, while the acting is what one would not walk across the street to see ; for there is no censorship, no criticism upon it : no inducements for merit to be dihgent. Literature there is none ; and to speak of social results, no doubt there are happy homes :i IMPRESSIONS OP THE WEST AND SOUTH. 15 f in Chicago where charming and refined women can be met, who have thought some education to be necessary ; but their influence is confined to those who have the happiness to enjoy their society. Politics we would even discard from our calculation ; for the very spirit of the United States' institutions is in opposition to anything like centraliza- tion, but the public opinion of a city of 100,000 inhabitants ought in any case to have weight. Has it in this instance ? Perhaps it may be said that this mode of treating the question is hardly fair. Never- theless, it so strikes my mind. Otherwise, I will admit the undoubted splendor of many of the public buildings, although sesthetically they might be closely criticised. But architecture is hardly yet a fine art on this continent. Tin re is often a great deal of cleverness and ori- ginality displayed ; but the fault is that the designers have not been subjected to the discipline of study, and, therefore, fail to observe those strict cardinal points of outline, proportion, and composition which can never be violated. For a building to be unlike anything else is not necessarily a triumph of art. It is now many centuries since the first temples were fashioned into form ; and it is hardly reasonable to expect that a young man who does not give himself the trouble to study, can be acquainted with the principles which only by slow de- grees are evolved, and which it requires ages to mould into rule. These words, which I have made as few as possible, may appear a digression, but I could not otherwise explain my meaning ; for while I recognize many noble edifices here, there is nearly in all the fault which I point out. Perhaps the most striking terrace is a row of houses with a front of white marble on the Michigan Avenue, which, commanding the front of the lake, is the grand promenade — the Paseo of Chicago, and is the fashionable street, or what perhaps is the same thing, is in- habited by the wealthy operators of the place. An old friend whom I had the good fortune to meet here, pointed out houses to me and stated the rents, which, if I had to pay, I should shudder at ; and he 16' IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. told me the prices of land, which, in my simplicity, I deemed fabulous. Fancy one living on sixty or seventy feet of frontage, worth c8^400 the lineal foot, and as the legal interest in Illinois is 10 per cent., you would pay for ground rent c^2800 without having more than a yard twelve feet square. We have hitherto considered rents excessive in Toronto, but a house which — according to the rates of a year back — would be worth with us from jS'400 to |?500, here obtains 5^1400 or 1^1500 ; and a wooden frame house which would be worth only tS" 160 or ^l 70, is here worth from ^§"400 to sg^GOO. Wabash Avenue, which is parallel to Michigan Avenue, struggles with it for supremacy, and I was shown a house, with a stone front certainly, but with but one win- dow to the front room on the ground floor, while the other remaining three stories consisted of two windows each, of which the rent was iS'lGOO. The rents of stores are equally enormous. Buildings are still going up all over the city; some of these have iron fronts, and are marked by much architectural pretension. When painted they admirably resemble stone, and are striking buildings. How they would be affected by fire remains to be seen, for the system is yet only an experiment ; although I cannot but think the effect of great heat would so seriously warp and twist the metal as to render restoration necessary. Everywhere you hear of the bad times, but the people accept them with resignation, for they seem to live just as fast as usual. When I visited the theatres both were crowded, and a linendraper's store sell- ing off bargains in some wonderful way, is thronged at all hours. Perhaps the crisis is looked upon after all as one of those calamities which are necessary in the mercantile as well as in the physical and moral world — which give some pain and cause some suffering, but which chasten and improve. I am told that it has long been felt here, that in that property which is considered peculiarly to represent money, there was much that was fictitious, and that much of the extravagance I i IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 17 and recklessness in commercial circles was attributable to this feeling. A shock like the present could but have its sobering influence, and it is c nsidered that by next spring there will be a soiuider state of pub- lic opinion. Doubtless many houses have been brought down simply by the panic, and it is fair to expect that these will resume operations without loss of credit. But the mere things of straw have passed away, it is to be hoped never to re-arisc. I wish to bring under your notice the conduct of the telegraph operators at the main office, in Chicago — so that the Press of that city may insist on some alteration in the transmission of messages. A telegram (I presume that word is now orthodox) dated Friday, never reached me until Saturday evening, and I should not have then obtained it, but I went myself to the main office in Lassalle Street. There the first thing I saw was the telegram directed to me. But the party attending took it as a matter of course that it had not been delivered — and seemed to think the delay a trifle. It happens that there is a telegraphic office in the hotel where I stayed, and it was from there I sent my communication. Three times did I go for an answer, and the operator at the hotel was good enough to send a message, asking if there was a reply to mine — so my address could not but be known. Negligence like this deserves no light reprehension. I may add, per- sonally I sufFered but trifling annoyance, and I mention the fact only in the interest of the travelling public. Perhaps the manager will sec nothing extraordinary in the conduct of his subordinate, if so, I com- mend him to the tender mercies of the Chicago press. I may mention that there is a great scarcity of specie here, and in every store you enter the shopman begrudges to give you change. It is somewhat gratifying to have to state that Canada notes are in great repute throughout the Western country, and are worth from three to 18 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. five per cent, premium. I shall in my next communication attempt to enter into the consideration of the Western business so far as it affects Canada, and particularly Toronto ; this communication has already reached such a length that I must defer that subject until to-moriow. Before I conclude; I must put to paper an anecdote of a young Englishman travelling here, who, like all men from the other side, must think that he has come among a knot of fools. My informant had the remark made to him and pointed out the utterer. As I looked upon him I sighed that our friend C. D. S. was not there with his pencil to perpetuate the likeness. The subject is worthy of Pu)ich, and I commend it to the satirist. Fancy a little man with glasses, who had come out without i^o much as a gun-wad, saying to an experienced sportsman of twenty years' standing — " why you see, don't you know, Chicago is very well, and all that sort of thing, but I am stunningly disappointed, you see. Why, I thought, you know, to find buffalo within ten hours of New York, but here I am out here, and I find, biggod, that there are no buffalo within 1,500 miles. What a bore! There is no Railway to get there, and I have got, you see, to abandon the idea of all my sport." WTien will Englishmen cease to be snobs ? i \s A ;i I I IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 19 THE WESTERN STATES— TRADE WITH CANADA. Chicago, 17th Nov., 1857. The geographical position of Chicago, which constitutes it the cen- tre of the North "Western trade, throws it like%ase uo little into con- nection with Canada. But we question much if the advantages we possess in this respect are developed to their full extent. Indeed, much of the trade has come to us, rather as a matter of course, than from having heen fostered, and certainly if we fail to meet the emer- gencies which undoubtedly exist, by wise and necessary provisions, no little of this trade will pass from our hands. The policy entailed upon us will, perhaps, be best seen by entering into an analysis of what the trade of Chicago consists, By these means the causes which retard its extension with us will appear, and, although some of these are be- yond our control, and can be remedied or removed only by the United States Federal Government, those which lie within our power are neither few nor unimportant. Turning to the last three years, we find that the aggregate of shipments from this market is as follows : — ■WHEAT. GO lbs. to bushel. 18.54 0,650,480 1855 5,719,168 1856 8,114,353 INDIAN CORN. 56 lbs. to bushel. 6,696,054 7,439,250 11,709,490 OATS. 32 lbs. to bushel. 2,959,715 1,821,435 1,949,431 30 IMPRESSIONS OF TUB WEST AND SOUTH. '1' ■I i Of this quantity, the following was sent to the British Provinces in British vessels : — WHEAT. INDIAN CORN. 1854 34,584 23,750 1855 402,780 139,802 1856 560,885 334,817 It is not important, so far as Canada is coneerned, to go later back than these three years, for it is in that period that the trade has been established, dating, in fact, from the passing of the Reciprocity Act in 1S55, for, while in 1854 five British vessels only arrived at Chicago, in 1855 there were ITy and in 1856, 110, and this season, when, dur- ing the panic, there was a temporary lull in grain operations, at one time not a shipment would have been made but for those done on Canadian account. Latterly, however, the sales have been made for the East as usual. It is evident, therefore, that the staple exports of Chicago will ever be cereals and provisions, while the imports will be those necessary articles of consumption which rank among the neces- saries of life. What the latter are in amount cannot possibly be stated, as merchants purchase at the sea-board, paying duties for them there, and the carrying trade, as such, furnishes no data. The item Canada has furnished is what must be for ever an essential to existence in a prairie country where timber is distributed only at rare intervals — lumber, which enters free ; and last year no less than 450,000,000 feet board measure, were imported into Chicago, against 300,000,000 feet the preceding year, and 220,000,000 in 1854. Of this quantity Can- ada furnished but 17,000,000 in 1856 ; but it may be said that manu- facturers have not quite understood the market, although now they are perfectly acquainted with the size and quality needed. Accordingly, it has happened that they have been disappointed in their prices, but this fact is traceable to the circumstance of the best lumber having I IMPRBSSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 21 been sent to Albany, while the inferior only was forwarded to the "West. It may be worth recording, that lumber from the lower part of Lake Ontario has lately been sent to Fort Leavenworth, not far short of the distance from Quebec to Liverpool, namely, by the lakes to Chicago — from thence, by the Illinois Canal, to the Illinois River, and down to St. Louis — and again, from St. Louis up the Missouri. Salt has also been forwarded from the Province, but I learn that the western market is perfectly overstocked, and that there is enough in Chicago for three years' consumption, the price being down to 35 cents. Another item of trade by the St. Lawrence has been Scotch iron. But, although this iron holds its own, there is i Jisposition to support the Ohio trade, and hence the demand is not great. There is, however, one article of import in which one would have thought that the Lower Provinces would have successfully competed with New York, and that is fish. The imports, however, are not in themselves great, owing to the white fish of the lakes supplying its place. Indeed, the latter already, to some trifling extent, have become an article of export. What salt- water fish, however, is imported, comes from New York packers, who undersell the parties from whom they purchase — their practice being to re-pack the fish in New York to such advantage that they reduce the price. This difficulty is certainly one that could easily be met, and the agent of any Canadian merchant embarking in this branch of trade, would, by a little tact and management, regain the natural ascendency which in this respect the shipper by the St. Lawrence must possess. But here the list stops. What further imports the Chicago merchant requires, owing to the strict application of the coasting laws of the United States, must be obtained at her own seaboard. It is true that an effort has beeu made to establish a direct trade between Europe and the West, and the passage of the " Dean Richmond" from Chicago to Liverpool is fresh in every one's memory. But the general opinion undoubtedly is, that it will not be repeated ; for it is found M 22 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. that the difficulties of lake navigation so control the build of the vessel that it is not fit for ocean navigation. The St. Clair Flats, the limited size of the locks on the Welland Canal, the frequent want of water at the mouth of the Beauharnois Canal, establish too narrow a limit for the p/nipwright. It is true that the difficulty is attempted to be met by i false keel or centreboard ; but this has been found to be very objectionable in the heavy swell of the ocean. Independently of all this, there is great difficulty in getting cither cargo or vessel insured, from the fact of the latter not being ranked at Lloyd's. And I cannot do better at this point of my remarks than allude to the necessity of a change in the Admiralty laws as they bear on our lake navigation. It is very evident that if a direct trade is to be encouraged between the lakes and ocean ports, facilities must be given to obtain insurance ; and some arrangement ought at once to be made as a necessary preliminary to this important matter, to obtain for the vessel a recog- nition at Lloyd's, under a special enactment by an Admiralty agent living in this country. But, perhaps, the more serious question is one with which our own Legislature can grapple, and that is the utter want of power to attach a vessel for wrong committed by her, or for debt incurred in her service. This can only be remedied by an Admiralty Court, to adjudicate on questions affecting our lake marine. At present, the proprietor of a vessel fails, and the crew are in no better position than any other creditor. The result is, that Canadian vessels are often attached in the United States ports. An action is even now being carried on at Chicago. The owners are bankrupts. The crew know that, on their return to Canada, they have no claim on the vessel, whereas by the United States Admiralty laws in the United States ports, there is a lien on the