Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-08-07
LETTERS FROM LOUISIANA.

LETTERS FROM LOUISIANA,
From gentleman now in that country, to his
friend in the village of Springfield, Massa-
chusetts.
| LETTER 7.
At length, after passage of % days
from Newly ork, we arrived at the mouth
of the Mississippiriver. This river pre-
sents most singular appearance, as it
tumbles whirling and foaming into the
great deep, the water Of which, as every
knows who has seen it, is remarkably
muddy and dirty-hence the appearance
which is produced by uniting rapidly, as
it does, with the clear transparent water
the sea. Besides, the lands, or marsh,
on both sides of the entrance, is so eX-
tremely low, that you can hardly see it
two miles off: of course, the first you
see oil this great river is the difference in
the color of the water, rolling over that
Of the ocean, and appearing very much
IKE water agitated and broken by run
lning over rocks. In passing up this RI
yer, though it was in the month OF Janu-
ary, we had very warm, pleasant weather;
ten thousand birds singing, as in spring,
with you. The land along It's banks,
until you get alfwayupto New-Orleans,
will not admit of cultivation, being en-
tirely low, wet marsh, filled with va
rious kinds of wild fowl, snakes and
alligators. But above that the land is a
little cultivated, and you now and then
see a few little huts scattered along shore,
constructed something like an Indian S
wigwam, inhabited by Creoles, and APP
parently the residence of much poverty
and misery.
The captain of the vessel and myself
went ashore to one Of these huts to buy
some milk. On leaving our boat and
approaching the house, we found our
selves besieged on all sides by six large
dogs, who commenced growing and
barking at us, and would hardly suffer
us to proceed. On entering the house,
which was all in one room, and that with
out any floor to it, we beheld very good
looking woman, apparently about 35
years of age, but half dccently dressed,
seated in an old broken chair, which was
the only one ] could see in the house,
with young child in her arms, surround
ed by six or eight more of different sizes,
with dirty faces and half naked carcases.
| All stared at us with as much astonish-
ment as if we had descended to them
from the moon. Recollecting little
French, l asked the woman in her own
language, if she could sell us a little
milk. No, she said, they had none. Have
you any eggs, madam? No. Any pota-
toes No. Any butter? No. Any meat?
No. Any bread .? No What in the
world have you got to eat, then said J.
Nothing, sir, My husband has gone up
the river to get something for us to cat,
end 7pe erhect him hack to-morrozr. SO
we lett her and returned to our vessel.
Contrasting our wants as we went along,
with that of the poor woman and her chill
dren we had left, we felt perfectly salts
fed to go without milk. Pardon this
little DEPRESSION, my dear IL, could
not omit relating to you this little Incl
dent, because having struck me SO for
chilly at the time, it is still fresh in my
memory.
IT'S singular fact that vessels in
sailing up and down the Mississippi III
yer, never come to anchor at all. Mature
has provided different way for their Sc
curity. When night comes on, they run
along side of the bank, which is almost
every where perpendicular, and with
sufficient depth of water, where they
make fast to a tree On shore till morn
ing. Thus, in consequence of "tyine
up" vessels, as man does his horse.
you see great many trees that are con-
veniently situated on the bank of the ri
yer, with their bark chafed and rubbed
of, and entirely exiled by it.
AS YOU approach New-Or,eans, the
country becomes very much improved,
and yon pass some very fine plantations,
particularly two or three in the neighbour
hood of Jackson's battle ground, so me-
|morab,y distinguished during the late
war with Great Britain; and which is
six miles below the city.
| You see have no more room, with
out taking another sheet ofpaper. Adieu
my dear II. In mynextI shall give
you description of New-Crleans.
! II J.