Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-06-29
REVIEW.


grafton. By Capt. J. E. Alexander. vols.
London: Bentley.
We never felt more perplexed than in consi
dering how we should characterize these TWO
pleasant desultory, gossping, galIopng volumes.
Capt. Alexander is known to our readers 0y
former work, in which there was evidence enough
of post horse speed; but here is an account OF
sixteen thousand miles travelled over 10 twelve.
month! Having seen good deal Of the old
world, the Captain resolved on visit to the
new: he embarks forthwith for South America,
spends some time among the planters Of Guiana.
boats it up the Essequlbo, pushes into the back
woods, discourses iamIliarl, first with, and now
of, the Indians; and IS quite delightful in his de-
scriptions Of the mighty forest world, with lis
caymans. monkeys, pccary hogs. ratIle.snakes,
leopards, vampires and other "back "t,l -
This, Indeed, we look upon as by far the most
valuable part of his work, and our readers will
probably remember that, early IN the last year,
we gave more than one abstract pf the Captains
papers, read at the Geographical Society, relat-
ING to this expedition From Guiana he started
for Barbados, visited Tobago, Trinidad, Jamai.
ca, and half dozen other West India Islands
thence crossed to Cuba, and after, as he states,
I" seeing many strange sights. and hearing many
strange tales winch are faithfully recorded. he
pushed on to New Orleans, sailed up the Misss.
sipp, journeyed partly on foot and partly IN wa
CONS through Tennessee and Kentucky. proceed.
ed up the OHIO TO Wheeling in Virginia, crossed
to Lake Erie. visited Niagara, passed over Lake
Ontario, to York 10 Upper Canada. thence to
Kingston, and BY the Otowa to Bytown, de-
scended that river TO Montreal, embarkeddhere
for Quebec, whence-but We are positively out
Of breath at the mere recital, and may therefore
pause to state, that he here "cullected much in
formation relating to the condition of the Cana
dian emsrants, and visited various interesting
scene,''-then proceeded to New York by Lake
Chan. plain and the Hudson, journeyed to Wash.
ington through Philadelphia and Baltimore, and
returned to New York, where he embarked for
Liverpool
Wehave. in our time, performed some feats in
the way of quick travelling, but this beats all we
have ever heard Of; and we look upon ourselves
in comparison with Captain Alexander ., an
ordinary Jockey compared to Sam Chifney-aDd
we can illustrate this difference, after the Cap
tain's fashion, by an anecdote "She took the
breath out Of me-" said one Of the former. the
other day at Newmarket, speaking Of Camarine
:" never knew q horse that could not 60 fast
enough" saws the latter in reply; g should
like to be shot right out Of cannoD's mouth:"
no may therefore take precedence OF US and all
other travellers. But, testing aside, there is no
giving an idea Of thus desultory book but in words
of general criticism; it is pleasant, and abOun.
ding IN anecdotes; these latter, however. are not
always new, nor, we suspect, always true; but
the Captain tells the tale as it was told to him
-inderd, the greater part OF the information in
his work must have been received from others,
and cannot be considered as the result Of his own
observation.
There is great deal of in Information, how col
lected is inconceivable, relating to the Iexas
territory; which the Captain describes as fertile.
abnunding in fine streams. with delightful eli
mate, and as promising to be a very prosperous
country: one drawback to Arkansas, on the shore
of the oppositerver, is strange, and scarcely cred
ible.
"The Red River, noble stream, Glowing in
to the Mississippi. and affnrding, an outlet to the
fertile tract along its southern bank IN Texas is
interrupted by dangerous RAT ct timber, now
eighty miles long by thirty broad; this is con.
stantiy ascending the river, increasing IN size
BY the addition of countless logs after the floods,
nundatine the country, and distressing the set
tiers in Arkansas. Plans have been submitted
to Congress, to get ridin parD Of this great mpe.
diment to the prosperity Of Arkansas AS yet
Red River. A steam boat from the Mississippi
passed the raft last year"
AS anecdotes are always pleasa Mt, and Of
ten nore illustrative Of manners than direct es.
says, we shall give one or two upon duellins.-
Fhe following conversation took place at New.
Oreans:-
scare duels still common in the Western
countryf l inquired of respectable gentle
man met one day at dinner. Yes. they are,
answered he: and originate most frequently IN
electioneerng squabbles, and people llbelIing one
another in the papers, which are sometimes filled
with little else than personal abuse and advertise
ments. Though now rencontres in which NUN.
Der are engaged at once, are less frequent, yet
one took place not long ago, after a hotly-con-
tested election in Western State. There were
six combatants on each side, and they attacked
one another with swords, pistols, and daggers,
with the most savage fury; three were left dead
on the field. and almostall the rest were wound.
ed; the weaker party He'd"
The Captain appears to have been curious on
fins suhiect: he made similar iDuues of a Ken. |