vessel for wages. Thus we have the disgrace of seeing a British crew, on a contract entered into in a British port, suing in an United States court of law the owner of a British vessel, who himself IMPRESSIONS OP THE WEST AND SOUTH. ^ 19 in British territory. I am told that the American judges dislike these cases, and would willingly refer them to our own courts ; but the plea is at once urged that justice can only be obtained by the course the plaintiffs arc pursuing, and thus placed, the judges, although unwilling to interfere, cannot decline to adjudicate. Let me dwell with some force on the necessity of legislation in this respect. Indeed, I am sure that those who have turned their attention to the development of our resources, will recognise the propriety of protecting the crews who labour on our inland waters ; not to do so will be to })crpetuate a disgraceful anomaly, •which will work injury to all concerned. Such legislation is the more necessary when we remember what Canada has been striving to possess. Evidently two routes are open to Chicago to forward grain to Europe ; the one by the Illinois canal and the Illinois River to the IMississippi, and thence to New Orleans ; the second by the lakes. The former, however, admits only of vessels of limited draught, and the route is long and tedious, the distance from St. Louis alone to New Orleans being 1247 miles. The second route follows the lakes only for a limited distance, and thence branches oif in two lines — the one by the Erie Canal at Buffalo, and thence to New York ; the other by the "Welland Canal to Lake Ontario, and thence by the St. Lawrence and the Canals to Montreal. There is no occasion to describe these routes, and it is only necessary to say that grain shipped from Lake Michigan has, on the average, been laid down about 55 per cent, cheaper at Montreal than at New York, and that the slowest mode and the lowest cost of transport to the latter takes no more time than the fastest to New York. Generally, it may be said that there is a difference of ten days, and that the boats on the St. Lawrence are five times the capacity of those on the Erie Canal, carrying 15,000 bushels of wheat. It is at Montreal that the difficulties begin. Vessels are 24 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. not to be found, hence freight is high. Undue delays follow, high insurance is exacted, and thus every advantage is counterbalanced. The Hon. John Young, of Montreal, who has paid more attention to this subject than any man of his day, and who may be described as the founder of the trade, estimates the freight to be double the cost from Montreal to Europe, to what it is from New York. Evidently, it will be seen that the fault lies, not in the lakes, but in the circumstances affecting the ocean navigation. That such is the case generally may be said, but we must be careful in drawing the inference that the lake navigation is perfect, for improvements are neeossible to conceive greater fatuity than that which characterized the government of Morales the intendant, during the twenty years which he held power, until 1S()2, when the King of Spain ceded Louisiana to Bonaparte, then First-Consul, who, ii^ return for the cession, placed the Prince of Parma, the king's son-in-law, on the throne of Tuscany. But finding it impossible to embark an army for its protection, assembled by liiin in Holland, owing to the ])resence of the English cruisers, lie made an oflFer of the transfer of the terri- tory to the United States, which was consununated in 180.'5, the United States a:overnment pavino; ciaihtv millions of dollars, twenty millions of which were deducted for injuries inflicted by the French on Ameri- can commerce The result has been a most extraordinary complica- tion of land titles, which originate from the three sources of the French, Spanish and American governments. Li some instances the titles are combined, and as land was then wortldess, much of it was suffered to lie idle until improvement made it of value. Perhaps from this cause more litigation has arisen here than elsewhere, and the result is that much talent has been put forth to meet the emergency ; and the tri- bunals, forced to make decisions, have met the difficulty by the estab- lishment of principh's of wide application, which might be everywhere advanta2;eouslv studied . Tiie present city can scarcely fail to im[)reas a stranger on landing at it, although as he looks u[)on the levpc, with its natural bank of earth, he somewhat wonders that measures are not taken to construct a revetment wall along it. Etpially does it strike him as extraordinary, that the sewers should discharge their filtii in open drains, which in I 32 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. the summer must poison the atmosphere. Owing to its geographical gite — the city heing huilt on the extrados of a curve of the river — and the dykes which are thrown up on the east hank to turn the stream to the opposite shore, the water is deep within ten feet of the water's edge, and steamers lie close in, there heing no wharf to accommodate them, except a floating lighter. The levee, however, is paved, and you advance up its incline to the hroad, wide street, full of the movement which attends a busy population. Although most of the traces of the French rule have passed away, one now and then drops upon a prim- looking stone house, with its high dormer windows and its green jalonsiesy with its architraved porch, and its perron of steps, reminding you of the structures still to be seen in numbers in the Montreal sub- urbs, and in the Lower Canadian villages — a sure sign of the presence of a lawyer or doctor. But they are now of rare occurrence in St. Louis : and as I strolled about, looking for the old residences of the first settlers, I was disappointed to find that they were so seldom to be met with. But in the front street there any many old buildings betokening age, and one feels that tlie city is somewhat more than one of those western creations which seem to have arisen by enchantment. Perhaps the traveller from New England would call the streets narrow, thinking of those terribly wide thoroughfares of his native village, for the city is compactly built. The main street is the great wholesale business street, and the continual passage of loaded vehicles in this instance certainly would make it appear that it would be the better to be widened. Fourth Street, however, which is the fashionable promen- ade of the place, is a wide and noble street, and the shops present a variety of wares, which is, perhaps, not seen in six other cities on the Continent. At one point is the Court-house, a Grecian Doric building, on which they are now constvucting a dome, which, to my poor mind, will only have the effect of disfiguring it. It has cost, I learn, a great deal of money, but there has been a strange economy in the entabla- I IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 33 ture, the frieze being of 1)rick, while tlic triglyj)h8 are of stone ; even now the paint is exfoliating in places, showing the brick beneath. The new Custom House, whieb is in course of erection, promises to be a noble edifice, of Roman Corinthian, the ])ortico being hexastile, con- structed on an arched arcadie. It will, I suppose, wound the self-love of the St. Louis patriot, if 1 say that the building is nearly the only one one would care to remember. The High School, the Hos])ital, the Presbyterian Church, and the Catholic Church have cost a great deal of monev, but there is much to criticise in them. I must, however, except the interior of the Exchange, which is decorated with frescos, executed with taste and with correct drawing. A curious advertise- ment is placed here, which at least has the merit of novelty. In one part of the hall is a full-length portrait, as large as life, of evidently a miller. He stands there with his hand on a barrel, on which is promi- nently marked a flour-brand. In the foreground other brands are detailed, and in tne rear is the name of the miller, and I presume a sketch of his residence. I thought that this rcpresentpd one of the early merchants of St. Louis, that possibly he had built the Exchange, and that a grateful remembrance had dictated this monument of his worth. But it seems that the original was a busv, active flour merch- ant, and had placed the picture there himself, so that his merits and his flour might be known. Throughout St. Louis there is what is wanting in Chicago — the air of a city. It is not a wide scattered place, but well built, closely and connectedly. There is perhaps no IMichigan or Wabash Avenue, but there is what is better — substantial houses, and streets branching ofl^ from the main streets, with shops containing all out would need. Some attempts are, however, now- being made hy people of wealth to form a fashionable neighbourhood in Lucas Place, and many buildings have been constructed of striking appearance. Broadway, on the other hand, is a long street of low houses, with a market in the centre, but the whole street is one market. 34 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. M-i and, although wide, the carriage-way is cumbered with vehicles, at least half of which are drawn by mules. The market is old and dilapidated, and shortly must he removed : but a brick one is in course of completion near the northern end. There are two theatres here ; and I wish to say a word of what appears to me to be the faults of construction which mark American theatres. I would predicate them on tlie circumstance that both at the Chicago and St. Louis Theatres, although only on the seventh seat, I could not hear a word that was said. What struck me as remarkable was that the playgoers would submit to it ; but there the audience sat in most perfect good humour, and I am sure that to one-third of them the play must have been perfect dumb show. Instead of having the boxes of ordinary depth, and partitioned off from the lobby, which, by every doctrine of acoustics, would give an echo to the voice, and keep its sound within its natural limits, the seats are carried back to the farthest possible verge, and being in no way protected from the lobby, the voice of the actor is so attenuated that its sound cannot be heard. Yet every new theatre is built on this plan. I mention the fact here, as I consider that the time is not far distant when a new theatre will be built in Toronto, and it is to be hoped that this absurd system will not be introduced. There are few indications in St. Louis that the traveller is in a Slave State. The servants in the hotels are white, few negroes are seen in the streets, and there is no one peculiarity to note as remarkable in this regard. I am informed that slave labour is not in request in the city, for owing to its proximity to Illinois, a slave could cross the river any night and l)e free. For there is in Illinois a strong anti-slavery party, ever ready to assist the slave, and to pass him onward to Canada. Generally, also, the inhabitants are from the Eastern States, and their prejudices are not in favour of slavery. Independently of this, the i IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 36 geographical position of the State of Missouri does not make slavery a necessity, as is affirmed of the more southern cotton and 8ugnr-{rrow- ing countries. Douhtless, had it not heen for the ahsurd and insincere agitation of the North, Missouri would long ago have passed laws for gradual abolition, but now it has become a point of honour to stand by the institution. There would have been little difficulty in bringing about such a consummation, for the population of the State is about one million, with only 100,000 slaves ; while in the city of St. Louis there are only 4000, with a population of l.'iO.OOO. Perhaps out of St. Louis not 10,000 could be found to vote for abolition in any form. It cannot be, but a matter of regret that the North has taken the extreme view which it has done. I do not here give any opinion of slavery in itself, for I know nothing of it, but one must admit, that there has been on the part of the abolitionists nothing but declamation and abuse. Had the agitation been sincere, there would have been some offer of compensation, some prospect of aid, some practical scheme which would relieve and assist the slave-owner from any loss re- sulting from abolition. But we have heard only meaningless talk of the higher law, which is itself as an argument, vicious. The whole theory of statesmanship recognizes as equally binding another law — that of man, which must be held inviolate, so long as it is an enactment. If wrong, the remedy lies in its repeal by compensating any existing in- terests which it may destroy. It is evident, therefore, that ])roperty, be it of what kind it may, acquired by consent of law, must be held with that law sacred, and tlmt it cannot be destroyed without an equi- valent. If the abolitionists came forward and proposed to tax each State or the Federal Exchequer by special loan, valuing the property of each slave owner, and proposing some gentle, gradual, self-educating plan of freedom, there cannot be a doubt, that in a quarter of a cen- tury only the extreme Southern States would retain slaves, and how public opinion would operate on them is an open question. But the 36 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. M movement has been generally made by politicians who have lived on the agitation, and althongh there are many sincere zealons men who thus think, the conduct of the party would lend a traveller to believe that they rather wished to perpetuate the grievance than solve the difficrlt problem of its settlement. This line of policy has been visible in Kansas, which, situated to the west of Missouri, the Southerner claimed as heing territory fit for similar institutions. Goograi)hically speaking, there is much in the argument that it formed part of the territory of Louisiana ceded by Napoleon, and that it should be subjected to the institutions which then prevailed. On the other hand there is the cardinal doctrine of the United States government that each State should frame its own laws. Here was a fertile topic for discussion, and ])oliticians were not likely to let it slip, and for several months we have heard long stories of border wars and internecine quarrels which politicians fomented and exaggerated. Had the question been left to the settlers — many of them certainly reckless and desperate men by all accounts — the good sense which marks the American people under all circumstances would have determined the result. Naturally it was to be expected in the set- tlement of the question there would be heartburning and vituperation, but left to themselves those affected by it would have voted vnth calm- ness. During this month a constitution has been adopted. It is not long, containing but 14 sections, and will doubtless be brought up next session at Washington, not, however, without warm debate and much recrimination. The difficulty lies in clauses the 8th and 14th. Bv these it is enacted that when the constitution is submitted for rati- fication to the inhabitants, the votes shall be taken. Constitution with Slavery and Constitution without Slavery, and that by this decision the State i^hall be governed. The latter clause provides that the con- stitution may be amended in 1864, but that no alteration shall be 1MPRK88I()N8 OF THE WrsT AND SOUTH. 