Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-24
From tie Philadelphia Freeman's bsrmaa
NEW MUNCHAUSEN.

m extract from the work, Just published. OF
'John Bull in America, or the New Munchau-
SEN" It viii be found replete with that Pc
culiar humor that characterizes its author,
PAuLDISs.
"The next morning I strolled out
intoj the fields with view OF seeing
the system Of rural economy practised
in the south. One of the best man.
aged plantations, was told, was that
of his excellency Governor. Hancock,
whose name is signed to the DECLARE
ton of independence, said to be writ
ten by one Jefferson, a player belong
ing to the Philadelphia theatre. The
governor is brisk, troublesome little
man, about forty. His plantation is at
a place called Merrimack, on the river
by that name / saw plenty of slaves,
and scarcity of every thing else. The
principal products are rice, cotton and
tobacco. The rice grows generally
upon the high grounds; but the cot
ton requires to be covered with water
occasionally. The best is called Sea
Island, because it grows upon little
islands in the mill ponds, which the
people here, according to their univer-
sal practice of hyperbole, call seas
AS for the tobacco, this filthy and UNI
wholesome weed is found to flourish
best in the negro grave yards, where
it is commonly raised, and where you
may every day during the month of
January, when it is ripe, see the chill
dren OF the slaves gathering it from
the very graves Of their parents. This
tobacco is used as food by men, wo-
men and children, who eat it as we do
salad. Here l saw the poor negroes
working bare headed, and might say
bare backed, in the broiling sum-, which
sometimes actually sets FIRE TO their
woolly heads, of which | saw several
examples in the course of my travels.
Two or three heads were actually be-
ginning to smoke, and was told if /
staid half an hour longer,I might see
them in a blaze. However, having
seen enough to convince me that the
system of farming was execrable, and
finding it getting rather cold, l return
cd home by another route, which gave
me an opportunity of seeing Yale-col
lege.
In accommodating about, I fell in with
one of the professors, TO whom, willing
to see whether the poor man under
sood Latin, ! paid my compliments in
foymn puuperis. The professor, after
staring at me with most mdicrous ex
preston of ignorant wonder, asked me
whence I came, and upon my answer
ing "last from Charleston, South Ca
roiina," shrugged up his shoulders and
replied, cit was really so far of, that
he could not undertake to direct me-"
although the steeples were full in sight.
From this we may Judge Of the state OF
learning and information on this side
Of the Pacific. Being determined to
hoax these poor souls, ! filled box
with pebbles, old mortar, and pieces Of
brick-bats, which l sent to the faculty
as a valuable suite of American mine
rails; whereupon they unanimously be-
slowed upon ne the degree of doctor Of
laws. There were some verified mass
es / picked up near an old glass house,
which caused great speculation, being
considered unquestionable volcanic pro
auctions. When questioned as to their
locality, I sent them on wild goose
chase in search ola bur.ing mountain.
Becoming tired Of Charleston, its
negroes and turkey buzzards, (Which
The turbulent spirit of democracy has
dubbed eagles, and DESTROYS of getting
to New-Orleans as early as possible, 1
took seat in the stage for Portsmouth,
New Hampshire, and departed before
day light the next morning. When it
should have been day light, the fog
was so thick it was impossible to see
the leaders, and expressed some APP
prehension. One of the passengers as
sured me, however, that as the driver
was drunk, as matter of course day
light was of no consequence-it was
trusting to Providence at all events
Indeed, ] am assured by persons of We
racity, that travellers in this country
place their chief dependence on the
horses, who being left pretty much to
themselves, in consequence Of the in
toxication of the drivers, acquire sim
gular discretion, and seldom run away
except when the driver is sober. Thus
we travelled under the guidance Of in
stinct till near ten to'clock, when OBJ
jects became gradually visible along
the road. The driver about this time
walked up, and l was congratulating
myself on his appearing sober; but the
same communicative passenger assur-
ed nae it was Of no consequence, for he
would be drunk again by the time
breakfast was over.
/ had heard a great deal about the
of the country in the
Of Boston; but can safe.
ly affirm, that during the whole of this
ride, i saw neither house
nor human being along the roail. We