37 made affecting the slave clause. This certainly settles the matter for ever, and whatever the decision may be, it is certain thnt offence will be given either to the North or the South. What the result will prove seems difficult to tVjretell. One report is, that the anti-slnve party will hold back from the desire of ketping the agitation open for the next Presidential election. Another avers that even Southern settlers are anxious for a free state, and no two people agree ns to the hifluences which are active or the probabilities which are well fo\nuled. The legislature, however, is essentially free-soil, owing to the inter- ference of Governor Walker. Great frauds were committed at the polls by the pro-slavery })arty, and the Governor, exercising the power placed in him, rejected votes so given, and the result has been to change the character of the legislature. I am informed, however, that for the last twelve months the Missourians have refrained from all interference, and have little sympathy with either party. They ap- pear indifferent to the result. These questions are, after all, but little bound up with St. Louis in- terests, which is the depot of all the western and north-western country, dividing with Chicago the advantages of being its magazine. What the business men of St. Louis wish to see is, this territory prosperously settled, and provided it be attained they do not care what institutions prevail. I do not think that St. Louis has much direct European trade. Its entire business connections are Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, and CanaiUii cannot hope, in any way, to be the highway for its carrying trade. Frsini St. Louis -the'^direct line is not through British territory, for in winter a barrel of flour would, at least, cost ^2 to pass along the Grand Trunk Railway to Boston ; by the Mississippi and coasting vessels it could be carried for half the money ; hence this region can in no way be made tributary to us ; and Kansas must turn to St. Louis as its centre, either by the Missouri, or by the rail- 38 IMPRES TONS OF TIE WEST AND SOUTH. i ways which are even now projected. Commercially, Canada has little interest in Kansas. On the other hand, the more northern State of Nebraska will look to Chicago, and, as I have already remarked, if we are true to ourselves, much of that trade must pass through the Province. There are three railways leading from St. Louis west of the Mississippi. On the eastern shore, communication can be had with the eastern portion of the Republic in all directions, there being direct routes to Chicago, to Cincinnatti, to Louisville and Cairo. On the west, one railway passes to Jeiferson City on the Missouri, one to North Missouri, and one to the Iron Mountain. I have seen some of the ore of this remarkable formation, which is about eighty miles south of the city. It is about 260 feet above the level of the country, and is esti- mated to contain over two hundred million tons of ore, which is found in lumps from the size of a crumb to masses weighing two or three hun- dredweight, and is gathered from the surface without difficulty. It is known as the specular oxide of iron, and contains over seventy per cent, of pure metal, and is free from all substances which interfere with its being worked. It is worthy to note that some borings have been made into the mountain, and the result has been in a distance of 140 feet — 15 feet clay and ore. 30 « white sand stone j ^^?'^^^>^ ^^'^ ^°-*'^^"" sandstone of our blue porphyry. formation. 33 .53 I write at a guess. fine iron ore. Some idea of the trade of St. Louis may be obtained from the fact that the dry goods sold during 1856 amounted to ^^1 2, 500, 000, and that the exports to New Orleans alone have considerably exceeded 3,000 barrels of flour a day for nine months. IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 39 Before closing my letter, I would wish, with great rcsj)ect, to call the attention of the St. Louis press, which it is needless for me to say here is distingiiished by all those qualities which give newspapers influence — to the conduct of the Post-office clerks. It has been my lot to meet many rude people, but these individuals are the most churlish who ever snubbed a traveller. I cannot think that I brought this upon myself, for I endeavoured to be studiously polite and courteous, but I could not get an answer from the fellows. If you called them to the box, they hardly stopped their promenade up and down, which they were continuing with their hands in their pockets, with a pertinacity I never saw equalled but by tameless wild beasts in a cage. And those that chewed were too indolent to open their teeth to allow their tongues to move. They answered ])y signs — and one melancholy man in the al- phabet department, scowled out his brief words as if the whole of man- kind were his enemies. When the mails came — when they were expected — what time letters took to arrive — what were the postal regulations — questions put by me wdth unexceptional tokens of respect, received no more attention than a very sharp word, which gave me no information. I complained of this to a friend, and his explanation was that the devils were all " Know-Nothings," and that next vear thev would put them all out. If these gentry ])e a type of that })arty, reverently do I say Amen to the prognostication. I need scarcely di- late on the discredit which this line of conduct brings to a city of the character and pretensions of St. Louis, where civility is the rule and rudeness the exception. Well, perhaps these gentry are necessary to prove the old saying, that every quality has its opposite near to it. For while on all sides in St. Louis I experienced great kindness and atten- tion, I was pestered when asking for my letters, as I have said. But I had the good sense not to get angry. They, it is true, were having their day — I knew that all I had to do was to bide my time and I would have mine. 40 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. ! i I i THE MISSISSIPPI. New Orleans, 27th Nov., 1857. Any one would suppose from the length of the voyage (1300 miles) that the trip down the Mississippi would be particularly tedious and monotonous, and that its termination would be welcomed with more than usual satisfaction. Such was my impression, but I was told that it was precisely one of those excursions when people would endeavour to make themselves agreeable, for to all on the boat there was but one object : to get rid of time. My experience would confirm the remark ; for after the first two hours' stiifness had worn away, people who had never met before, and in all human probability will never meet again, put off all restraint, and seemed to be actuated by the one intention of being agreeable. Seven days were we on board, leaving on Friday at eleven o'clock, and arriving the following Thursday night at ten. This period in these days of steam gave the trip almost the dignity of an ocean voyage, and one might almcjpt feel that he was passing from one coun- try to another if he counted by the hour. From such an idea, how- ever, he would be agreeably awakened, as he landed in New Orleans, without being subjected to the ordeal of a Custom House ; and the traveller could then begin to understand the magnitude of the Ameri- can Republic. IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 41 The Mississippi navigation is peculiar, and the very structure of the vessels on its waters, and their mode of management differ from those of the lakes. The vessels on Lake Erie are generally low-pressure boats, with about 'Jolbs. pressure to the inch, whereas as I looked upon our steam guage, I saw it mark IS.Olbs. ; and the engineer told me that he would not hesitate, were it a matter of necessity, to put on 2l()lbs. The mode of construction likewise diifers. Those who have at all visited the Lake boats may recollect how compactly the machinery is constructed in the engine room, and how apart from all interference it is kept, the paddles being moved by a shaft running transverselv across the vessel. But the all-predominating question in a Mississippi boat is to obtain room for freight. A mere passenger boat on this river would be a poor speculation, indeed the length of the voyage is mainly caused by taking in freight. At good seasons of the year, I mean when there is plenty of water and the boat can pass from bend to bend of the river without skirting in the deej) water, and where not an inch of distance is lost in the interminable windings of this monstrous water course, four days and a few hours would suffice, whereas our trip took very little short of seven. It is true that some allowance has to be made for the lowness of the Avater, and the }»erils, (I use the word ad- visedly) and difficulties of the navigation between St. Louis and Cairo the caused bj' the shallowness of the stream. But the greater part of delays was occasioned by stopping for freight. The secret, then, of the difference of construction is its necessity — so that room can be econo- mised, and space obtained for the numerous cotton bales which at one season of the year are passed in hundreds to New Orleans for shipment to Europe. Consequently no shaft is to be seen on these boats, and the paddles are moved directly by cranks from the piston rods ; hence there are two engines, each moving its crank ; the cylinders being twenty-six inches in diameter, with an eight-feet stroke. A distinct engine immediately behind the range of boilers pumps out the bilge 42 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. I water and works the suj)ply water, which, passing through heaters, goes warm into the hoiler. Owing to the Utile draught of water which can he ohtained there is hvit Httle hold — scarcely six feet in depth. The vessel on which I travelled drew hut seven feet, and she was 285 feet long, and has taken, I am told, 150 cabin passengers, 400 deck passengers, and 1200 tons of freight. Thus the lower deck is but a few feet above the level of the stream, and is devoted to freight and to live stock. In the aft of the vessel there is an intermediate deck for emigrants above the lower one and beneath the saloon, and the passen- ger cabin extends nearly the whole length of the vessel, divided into berths, as in other cases, with the usual offices — the promenade or hur- ricane deck being again above that. These few words will doubtless make the architecture of the vessel understood. Generally the Mis- sissippi navigation has obtained a bad name, and indeed, we are not surprised to hear of any accident on these waters, which include the i\Iis- souri, the Illinois and the Ohio. The vessels employed are all marked by the same characteristics, with this possible diiference, that on some boats there is greater recklessness than on others. It may, however, be said that those vessels are most seaworthy which arc employed imme- diately between St. Louis and New Orleans. One extraordinary fea- ture, is the disregard of the danger of fire. The flues being all ex- posed, during a high wind the sparks are carried over the vessel, among the cotton bags, to an extent which leads nervous men to see on going to bed if their live-preserver is at hand. Stranger still, every one admits the danger and risk, but no steps are taken to remove them. Even during my trip, a vessel was burnt, the Ilainbow, at 71 Island, 12 miles west of Napoleon, and thirty or forty persons were blown up or burnt. I do not mean to say that I have heard no sym- pathy for the sufferers, on the contrary, every one who has spoken of it has treated the calamity as dreadful in the extreme, but there is no surprise felt. How is this? It must not be forgotten that in this II IMPRESSIONS OF THK WKST AND SOUTH. 43 trade a great many vessels arc engaged. I am informed that HOO steamboats of all classes are emjjloycd in these Western waters, but what the ])recise \)vr rentage of loss is 1 cannot learn. Tlie oxtent of the navigable waters of the Mississi^tpi and its tributaries is, I be- lieve, twenty-two tliousand miles. But one fact is certain, tliat be the calamity what it may, the information is never suppressed. A register is kept both at New Orleans and St. Louis of every accident which happens, and at the end of the year the list is published, without shrinking in anv wav from a thorough detail of each disaster. No few of these casualties occur by fire, as I find, on referring to the list of last year, while many of the boats are destroyed I'rom the bursting of the boilers. Doubtless the exposed condition of the boilers, which have been before alluded to, may be considered as one of the causes of this clatss of accidents, but undoubtedly the principal reason must be attributed to carelessness and mismanagement. In a navi- gation furnishing employment to so many, there must be no few not competent ; and as, on one hand, first-class boats will pay the highest rate of wages to obtain responsible, sober men — so boats of less pretensions, in order to economize, frequently engage persons not only inexperienced, but devoid of that caution so essential when steam is in question. Abstractedly there is no more danger in a high than in a low-pressure engine, for the additional stress on tlie machinery can be calculated, and the emergency met by an increased thickness of boiler plate. "When it is recollected how few accidents happen to locomotives, the proposition is proved. But there are a great many who become callous to risk, and who take all sorts of liberties with the machinery to obtain a rapid passage, and even then are careless and indifferent. Generally it may be said that every accident which occurs can be explained and accounted for, although in the investigations the facts do not come to the surface. Perhaps t was in this view that a friend advised me before going on board a I 44 IMPRESSIONS OF THK WEST AND SOUTH. Mississippi bojit to insure my life for some $20,000 or )B30,000 during the passage, and I must confess that I entertained the idea. But wlien at St. Louis, I made enquiries as to the boats, and I found that they were considered as safe as those on any other waters. The fact of it is, that there has been great improvement of late years in steam- boat captains. Generally, they are part owners. There is a law enforcing an inspection, and in proportion as a boat's officers are careful, so does the boat obtain business ; and as steamerd . eave every day, there is much choice, not simply in the boat itself, but in the character of the master. Thus, as caution and good management tell in the receipts, tiiey are at a premium. I myself can bear witness to the untiring zeal of Captain Dill, of the " Saint Nicliolas," until he reached Cairo. There were soundings made every half liiile, and in bad spots the boat crept along Avith extreme caution. The difficulty in the Mississippi navigation is that the channel is constantly varying. What this autumn is a spot requiring peculiar caution, may b^ totally changed by the spring freshets. It is hardly necessary to mention the peculiar character of the water, which holds constat .;ly a great amount of argillaceous matter in solution, which it deposits as it passes onwards, or carries with itself, as its velocicy may determine. Indeed it is evident that as it washes away tlie soft banks of the Missouri, bringing the trees which no longer can resist the destruc- tion, that the matter cannot be carried to the seaboard. Hence there is a succession of new sand banks which can only be known at low water, and the pilots — generally to strangers a race of men disdaining all politeness — become in these circumstances peculiarly uncommuni- cative, and frown down upon you with u monosyllable, if you presume to address them. Certainly they had their work cut out during this trip, and perhaps the temper even of the best of us would have been tested under the circumstances. " This, Sir," said the Captain to me at one point of this navigation, " is called the grave-yard, from the L IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 45 " number of vessels which have been lost here. There on the beach " lie the remains of the ' Golden Gate' wliich went down a month ago. " This passed we shall be out of danj];er." On this information, as we were sailing along below tliis fatal spot, I ventured to congratulate one of the pilots that he had got through his trouble. '' No, sir-r-r-r," was the reply, '• every cross shoot is an experiment." The scenery as you leave St. Louis, till indeed you approach upon Cairo at the confluence of the Ohio and the Mississippi, is striking in many parts. The rocks rise up in bold bluffs, and the bends of the river throw them into striking situations which would lead the sketcher to wish that he could use his pencil ; and in some portions the sum- mits of the rocks show the marks of water-wear, centuries ago, l)efore they were raised to their present eminence, and one particular circular spot has obtained the name of the " Grand Tower," the wear of the stream having given it indeed that a})pearance. But at Cairo the scenery is changed, and we come to those low, swampy banks, which continue down nearly to ]Memphis. Of all dreary places, Cairo is the dreariest. Surrounded by a high levte to avoid the inundations, the few houses constituting the village lie literally in a hollow, and one would fancy that the temptation must be strong indeed which would lead one to pass his days there. But from being at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississip[)i, it has become a place of importance, so that even the certaiuty of fever is forgotten amid other inducements, and one cannot but fet-l wiiat Cairo might be if it were only fifty feet higher. As it is, it will never be more than one of those localities where a few years of lifo are })assed iu thf h<)[»e of obtaining that age ol" ease to which we all look forward. Tiiis low flat scenery continufs tVir inihs — nor was the monotony relieved iu greenness of foliage. ¥j\i'\\ to Vicksburgh the trees were as bare as they are ii. the swamps of Collingwood, and there was a cold, sharp wiiul on the hiu'ricane (k'ck, 46 IMPRKSSIOXS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. which made it necessary for those who went there to move with rapidity to keep tlie hlood in motion. Down from Memphis the scenery departed somewhat from those stern features which from Cairo they iiad presented, and instead of the hh'ak, monotonous, dreary asjjcct of the low hanks and leafless trees, we now met some appearance of foliage, slight, it is true, but welcome to the Canadian, who felt that all trace of it had passed away in his own land. Mem- phis has nothing remarkable in it from the river. It seems a town quiet and without peculiarity, with a poj)ulation of some 15,000, with its comfortable dwellings, its churches, and its shops, lint, strange to say, we could get no papers there. Indeed, I may remark that the same disappointment occurred in all the landings on the Mississippi. Neither at Vicksburgh nor at Natchez could we obtain New Orleans papers, and had not a j)assenger come on board, with one two days old we wo\ild have been equally unsuccessful everywhere. Vicksburgh we passed during the 3iight, so I can say nothing of it, still the purser was kind enough to attempt to get a ])aper for me, and at Natchez, having half an liour to spare, I went to a dozen places in search of one. Natchez is rather a pleasing-looking place — from the fact that you see nothing of the town. The dominant feeling as you look upon the heights is, that it is secure from fever. A small cluster of houses are known by the name of " Natchez under the hill," ami it bears the reputation of having witnessed manv a murder, of bowie-knife encounters, and wonderful games of brag and poker, of which I am somewhat sceptical. Now, however, it is a quiet enough place, where peaceful men imbibe beer and drink cocktails, without fear of the untimelv fate which tradi- tion has nssigned to so many. It was after leaving Vicksburgh that we felt we were indeed South. The weatlier was beautiful, and the wind, which was a head wind, came with so agreeable a warmth that we turned to catch the breeze. IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOT'TH. 47 I Pca-jackcts were thrown aside, and the few ladies on hoard, who pre- viously had come on deck prepared to hrave old Boreas hiiuself, deftly mounted the comi)anion, without even a veil over their chere/iire. We now passed several small villages, which looked to me somewhat dilapidated, and on each side jdantation succeeded jjlantatioii, mostly of cotton ; indeed, we had the advantage of seeing some of the latter. And here I must remark, one of the astonishing features in the Missis- sippi is the utter ahsence of wharves. At this hour there are no more on its waters than when La Salle sailed up the great lakes, and passed onward till he met the Illinois river ; or when De Soto moved from Florida across the continent to its waters. At Memphis and Natchez an old steamhoat is metamorphosed into a wharf-hoat, and it a])pear3 that it is placed there more as a convenience for the oihces constructed on it than from want of depth. At all the wood stations the hoat goes in to the shore, and if signalled anywhere on the river, where the pilot knows he can go, he obeys the call. Thus we stayed at several plantations to load the cotton bales, and as to do so was a matter of some minutes most of us strolled on shove. Opj)Osite Natchez we saw roses in bloom, but they had already been touched by the frost, yet the foliage was as green as our fields in summer. Hanging from the trees is a species of moss, which is striking enough when near to it, but at a distance, to my nund, it has a very heavy and not an agreeable look. This moss has become a considerable article of commerce. After being gathered it is placed in water for some time, until it becomes somewhat rotten, and a portion of it can be removed. It is then taken out, dried, beaten and prepared, and used to stuff sofas and mattresses. In price it is about a quarter the value of hoi'se hair, and certainly, after having slept for a week upon it, I should say, very little inferior. Nor must we discard the feature of how seldom are seen on the Missis- sippi the various craft which sail on other waters. The steamboat is the only vessel which passes on it ; no schooner or rigged vessel, that I could hi I. Ill 48 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. see, wore to be met with. We must, however, except the small vessels whicli, owned by pedlars, pass from plantation to plantation, trading with the negroes principally, taking in exchange the articles which they raise, or, when the latter are sold to the boats, oflForing to their owners the only temptations on which their money can be spent. These vessels are generally unwieldy and ill-built, got up cheaply, for they are intended but for one trip. As a rule, they are constructed on the Ohio, j)assing down that river to Cairo, when they turn into the Mississipj)i, j)rocee('i'ng to New Orleans, where they are broken up and sold for lumber. Now and then you come upon one of them, moving sluggishly down stream, or moored inshore, where the owner is dis- pensing bis luxuries, in the shape of ribbons, tobacco, gaudy calicoes, and questionable whiskey. Otherwise there is a painful monotony of vacancy on these waters, and we in vain look for the square-rigged vessels wliich navigate our great lakes. As we went southward, we came to a different climate, and we began to ap])roach that ])art of the river where the banks are settled. Any one who recollects the St. Lawrence between Quebec and Montreal, can observe the same features here, but witli a certain variation. The settlement skirts the whole river, but it extends back from three to six miles only ; and the whole of tlte hcuises are built by the water. Behind remains the unexplored wildei iiess. Tiuis it has the look of a continual street until vou arrive at New Orleans. Some of the villas are constructed with great taste, Avhile others are merely old French houses which have their counterpart in many a village in Lower Canada. Som(* are surrounded with foliage, and from the deck you can see gardens, with the shrubberies cut into quaint figures, as was the fashion of the last century. Others are without a bush. The scenery, to a Lower Canadian, is not striking, for it is a counterpart, but at the same time a magnificent one, of his own waters. It is true that IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 49 the sugar-cane takes the place of the wheat-ear, and that the high chimneys of the steam-engines are more striking than the familiar white-washed habitant house of the northern river. But there lies the unmistakeable trace of French settlement, which clings to the rivers, and which, in its love of companionship, clustered its dwellings as close as it was possible. One strange physical feature of the river is, that it contracts in width as its volume increases. Above, it spreads out in proportion as it is shallow, but as the water deepens from its manv lower tributaries it becomes confined within closer limits. This peculiarity occurs as we approach the haijovs. These are outlets from the river to the Gulf of Mexico, diftVring in this respect from the tributary streams, that they help to Ijcar away the water instead of increasing its volume. I cannot leani whether the term is originally Indian or not ; my impression is, that it is an Indian word gallicised. To return to the trij) : its social features hardly need comment. So far as I saw, everybody conducted himself with great good sense, and there seemed on all sides a desire to be obliging and good himiored. There are worse spots than a Mississipjii boat. At this season of the ycav there is <;oncriillv not much travel, as the Southerners descend before November, aud we had not many })assengers. But when the boats arc full, I am told that there is often verv Iteavv play at Euchre and Poker, Tlie efforts I saw in these directions were harmless in the extreme. But we had a little episode worth relating, and it may do no harm to tell it, for it may pre-seut others from being taken in. Shortly after leaving St. Louis, one of the river sharks who prey on these vessels, commenced his operations. He had a handful of t\venty-(lollar gold pieces, and commenced dealing three-card monte. The game is played with two red cards aud a black, and the bet is that you cannot pick out the black suit. In r 50 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. one sense there is^ ehanco for the player, because the cards romaiu untouched after you make your bet, but on the face of it the odds are two to one against you ; besides, there is no one of the least scnao but would see, that no man comes on a steamboat with a small pile of gold, unless he knows pretty well that he holds the odds in his own hands. If, too, there were no confederates, the swindle would be less, but in this case, two or three blackguards were present to help the dealer. To do these scoundrels justice, they played their parts well. Of course, when there is no stake, the choice is easily made. The cards ore passed slowly, and there can be no doubt as to the identity of the winning card. The moment, however, that a bet is made, when the cards are in this condition, a confederate raises the right card, out of curiosity, and the cards arc, of course, re-shuffled. One canuot give a groat deal of pity to those who lose, for they think that they are availing themselves of all the chances in their favor, namely, the apparent clumsiness and mistakes of the dealer, who, to ingenuous youth, endeavors to appear very much of a fool. Generally he numages to mark the card which wins ; the moment, however, the bet is made, with great dexterity, and in an inconceivably short space of time, he marks another card, and substitutes one for the other. He uses his hand — the better, his eye ; which is quickest none who has seen even a street conjuror hi^sitates to admit. The dealer was one of those clever, bland blacklegs, who turn up every- where. "There was a chance," he said, "for the needy to make " money, but I advise you, if you have families, not to bet, for you may " lose. Tou think the game is plain — so it is — I deal to win ; now, sir, " try your chance ; move the card, if it's only for fun. There, you see, " you would have won. Now, one hundred or two hundred dollars — " nothing less —no sir-e-e, twenty dollars! won't touch it. Take your " chance, sir. So you are going to bet — good — one hundred dollars. " Well, sir, no offence, you will have no hard feelings if you lose. Shake 1 IMI'IIKSSIOXS or TIIK Wi:ST AND SOUTH. •)! " haudti, sir ; now, sir, choose." The curd was lit'tod, and of conrsc it was the wrong one. llo pirkfd up a f^old watch and about two hundred dollars in an hour. Ono of the bonnets, or confederates, was a consunnnate actor. Ife (irst lost one hundred dollars, then stuked his watch, and won, and his hand shook so that he- could not pick up the money ; again he bet and lost, and aji;ain won. The fellows got olf at the first landing, where they could pick up another boat to return up the river. Until tliey did do so the dealer went and ensconced himself in the engine-house, away from the crowd. Had the fellow thoughts of possible retaliation? It seems to me that it would be an act of charity to the unwary, to get the captain of each steamboat to hang up a placard, advising passengers not to stake their money on three-card vionfr, fortliat tlie dealers were swindlers. Why should not this be done ? We placard our thoroughfares with the notice *' Beware of pickpockets," and is there a difference in the two callings ? ' I li- ft 52 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. NEW ORLEANS. New Orleans, 2nd Dec, 1857. I will not say that the traveller who knows New Orleans by report only will be disappointed, but certaiidy he will find it to be different in the extreme from what he has heard it described. Generally it may be said that certain attributes have been aifiliated to the southern metropolis, which, had they existed, would have made it iinlike any place in the world, and which were accounted for by the changes of government which have marked its history. To some extent no small traces of the past may be recognised, but from what little I could see, they are rather to be found at the surface than deep at the core. Climate, geographical position, difference of institutions, all play their part in the formation of character, but there is a nationality which nothing can destroy, which has a deeper root than all other influences. Thus New Orleans is as essentially an American city as New York or Boston, and perhaps the brilliant page in its history in the war of 1812 may no little have tended to this residt, and on the other hand may have aided to extend to it that influence and reputation it possesses. Weigh New Orleans intellectually by the side of Boston, and in vain you seek the Bancrofts, the Prescotts, the Everetts and the Ticknors, and yet on the great question of the day — slavery — it \ IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 53 has equal weight with the northern city in the opposite direction. t:i-- T>_^i li. ;_ _ ?_i 1 L 1 /• • • 1 1 , 1 ,1 Like Boston, it is a commercial depot defying rivalry, hut whether or no there be something in the atmosphere of slavery which disinclines men to mental labor, no one southern name arises in the mind to be associated with the great thinkers of the North. On the other hand, the stories of the general immorality and looseness of living which have l)een said to characterise the Southerner are, in my humble judg- ment, to be at once dismissed as fables. Like all great cities with a constant influx of stranirors, there is much to condenni, but the same objectionable features exist in all communities aggregated in masses. For, from all I learned no resident in New Orleans can violate decorum with more impunity than he can elsewhere. The line is very clearly traced here, and whoever crosses it pays the certain penalty of social ostracism. "Witli tlu' superficial oliservcr the exce})tiou is taken for the rule, and those arriving with an idea see its develo})nient in exceptional incidents, and from hotel life draw conclusions which are opposed to truth. One fact specially will aid to illustrate this view of the ciise. In the Nortli we have heard that it is absolutely necessary to carry arms in the piUjlic thoroughfares, that there were constant disturbances, and a stranger had to be more than usually prudent in order to avoid fpiarrels. Fortunately, it was not only fine weather when I was in New Orleans, but the moon was at the full, and I made it my busi- ness to walk through the city at all hours, day and night, and I never saw a more quiet place. ^Yatchmen were posted at all the principal thoroughfares, and the opinion forced itself u])on me, that if any one got into a difficulty he sought it. As for carrying arms, such an idea is laughed at. Now and then a duel takes place, and from the rank of the parties public attention is attracted to it, but men (juarrel every- where. It is, however, fair to observe, that in the season at New Orleans a great many wealthy strangers assemble, and that their expeiuliture is profuse. Possibly the gayer features of French manners have to some II • \t 54 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. extent implanted themselves insensibly in the character of the people, for undoubtedly there is a greater love of pleasure, and more deter- mined enjoyment of ease, than is met with at the North. But at the same time business is cared for as energetically and contingencies are as nicely calculated as in iSIassachusetts. Wealth may be liberally spent, but its acquisition is closely watched. Socially, the stranger meets the greatest courtesy ; indeed, politeness is the rule in the South, although now and then you may drop upon a churl. In New Orleans it is especially so, and cveryAvhere you go, you meet in all ranks, with politeness and attention. One striking feature in the popu- lation is the extraordinarily good looks of l)oth men and women. There is a distinyve appearance about the men which I never beheld to such an extent in any one locality. Their dress, also, is unmarked by the least affectation, and as different from that of the commercial " swells " of New York as possible. Here the men look like gentlemen. I cannot say that that impression has come upon me on meeting the habitues of the New York pave. The same with the young girls. I do not recollect ever to have seen so many pretty faces as could be counted on a fashionable night at the French Opera. Climate un- doubtedly has much to do with this excellence, for even as I write the weather is warm in the extreme, so that the window of my room is open. By all this, one will infer that the impressions which a stranger would feel with regard to the place are favorable. Such certainly was my case, and I could pass a few weeks here agreeably enough. The first feeling on entering New Orleans is, that you are in a city differing from all others in the Union. Even the American quarter has borrowed and adopted the old French architecture, although now and then you come upon one of those enormities in the shape of a porticoed dwelling-house peculiar to New England. Buildings worthy of note, as models of architecture, there are none. The St. Charles IMPRESSIONS OF THE WrST V.SD SOrXH o;) Hotel is the only striking edifice in the city. Even the old Cathedral, with its place iVarmes, is not a fine huilding, and the two Spanish structures bv its side are strikino; onlv because thev differ from the established system of edifices. The new Custom House, however, promises to be an exceptioii. It is surrounded by scaffolding, and is now undergoing construction, the granite being ])rought from Boston, for there is no out-crop of rock near New Orleans — hence no building stone. Consequently the houses, even the pul)lic buildings, are liuilt of brick, and are covered with composition, which soon looks dingy Hence, even the best buildings have an air of dilapidation ; not the wear of age, but a species of architectural shabby gentility, arising from the discolored weathering of the outside. The city may be said to be divided into two parts, Canal Street being the boundary. In one the language — the mode of doing business — the articles sold, are French. In the other quarter, we have all the bustle and stir of any other large American city. Not that the French portion is quiet ; on the contrary, Chartres and Royal Streets constitute, with the north- eastern side of Canal Street, the fashionable promenade. They are narrow thoroughfares, each house with its balcony and its paved arched gateway, through the latter of which can be seen the court-yard, paved with brick or flagged. Now and then you come to the heavy cornices of an old S])anish house, while beside it is a shop with its quaint French dormer windows, rising uj) from the tiled roof — tiles which the Spp'uards introduced, and which prevail in all the cities of Central America The signs of the shops are French, and you enter naturally to speak that language. Now and then a Spanish translation appears, but it is rare that it does so. It is in this quarter of the town, near the Cathedral, that you find the French Opera. The exterior is striking ; the inside mean and shabby, but the acting is admirable ; indeed, there is no souvenir of my trip more agreeable than the pleasant evenings I passed witnessing the admirable acting of Madame Richer. The 56 niPRKSSIOiXS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. f'l 4 Cathedral contains two good paintings, one an excellent copy of Murine's Virgin and Child. The old place (Tarmes in front is now laid out into a garden with walks, in which stands the equestrian figure of Jackson. As a composition, it struck me that everything is sacri- ficed to the position of the horse. The animal is on its hind legs, the two fore legs heing in fo act of rising as on a gallop, and the stern old general is with his hat in hand, returning the salutations of the popu- lace, as he entered the city, after our hlunder in assaulting it as we did. One, however, can forgive any fault, for the place would be incomplete without the statue. But certainly it wants repose, and has a clumsy look, which is to he regretted, for otherwise it possesses merit. Those who know the place (Tarmes at ^Montreal, see the counterpart of New Orleans, with this exccj)tion, that while Montreal has much the finer buildings, New Orleans is the more striking from the differences which I point out. The gardens, however, are but shabbily laid out, which is inexcusable when the resources of the climate are considered. The prevailing tiower is the chrysanthemum, with the yellow dwarf of the same species. There is also the osage orange, which forms an excellent hedge, and which admits of being cut into fantastic figures and shapes ; but it was in very bad condition. Per- haps a ramble in the suburbs will give the greatest gratification, for you drop upon old buildings which show the style which was o])served by the old inhabitants. I do not think, from the superficial enquiries I could make, that there is much affinity between the two races. By all accounts there are two societies, which the differences of lan- guage and religion tend to perpetuate. They have sharp hits one against the other. The Americans tell stories of Creoles who have never crossed and who never will cross Canal Street. The Creoles laugh at some of the abortions of American architecture. One great attraction, however, is common ground — the excellent French Opera, which, with all the theatres here, is open on Sunday as on any other I**.-— I IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 67 day ; indeed, on this point, Sunday afternoon is the great gala day. Last Sunday, there was a balloon ascension, and the streets were crowded to witness it. Sunday morning is the great day for the market, and when the weather is fine it is crowded with ladies, who rise to take their matutinal stroll. Excellent coffee can be had on these occasions, as I can speak from experience ; indeed, the machine is expressly made, so as to be warmed with charcoal, and you get the be- verage in as good order as it is possible to obtain it. The market is very fine, and presents as great a variety as can be wished^for — fruits of all kinds, vegetables of all climates, and fish of which we do not hear in our northern country. Not disagreeable is it to stroll through the crowd congregated on these occasions. You have a perfect fair, en- livened with tiiat music which peculiarly appeals to the charitable, for it is general I \ performed under difficulties. Such as guitar-players with no right hand, who strike the string with a spur, blind fiddlers and deaf flutists accompanying harpers who are lame. Some bananas or an oi'ange eaten at this time of day are by no means disagreeable ; indeed, it is in the morning that fruit is recommended, and certainly there are inducements enough in the market to follow the suggestion. :l As one looks ujion the ]Missis3ippi, which cur-^cs and winds rcund New Orleans, as it does in every part of its course, and from which the title of the Crescent City is derived, we look in vain for the reasons which prompted the choice of the site. So far as the river is concerned, the city might have been a hundred miles higher or fifty lower, the distance from the mouth of the Mississipj)i being one hundred miles, and the ground is so low that the drainage runs away from ' e river. Immediately behind the city is a low swamp, which generates fever and disease, and which is the secret of the unhealthy condition of the place. On such low ground the city is built. Indeed it is im})ossible to dig a grave, for water is immediately met with, and consequently 56 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. II if. 1.1 the t-einetpries of New Orleans diflFer from ot^er sjjots where the dead rest, in the peculiarity that the latter are all above ground. For tombs in the literal sense of the word receive them. In some instances, these are merely brick receptacles admitting a single coffin ; in others, they are large structures rising tliirty and forty feet from the gnmnd, formed into compartments, and fre(|uently decorated with much archi- tectural embellishment. Between these extremes, every variety is to be . let with, but the greater efforts are the result of societies ; and therefore it is a common practice for individuals to combine, to obtain a decent place of rest when they cease to be, as, when living, they formed one of a number to enjoy the creature comforts of existence. The appear- ance of a cemetery is therefore striking in the extreme. As you walk among these last homes of your fellows, you feel indeed that you are in the company of their remains. When beneath the sod, you forget the few feet between you and them. They have disappeared from view, and you think that the earth either has worked out its power, or is rapidly so acting to absorb within herself, the physical elements of what once directed great thoughts and high aspirations, or controlled disa})pointed hopes. The theory of our very being, from the earliest davs of religion and literature, is that the dust should return to the earth as it was ; l)ut here you are wandering among mouldering relics of humanity, separated only by a few inches from decay in all its stages. The tombs, too, here and there, are following the very law which led to their construction. Many are dilapidated ; many have fallen in ; and the record which affection, or com|)liance with custom, has traced, has in no few instances long since faded to nothingness. Rank grass grows around these rece[)tacles of the dead. But you come to spots where affection has raised tributes to those who had passed away, in the shape of flowering shrubs, and in the French taste, garlands and mementoes are hung on many a tomb. I wandered through the cemetery, but i saw no epitaph worth preserving. Now IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 59 and then you drop upon a few words of sincerity, at least having that impress, but they are what can he found in any churchyard. Gener- ally indeed the exceptions to this tone of thought, are remarkable only when they merge into absurdity. Rarely is there met a noble tribute like that to Wren in St. Paul's, or the line in which the attection of Johnson bore homage to the genius of Goldsmith. But I do recollect an epitaph which I saw some few years ago in Panama Cathedral, which for simple pathos strikes c ,s unrivalled. It was to a young girl, in Spanish, and as far as I recollect ran, " A Francisca Arosemana " de edad 17 nnos, quien miirio [here came the date], mas qHien vivmi " eternamente en hi memoria de hs smjos.^' To Francisca Arosemana, 17 years of age> who died on such a date, but who will live for ever in the memory of her own near kindred. In vain I sought for some such tribute here. All was common-place. There are several such cemeteries in New Orleans, one I believe in each ward. Thev are con- stant^y open, and are visited by nearly every stranger. Out of the town some three miles, there is a piece of ground where the friendless are buried, for here they are interred. Those, however, who can afford to pay for a site — and the expense is by no means slight — are enclosed in the tombs of the city cemeteries. This system of burial, as was said above, is caused by the low ground on which the city is built. Hence, too, the heavy pumping machines which are continually at work, in the swamp to the north of the city, to compass good drainage. The secret of the selection of the site of New Orleans lies to the north, in the link of the small lakes which open a communication to the Gulf of Florida. A glance at the map shows how a passage across the narrow neck of land — it is but six miles — to Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne, shortens the com- munication with the Atlantic seaboard. By this route the United States mail is now carried ; by this route, were the line of railways developed as it should be, the whole Northern travel would pass ; by 60 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. ill i ■ i this route passed the British on their ill-planned, ill-managed, ill-con- ducted, ill-fated expedition against New Orleans, to prove, perhaps, the greatest record of a defeat in modern times. With this fact in view, the physical pecidiarities of New Orleans can be understood, for everything has been sacrificed to it. Were the ground twenty feet higher, the city might l)ecome one of the largest in the world. We may see this in the fact of what it now is. So low is the level,that,as in other parts of the Mississippi Valley, an embankment (retaining its French name, levee,) is run by the water-line, to stay the progress of inundations. This forms the highest ground in the city, and the surface water of the streets runs away from the river. Yet, in spite of the natui-al conse- quences, malaria and yellow fever, here is the great emporium of the South and Great West ; here is the centre of that region ; here its entrepot ; as on one hand, Montreal is the natural port of all the ter- ritorv tributary to the St. Lawrenee, so is New Orleans the commer- cial centre of the valley of the Mississippi and all the territory which lies around it to that scarcely defined line where the natural route is to pass by Canadian waters. Efforts have been made to seek other channels for the trade, and the railway from Memphis to Charleston is a proof of the enterprise which has sought to divert the cotton interest to that beautifully situated but somewhat unprogressive city. But nothing can compete with the Mississippi, and at the somewhat mean wharves of New Orleans lie vessels in abundance to bear away the cotton to Great Britain. Its commercial relations, therefore, make it the great mart of the South West and of Texas, and so it must remain. Perhaps it is a feeling of geographical strength which has led New Orleans to be the focus of attempts to possess Cuba and Cen- tral America. Already there is no limited trade between Havana and New Orleans, in spite of the jealousy and mistrust of the Spanish Government, and possibly there is a feeling that all its commerce could be entirely controlled by New Orleans if the island became an addition i«C: IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 61 to the United States. The same with Central America. AVithin the last month an expedition has been started for that unhappy country, and Walker, with a handful of men, is again to bring trouble to that distracted land.* I have met many who knew Walker. They speak of him as a man of great moral courage and of wonderful tenacity of purpose, but they do not attach much value either to his statesmanship or his generalshij). Hcnningsen is spoken of as the life of the expe- dition, and it is said that he has an organization of a thousand men in Georgia ready to take the field. Reports likewise assign to Texas the merit or demerit of containing a regiment ready to march, Money, it seems, is not wanting, and the expedition owns, at all events, one steamer — the Fashion — in which Walker embarked near Mobile with a stock of arms and some four hundred men. His destination is unknown. I learned from a gentleman who is mixed up with AValker, or at least supposed to be so, that great secrecy had been observed, altiiough it was possible that the Executive at Washington was as well-informed as Walker himself. His own opinion was that the attempt would be to make a descent on Costa Rica, and with a fair prospect of success. The latter was indeed the })revailing opinion. It is considered thar Walker has learned by the past, and that he will avoid the faults which he has already committed, and that if he can only for a time maintain hin^self, the South will supply crowds of adventurers to join him — men who, once there, will lie determined enough, but who do not care to play a very desj)erate game. It is impossible to form an opinion of the result. That the organization has wide ramifications is undoubted. They have their head-quarters in New Orleans, and a shabby enough house it is, but the extent of their resources is concealed. I cannot but think that the * Since this was written the expedition of Walker 1ms pi'oved a failuro, owing to the interference of the United States Naval authorities. !! u !fREi$SIONS OF THE WKST AND SOUTH. are aj^aiiist one's country. Let us, liowevi-r, lenve the spot. It is a sad soHvenii', and, as tlie road is diversified on one side by tlie river, with its busy landscape, and on the other hy the rich foUajje of the magnolia and the orange tree, with a little ettbrt it is not hard to tor- get our failure, which, at all events, was not ignominious, for, although we fell, we fell like men. The drive to Lake Pontelmrtrain is more pleasant, both in association and in scenery. The superstructure is composed of shells,* which lie in myriads on the Iieach of the lake, and placed on the road-l>ed thev are crushed into solidity by a heavy roller. Nothing can be smoother and better than this road, and hence it is the scene of the prowess of many a fast trotting horse. For a long distance it passes by the side of the canal which runs from the lake to the city, admitting the navigation of propellers and sloops. I am told that in the hot weather, alligators of all sizes are to be seen sunning them- selves on the banks. It was too cold during my trip for them tu nu\ke their apj)carance, but the drive was agreeable, even with this de})rivation. Indeed, I can conceive that it must always be ])leasant to })ass along this roail — its evenness, the breeze from the lake, the rijjple of the water, the foliage, although in a swamj), give it a remarkable beauty. From the lake there is a railway which passes through ('arrolton to New Orleans. The former is six miles above New Orleans, on the river. I went by the railway to this place, and svi- took half an hour to make the six miles, but there were eleven stops in the distance. It is, however, one continuous series of residences between the two places, and I can easily imagine how, in the extremely hot weather, parties of all ranks would be glad to pass to the lake to enjoy the fresh, cool breeze, if it were only for an hour. An excellent hotel is there, and there is every • The Guathudon Cnncatus—hyQW alludes to this road, adding : " It ia made of Guatliodou shells procured from the east end of the lake, where tli(!ro is a raouud of thorn a mile long, 15 yards high, and 20 to GO yards wide," &e. f (Sf (i4 IMPKKSSIONS OF THE WKST AND SOUTH. induccinent to tempt those rich enough to s[)ciul money to go. And it ai)i)enrs to me that everyhody in the jilnce thinks little how he opens his porte-inonnaie. » ii fh Let me say that lew cities will repay the traveller hetter than New Orleans. As I walked througii it I felt thoroughly indemnified for the seven days which I had passed on the Mississippi. It is full of interest. Even the American portion of the city has an originality not to he seen elsewhere. But in the narrow French streets of the Creole population — the old-fashioned buildings with their balconies — and the varied appearance of the j)eople themselves, you are made to feel that you are a traveller. Still, with all this, you pass to the hotel, and finding all the comforts you have left i)ehind you, and seeing the throng of merchants and brokers, and glancing along the spars of the vessels and the chimneys of the steamers — there is the impression that you are yet among a peof)le with whom commerce is the predominating principle. It is these who give the tone to the place, while the care- less planter, away from home with his family on a holiday, is merely the exception, and is, to some extent, a visitor as you are. I must add, that I saw hut few carriages in the streets, a fact to which I drew tlie attention of a friend, and he told me that my observation was correct. Possibly the weather is tempting for drives but a few months in the year, and hence it becomes more economical to hire than to own horses ; besides, the city is comi)actly built, and the prin- cipal residences are not very far distant from the streets which consti- tute the fashionable promenade. I nuist own that I shall ever look back with pleasurable feelings to the few days that I passed in this city. To me everything had a holiday look, and it is something in this cut-and-thrust world to have such an impression, if it be only for an hour. IMl'RKSSIONS OF THE W'KST AND SOtJTH. 05 NEW ORLEANS TO CHARLESTON— (^lARLESTOX- WASIIINGTON. New YoiiK, St. Nicolas, 15ili Dec, 1857. It was my intention to hnve proceeded from New Orleans to Cuba, but I received letters Avhich changed my intention. I must own, that it was a matter of regret tliat 1 had to abandon the idea, but abnegation is one of the laws of our being, and like others I had only to bow to circumstances, and submit to the disappointment. T had therefore to think of returi]ing home, and tlie question naturally was what route I should take. E\ idently tlie easiest and the cheapest was by steamer to New York ; but I expected letters at "Wasliington, and hence I felt bound not to slight tiie correspondent whom I had directed to address me there. My miud was accordingly made up to pass through Alabama and Georgia to Charleston, and thence to AVashington, and onward to New York. I was somewhat afraid of the low water in the Alabama river, more especially as I learned that vessels had been known to pass a few days aground there ; but on tlie other hand I was told that there was a stage route across to INIontgomery, b}^ which the United States mail was carried, and that if I was indifferent to a little annoyance, I could calculate on experiencing no delay if I f \ ■ ii! J , I! ■■ 11 I \ C() IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. travelled by it. Determined to make Charleston my first stopping place, I left New Orleans in the afternoon by the short railroad to Lake Pontchartrain, where I was transferred to the small low-pressure steamboat which runs to Mobile. Wo arrived there in the morning, and having a few hours at my disposal I drove through the city. The scenery is low and quiet as you approach it, by the carefully buoyed out channel, for the water of Lake Borgne is shallow, and requires if not skill in navigating it, at least a knowledge of the shoals ; and for miles before you arrive it is marked by piles driven in and capped, with lantherns which are nightly lighted, by a boat specially deputed to the duty. Mobile itself has nothing about it to dwell upon, if I except that when you enter the house (I leave tlie hotel a blank) you feel that you are not in the Saint Charles. I do not mean simply in size and accommodation. To complain on this ground would be unreason- able. AV^hat I mean, is on the score of politeness and civility. In New Orleans, in this admirably managed hotel, nothing can exceed the courtesy of every member of the establishment, and the care for your comfort ; I was almost saying that it was the best hotel in the world : whereas in Mobile, the porter is told " to take this man's things up,'- and you get snubbed, however courteous you yourself may be. Besides, it struck me tliat information was regarded as not apper- taining to the duties of the oifice clerk. The cost of vehicles, the routes north, the hours of starting, and such reasonable queries as one makes as a matter of course in an hotel, were all treated mono- syllabically, or entirely ignored. However, one drops now and then upon gentry of this species, and really they are hardly wortli gibet- ting ; but perhaps the proprietor will take the hint, for 1 can tell him that his house has not too good a reputation. I drove over Mobile, and felt like Goethe's friend Beirich, that so far as it went, after all one's experience there was in reality nothing 1*1. >*- I : ^ng 'he -ed if IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 67 to experience, and made my preparations for starting, having deter- mined to take the land route. By it you do not pass up the Alabama river, but you enter one of its forks — the Tansaw which runs paral- lel to the former, some six miles or so from it — the two embouchures being but a trifling distance apart. It is a winding stream through a flat country, in some parts narrow, with alligator swamps on each side, but beyond the reeds and rushes there is a rich foliage. The season was not opportune, to meet any of these not too graceful saiirians, but some twenty miles up we did see a small fellow, of some three or four feet long swimming inshore, which could hardly have been expected, for the day was cold and raw. In summer, I am told they are plentiful enough, and as all sportsmen wage unrelent- ing war against them, no few of them are shot. About live we arrived at Stockton, where we saw the stages ready for us, and I soon learned that I was the only passenger. On the boai there were but four passengers, and two of them left us at the first miserable landing to take the stage for Florida, while the third came on to Stockton. It is a place of about nine houses, yet its name is on the map, and one would imagine by seeing it there, that it was a thriving and bustling town. Generally, however, tliere is but little travel in this direction, and the route is maintained purely as a mail route. Even we may wonder what sustains the small village. I could learn nothing beyond that the stage couipany had stables there, and indeed every twenty miles of the distance to Montgomery there are similar establishments for the horses ; otherwise it is almost a wilder- ness. The main route is by the Alabama river from Mobile to Mont- gomery, and when there is plenty of Avator in the stream, the first class boats make the trip in about three days, the distance three hundred and forty miles, being in no small degree increased by the undu- lations of the river. In seasons when the water is low there is jjreat risk of detention. The mail, however, is bound by contract to make i 6S IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. i^ the distance in 40 hours to connect with the Railways running east, so at least 48 hours are saved by the land route which runs traversely in a direct line between the two points. A Railway is now being con- structed from Montgomery, some twenty -five miles of which are in operation towards Pensacola, and possibly a branch may be carried to a point opposite Mobile. Evidently sucli a scheme would insure all the travel between New Orleans and Washington ; but there is difficulty in getting the stock taken up. The design for the pre- sent is to construct only the main line, and by all accounts to do so will be no easy task, for the country is but poorly settled. I sat on the box with the driver of one of the stages who was very intelligent ; and as we started about six or so, I thought it would be no great harm to enquire wlTere we could get some supper. I learned, how- ever, that it was a meal not in fashion on the western part of the road, for the proprietor of tlie establishment, finding that there were no travellers to eat supper, had retired from the business. I enquired accordingly if something could not be had where we changed horses, which would be about ten, the distance being twenty miles ; but I learned that the horse-keopers boarded some two miles from the stable, and the driver added that where he himself stopped, it would be equally impossible ; however he was good enough to tell me, that he would divide wliat he had brought for himself. Fortunately I had something which I could add towards the supper, so Ave did the best we could with cold broiled fish and some biscuits. It now came on to rain, so I retired from my seat to the monotony of the inside ; and certainly altliough tlie rain poured in torrents, and the roads were as bad as they could be, no time was lost. As I had been told, there was evidently no doubt but that I would arrive at the hour named, for no obstacle seemed to retard the driver, and we dashed along without the least regard eitlier to the roughness or bad condition of the road. I was not sorry to see daylight, for it was a dreary ride i IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 69 that wet night, besides it gave promise of hrenkl'ast, which came iu due time. The rain had now passed over and I took my old seat, but my benevolent friend who had shared his supper with me was not there. I must confess that I was disappointed in the appearance of the forest trees. Compared to a Canadian wood scene they were insignificant. Nothing was there equal to our noble pines, if we ex- cept the magnolia and the evergreen oak. Both, however, were of rare occurrence. There is the well known Georgia pine, but it is by no means so fine a tree as its northern brother, and generally the timber has, what one of our lumberers would call a dwarfish look. As we approached Montgomery the country becomes more settled, and we took dinner at a tarm house which had some preteusons to com- fort. Small settlements succeed each other, but generally the build- ings had a delapidated look, and there was an air of poverty over the whole route. Now and then, in new northern settlements we come to spots where city comforts are unknown, and those who dwell in towns know nothing of the hardships which early settlers undergo. But in these cases, although the house is merely a log hut, and there is but one room iu it, you never meet misery and squalor, liather, if you put out of mind the blessings of pavements and gas lights, and the cheerful association with cultivated and genial minds, a few weeks not only will reconcile you to the life, but the free air of the forest will give you a sense of independence and manhood which leads you to deem the obstacles before you but slight. No man lives in com- munion with nature in vain, unless depressing cares bciir him down in his own despite. But as I passed by these places, there was a weary spirit-broken look about them, which impressed me that those whose days were cast in this spot hoped for no change — that they had accepted their destiny — and I could not but ask myself — is this a con- sequence of slavery ? For to my mind it is the white man placed in indiflferent circumstances in the south, who deserves the sympathy If M !i \ t il n 1 ■ h 70 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. i- 1 I ,^ ? of his race. As we advanced the road became worse. It has been my lot to pass over many roads — on shanty roads — roads cut for the first time through bush land, which ran round every tree — on mule tracks — on broken plank roads — on paths unpassable half the year — but I do not think that there is such a road in existence as the last thirty miles of this route. So long as we were on the sandy soil of the high land, spots here and there were only objectionable ; but we had descended to a lower level where the soil was of clay. It Avas now quite dark and raining fast. Literally — one more passenger had now joined us — we had to make a purchase with our legs and back to prevent us being pitched up to the roof of the stage. But on tlie drivers went, the time had to be made, or a heavy forfeit j)aid. One of the reasons why the road is in such a bad condition is, that the railway was near completion, and, perhaps, before this letter is in type, the engine will pass over half of the distance. But the night I was there, I m.iy pronounce it to be the worst road that I ever saw, heard, or dreamed off. It turned, too, quite cold, and when we stopped at a plantation where supper was prepared, and where we were to take the railway in the morning for Montgomery, I felt as if I was leaving purgatory. We were unusually late on arriving ; indeed, they had been looking out for us two hours. Hence we had many apologies for our half-cold meal, but there was a blazing fire, and there were beds on which we could sleep for an hour, such was the time allotted. So we sat down while the poor sleepy negroes ran round us to supply our wants, which fortunately were moderate enough. At the time appointed the stage came to drive us one more mile to meet the railway, and we sat for about half an hour in the grey of the morning until the cars came up. In them we eagerly took our seatS; aowing that for the next two hours we were safe from such inflictions as we had been subjected to, and without further difficulty we came into Montgomery. =iiL_ IMPRESSIONS OF THK WEST AND SOUTH. 71 The last named city on the Alabama River, is the capital of the State. It is not marked l)y any peculiarity. The capital stands prominently on high ground, and there is nothing to note, as differing from other cities of its size. There are two artesian wells, which supply the city with water, and the hasins stand in the pnbhc streets, perfectly easy of access. It was Sunday when I arrived, so I had to wait for the train at five. The main streets in the afternoon were thronged with the negro ])opulation, who are generally slaves, for I learned that there are very few free blacks in the State. There are two routes which lead to Charleston, and there is little choice between them. But I was determined l)y the desire to pass over the Macon an. I Milieu route, the scene of tiiat extraordinary series of duels, the account of which found its w-ay in the London Tmes. I, therefore, chose the southern route, by Columbus to Macon. Being composed of many lines, we change cars sufficiently often, but the connection being made by omnibuses, the ainioyance is but trifling, for the bag- gage is checked througli, and the extent of your labor is to })ass from one coach seat to another. On starting, the train was composed of two parts, and according to your destination you took your seat. At Opalika, some seventy miles from Montgomeiy, one set of cars was borne away north to Atalanta, while the remainder was taken on to Columbus. Certainly despatch is not an element in the management of Southern Railways, and it seemed strange to me, whose Railway education, such as it is, had taught, that not a second should be wasted, to see the engine of the passenger train shmiting cars at stations with as much deliberation, as if to do so constituted its whole duty. Rut the time table gives only about fifteen miles an hour, and hence in some in- stances we delayed twenty and thirty minutes at a station. We arrived in Columbus by night, and were driven through the Cit} to take the Macon Road. At Macon there is an excellent station where the lines meet, and there are all the conditions of comfort in the shape of a good p 72 IMPRKSSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. Si hotel, in the building. An hour intervened between the arrival of, and departure of the trains ; and I devoted it to a special enquiry of the Arrowsmith story. I could make nothing of it. I saw the conduc- tor of the ipsissima train, and sought to extract something like a theory for its explanation. But this gentleman, a pleasant and agreeable person enough, was dumfounded. There was no ground for such a recital, which could be tortured by even the strangest twist, into the extraordinary details of the wonder seeking Englishman. It will be recollected that a Mr. Arrowsmith published, either under his signa- ture at the time — or he immediately afterwards artiliatcd it — an account of a succession of duels growing out of some trifling aifair, which [)artial- ly took place on the train, and that the train stopped pur])osely that the combatants could fight it out. Out of one affair arose one or two, all a Voutraiice, and so circumstantial was tbe startling narrative, that it seemed hard to doubt it. A denial, however, was prompt ; and I be- lieve that the Times feeling its clu.^acter for reliability as in some slight degree comp; omised in the statement, sent specially a messenger to ex- amine into its truth or falsehood. Be this so or not, the conductors of the journal felt themselves bound to contradict the stateinents of its correspondent. The (juestion had therefore somewhat of a charm for me. Why had this Arrows;nith drawn the long bow — wliat wliere his grounds for doing so — and what was his tein})tation ? In my idea the story has a western smack which suggests that it originated without the mind of the narrator. In short, that the man was hoaxed. Eng- lishmen travelling in the United States are remarkable in many ways, by dress, by manner, and that I should write it, too often by undue pretension. I do not say that it is the case with Mr. Arrowsmith. Possibly he may be genial and natural to a degree, but the only way in which his story can be accounted for, is, that some one in the cars ♦' spotted " him, and gave him the benefit of his inventive powers ; and that being in search of the marvellous, Mr. Arrowsmith adopted the IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 73 facts as his own, for it is perfectly certain that nothing of the kind ever happened. From Macon the Railway runs direct to Savan- nah. My destination was Charleston, so at Millen, where we dined, I took the branch line to Augusta. The only point which I could see worth comment regarding the main line, was that it was very indiffer- ently fenced. Otherwise the track was in good condition, and would admit a much higher rate of speed than that adopted, for we did not exceed sixteen or eighteen miles an hour. At least such was the run- ning time, but owing to the long delays at stations it was frequently exceeded. It was quite dark when we arrived at Augusta, so the passengers availed themselves of the omnibuses to go to the city to take supper, returning by them to the Charleston Station. As Augus- ta is a point in the Railway travel between the North and Soutli, the cars were pretty full till we came to Brancheville, where the route turns to Washington. I must sav a word on the seats of this route, which are among the most comfortable for night travelling which I have met in my limited experience. With high backs, they are made so that any angle of inclination could be obtained ; of course with the limit of not annoying your neighbor, and as it was the fifth night I had not been in bed, I found them peculiarly convenient. About two or so, we arrived at Charleston. Thus having left New Orleans on Thursday I did not arrive at Charleston until the Mondav, and I had not lost one opportunity. Surely this is but indifferent travelling in these days of fast locomotion. I presume, however, that the foreigner has no right to criticise if those immediately affected are satisfied. BeautiluUy situated is the city of Charleston ; and as I stoijd on the White Point G-ardeu, with Ashley river flowing from tlie west, and Cooper river in the opposite direction, the bay before me rolling with a gentle ripple in the sunlight, the banks green with fliage, and in the distance the blue line of the ocean broken by the outlines of F 74 IMVRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. Fort Moultrie, with a warm breeze breaking upon the face, and all within a few days of Christmas ; I thought that I could pass a few years pleasantly enough in the neighbourhood of such a scene. But, as of the extreme opposite of such a sight, it is said, — " Treacherous phautoms In the mist delude." SO in this fair landscape we see but half of the picture. Its autum- nal sunshine and verdure tell no tale of the fever which in seasons devastates the place ; for Charleston lies low, and is surrounded by marshy grounds, which periodically by their exhalations poison the locality. In some instances the yellow fever has even assumed the proportions of a plague, at least in the dwellings of the poor, where ill ventilation and want of cleanliness uourisli a predisposition to disease. Built too in the old fashion of narrow streets, in spite of its position, and the sea breeze, tliere is constantly in the extreme hot weather the dread of these visitations. To the student of history Charlestou is classic ground. Until the Revolution, the British Government had been recognized by ^he Carolinians, only as bene- factors, who had sustained them in misfortune, and aided them in the pursuit of wealth, and to many the quarrel was merely a defence of a principle in no way affecting their being. Hence there was to the last a loyal part}- in the South, who warmly advocated tlie cause of the mother country. On the other hand the Revolutionary adher- ents were in no way backward in energy. They raised troops, forti- fied the seaboard, and South Carolina was the first of the colonies to draw up an independent constitution, on the principles whicli Maasa- chusets a hundred years back had begun to disseminate. While on this point looking to that terrible struggle with impartiality, we can trace to a minor circumstance which happened some years before, the determined part which the Revolutionary Carolinian played. We IMPREi^SIONS (JF THK WEST AND SOUTH. 75 have to go back twenty years to allude to it. Ou referring to dates, just oue century ago. It was during that period of the history of this Coutiuent which tlie genius of Mr. Thackeray is now revivifying, and gracing with that charm, peculiar to himself, which has beguiled, aud will for years beguile many a weary hour. Possibly the very incident may tiud a place in *• The Virginians." After tlie de- feat of Braddock at Eort Duequcsne, some Cherokee Indians, who Mere returning, conunitted some depredations in Virginia, which was resented by the death of many of those concerned. The consequence was an Indian war, whicli was carried to 2s'ortb Carolina. An organization was made to repel it, ou which the Cherokces sent messengers askijig for a reconciliation. Governor Lyttleton, however, replied by making prisoners of tlu> messen- gers, and proceeded to ciicvy out the expedition lie had planned. Although forced to submit, this "treatment sank in tho minds of the Indians. Nevertheless, for a time they appeared to yield, aud twenty hostages v/ere given as an earnest of peace. But the dilliculty was only postponed, a war with all its horrors broke out, aud among other atrocities, the garrison at Fort Louudou, which had capitulated through famine, aud on the express condition of liberty of proceeding to the next town, was attacked within Jifteeu miles of the fort, when many were shot down and the remainder canned iuto captivity. In this dilemma a Proviueial regiment was raised, fresli troops arrived from England under a Colonel Grant, aud the war was vigorously car- ried on. But Grant treated the Colonel of the Pruvincials with such indignity, behaved with such arrogance, aud was so insolent, that Middleton called him to personal account. They met, and neither was wounded. But so much ill-feeling was created, that it was neve" quelled, and men like Laurens, Moultrie, Marriou, and Pickens, who were all officers in Middleton's corps, were predisposed to engage in am' contest whicli would permit them to obtain satisfaction of the 76 IMPREflSIONS OP THE WKST AND SOUTH. Ill insolence of English officials. Indeed, to my mind, the great contest had as much its origin in social as in political feeling. Necessarily there must exist some difference in the tone of thought of men who have lived in the centres of the world, and who have seen all that is worth looking at, and the Provincial whose experience has been limited to the events of his own country. From the first days of civilization until now, the Imperialist has lauded it over the Provin- cial, who denied a voice in the direction of national interests, is considered by some whose only merit is accident of birth, — I mean locally speaking, for such men are generally parvenus, — to be out of the pale of Imperial consideration ; and thus narrow-minded and pre- tentious individuals have caused as much mischief as positive tyranny and misgovernment. The evidence of this may be seen in British North America, even at this day, after all the lessons which history has taught ; and that such was the case in the American struggle is impossible to be denied ; and the rencontre betv/een Grant and Mid- dleton led to bitterness and passion which never passed away. It was one of these officers Colonel Moultrie, who put Sullivan's Island in defence and beat off Parker. It now bears the name of its de- fender. Again was Charleston besieged three years later, but with- out success, and Moultrie again was the defender. Eventually, how- ever, Charleston passed into the hands of the British, and was again evacuated. With some interest I looked for relics of this period. But there are only two prominent ones. St. Michael's Church and the Custom House. Yet the city has even an ancient look, in spite of its having been devastated by fires at least four times. When in Charleston I dropped upon some entertaining memorials of the place, and in dwelling upon old events, they relate on the authority of an eye witness, how this same General Moultrie on one occasion gravely opened a ball, " with a lady of suitable years," in a minuet. The gallant old fellow — he was turned fifty — was in full regimeu- l*«.-*uj pest rily IMPRESSIONS OK THK W'KST AND SOUTH. / / s tals, aud we may fancy the 'dignity with which he went through the ceremony. Charleston 18 a bustling, business-like looking place. The streets are in some instances unusually narrow, but the houses are substan- tial and have an air of comfort, and there is a look of wealth in the place, which suggests that those posst'ssiug fortune's gifts know how to use them. The stores are well supplied, and on King Street, so far as I know, the only street in the United States of the name, there is all one would desire to find. The public buildings are also nota- ble edifices, A friend pointed out to me Saint Michael's Church avS the most chaste model of architecture on the continent, I silently accepted his criticism but I could not agree with him, although the building had the halo of old associations. AVhat struck me peculiarly in Charleston was the police organization. It is a perfect gens d'armerie. On passing the barrack, 1 was attracted by the sen- try who was marching his regular distance accoutered with side belts and musket. I could see at once he was not a militia man, for there was nothing of a holiday-look about him. Equally could I see that he was not a soldier, for you did not find that smartness and neatness which become inseparable from continuous discipline. I was subse- quently enlightened, and learned that there was a strong force con- stantly in readiness to act. Patrols pass through the city at all hours, aud there is a development in this respect which I have seen no where else. I heard that a great many desperate men, owing to the position of Charleston, occasionally congregate there ; some of them seafaring men, others in search of some chance by which they could live : hence these precautions. But it struck me that the prin- cipal cause of anxiety might be, after all, the slave population. More than once there has been talk of a general rising, and not very many years ago it is averred that only by great skill and courage such a 'H IMI'UESSIONS Ol' TIIK WEST AND SOUTH. II result wa."* uvortod. Speciiil euro is ulso taken in llio of<:;iini/,iition of the militia, who I believe asaonible inoro often here for drill than in any other State, perhaps owing to the snmo cauao. There is an excellent Theatre in Charleston, built in the recognisctl t'orni, so that the spec- tators may both see and hear. Indeed out of New Vork it was tho only place where I saw even decent acting. T except of course the New Orleans Opera. 13ut generally, although praisi.' was due in one or tw the baggage muster r(3ru.sed to eheck m\' baggage — J was a way passenger — althougii i explained I hud taken my ticket from Charleston to Washington. AVhat was thiL to them ? Then i iiad a small box — it was a candle box which 1 iiad got from tlio St. Charles Hotel — containing a few I'Veuch books which I had picked up at New Orleans. The iudiifuunt baggage man cuiUd n<»t call that bancracre. I am not a uovice in travelling, so, if it be possible, I never lose my temper. To do so is of little good — and with due res[)ect to the memory of l"\iseli — I think tiiat it gives yon little reUel to indnlgo in objurgations, ."^o I conrented myself with a calm expostulation with the Conductor — of whom I nuiy say, that if politeness be a 'pcchcmor- tel, he is safe in counting upon admission to hcaveu — aiul only told him that he would hear again of the matter. We arrived at AVilmingtou at night, and crossed the river in a ferry to take the line to Weldon. Here I had another pretty quarrel about my baggage. The baggage master not only would not check my little box of Trench books, but he made me pay half a dollar for extra baggage, and was churlish even with that. The depot furnished us with all the condbrts which we might reasonably expect, washing rooms and a breakfast, and taking the fresh train we went almost due north on our route. Hang- ing on the trees there was auold friend — a reminiaence of my boy- hood, the misletoe — the English mi&letoe, \vhieh for uineteen years I had not seen. There it stood in its graceful festoons, awakening recol- lections with those who had a past, and to the reader of English literature, suggesting day dreams wdiich the pleasing legends con- nected with it would create in an imaginative mind. All throusb North Carolina and Virginia is it to be seen. At Weldon we took din- '1 ill. J f. i HO IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. ner, and I found on leaving this place that I had dropped my pocket book, It contained little save memoranda, and hence I have beeu compelled to write without notes of any kind, and I mention the fact so that I may ask forgiveness for any error wliich I may have made or may make, for the discovery of my loss had the effect of deteriug me from continuing my notes, and I have written with no other aid but that of memory. At Petersburg we took to omnibusses to pass to the cars on the other side of tlie city, which bore us to Richmond, and at Richmond we again went tlu'ough the same change, till we were again en route for Washington. The Railway does not go into the city, but connects on the Potomac, some ten leagues south, with a steam- boat which lands you in Washington about three in the morning. I was but three days in Washington, and I wish to write of it modestly. Washington I would not call a city. It is a political centre. As a city, Toronto even would take a precedence of it in many respects. I do not mean socially or politically, for Toronto in this point of view is so essentially provincial that it could not be mentioned in the same century with Washington. But there is no commercial movement in the streets, and I question if the stores are even as well supplied as ours. Xot that the thoroughfares are defi- cient in animation. On the coutrarv, I do not for instance think that I ever saw so many pretty women in so short a space of time as I did when there. The fact may be accounted I'or, by saying that all newly married couples who can afford it, of course take Washington in their trip. But with regard to the tone of the place it must be evident that the foreigu diplomatists, joined to the number of American officials who are necessarily men of education, must have a tendency to elevate it beyond these influences which are communicated by merely rich men, whose power lies in their wealth and pretension, and who lose no opportunity of snubbing men of education when they \^^- IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH 81 dare. From what I learned, I sliould say that theae people were kept in their place, and I have been told that there is less pretension and more frankness and geniality in Washington than any where in America. Tlie public buildings are striking in the extreme, and are really worthy of a free people. Tlio Capitol is now being enlarged, and standing on a prominent height, and built of white marble, will, when completed, be one of the finest buildings in the world, especially when seen from Pensylvania Avenue. But the statuary should at once be removed. One allegorical representation of the discovery of the New "World is more like a street conjuror than any thing else. A figure has his right arm extended with a ball in his hand. One almost fancys he hears the drum and the pandean pipes of the coad- jutor, and then the information, " That this 'ere young man Avill " throw that there ball six times 'igher than hany 'ouse in London and " catch hit in the ball on his forehead." As for the Colossal statue of Washington, it looks exactly as if that excellent man was about refreshing himself with a bath, for his toga hangs over his arm like a towel, and his Roman gladius has exactly the appearance of a ther- mometer. With regard to the interior of the Capitol no ex- pense is being spared. The House of Eepresentativcs was on the eve of completion. Indeed the members have gone into it since I was there , but it struck me that there would be a difficulty in hearing the speakers. Among the other buildings are the President's House, the Treasury buiMings, and the Patent office. The latter every one should visit, especially those of a mechanical turn, for there, are deposited all the inventions which the office recognizes, carefully modelled. But what the Englishman would look on with the greatest interest is the original Declaration of Independence, and the modest camp equipage and wet. "ug apparel of the Great Washington. I do not know that there was anything in my trip I regarded with more attention than these relics. It G I i 82 IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH, ■■A h) seems to me that the opportunity is not inappropriate to say a few M ords ou what strikes me as a great national fault of our neighbors. In limine let me profess the greatest admiration of "Washington. I do not think that any American can entertain stronger feelings of rev- erence for him tha^i I do, and his memory has yet to exercise an influ- ence in a direction in which its sway has hitherto been slight. Eor he was an accomplished chivalrous gentleman, above the loose ideas of everything being subsideary to gain, and the gross selfishness which marks the creed of Franklin. Will any patriotic American boldly say that in this view his example has worked its results ? But great and good aiid pure as Washington was, perhaps of all men the gi'eatest, his memory will not bear the re -iterated tributes paid to him. Everywhere you see his name and his bust. At AVashington I think you stumble on it some fifty times. It is ioiijours perdrix So with the revolutionary struggles. The Americans are proud and justly proud of the deeds of their sires in this respect. But why parade them for ever ? Are the weapons used in this strife never to lose their briglitness ? Is the memory of the ill feeling ever to be perpetuated ? I admit that it is classic ground for the writer and the novelist, and so far as my sympaties go they are wholly with them. Indeed I do not hesitate to say, that if in those days I had been a Colonist, as I am an Englishman, I would have ranged myself by "Washington's side. But with all this, Ave do not desire to see contin- ually and at all places AVashington and Eevolutionary traditions. Thus, in the Chamber devoted to the committee on agriculture, there is a fresco of Putnam leaving his plough on hearing of the skirmish at Lexington. I do not deny there is some analogy in the fact of Putnam's calling, but the philosophy certainly which the picture inculcates is, that the agriculturist should be ready at any call to his feelings— or what may be said to be the same thing, what ho considered to be a call— to abandon his fields and his crops un- IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEST AND SOUTH. 83 hesitatingly. I hardly suppose that any criticism of mine will have any avail, but certainly it is time that this struggle should be re- garded as what it has become, History — and that the ill passions which it engendered should be allowed to sleep. Had it been possible, it would have been agreeable to me to have prolonged my trip. Indeed, the seaboard of this continent has been the scene of so many events, that any one in the least familiar with its history can find motive after motive to wander from the direct routes. But I had to return whether I willed it or not, so, taking the afternoon cars, I found myself at daybreak crossing the Hudson. A hack in a few minutes drove me to the St. Nicholas, that palace for the traveller. To the Canadian who has travelled, New York is home. He is but eighteen hours from the Suspension Bridge, and when the Great Western Railway people choose to consult the convenience of the resident of Toronto, six hours more will brino; him to his own citv. One who has passed many pleasant hours in New York always treads its pavement with the best of feelings, and as I have many friends there of long standing, I felt literally that I was among my own people. Four happy days did I have here, and then I ti