Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-03-20
Approach 20 New Orleans.

AS we approached more southern
ATTITUDES the appearance of things
changed very much for the better
We had for time. moved onward.
arm in arm, with Kentucky and Mis-
souri and also, with Tennessee and Ar
kansas. We had finally left them be-
hind, and were now within the borders
of Louisiana. The evidences of q
prosperous cultivation were more fire.
qucnt, and of a higher order. The
signs of completer civilization were
continually presenting themselves
We bad got beyond the plantations Of
cotton. SO often unsightly TO the eye,
from the naked girdled treess which
stand upon them, and the log houses,
lin which MANY Of their owners aud all
their workies live. We had reached
the finished and beautiful, not to say
magnificent plantations of the sugar
cane. The contrast, to me stranger,
was indescribably striking Within
the space of three days we had passed
from the SHOWS Of the Ohio, and the
seemingly intcrminable wilderness of
Missouri, into the sweet influences OF
the summer sky, and on each side OF
us were green fields of waving cane,
and costly residences surrounded by or
lange groves, still bending under their
golden burdens, and ever and anon,
the perfume Of flowers and the voices
of birds, were borne to us from gardens
on the shore. ] cannot recall any 9th
er section of the United States, or any
passages in European travel, where so
great and so gratifying transitions are
made in so short time. Nor do |
believe that any hundred miles Of pub
JIG travel can be named, more abound
ing in tne proofs of substantial wealth,
& magnificent expenditure; more thick
lily bestowed with elegant mansions,
and richly cultivated fields, than the
hundred miles along the Mississippi
lrh0re, abovcshc city Of Ncw Orleans.
! bad heard much of the rich planters
of the south but | had heard Of the
savage wars of life at the southwest.
| was hardly prepared for such phe-
nomenon of elegance and beauty and
luxury. 1t had all the appearances Of
ancient cultivation. There was, more
over, foreign and even oriental air
about much Of it, The houses looked
foreign, the fences, and the vehicles,
and the horses and the saddles looked
foreign, and the lange was foreign
The live oak, the gorgeous magnolias,
the beautifully lowered Pride Of China,
and the lofty cedars, from which, in
I funeral festoons, the dark moss was
hanging, had all to me, strange, and
unusual appearance. And then those
spacious white edifces, large enough
for prince and his rctinue, surround
ed by two columned verandahs, form
Of ornament very frequent here, had
something of an East Indian aspect
about them.
In this chiefly conspicuous building
resides the proprietor; in smaller
dwelling near by lives the oversecr;
running back from these buildings and
the river, are rows of huts appropria-
ted to the slaves, while farther back in
the rear are the sugar mills, from
whose high chimncys, the ascending
smoke gives token Of activity within.
Each establishment seemed to be lit
tie village Of itself Here were, in
deed, the indnbitable insignia ola Ma
! bob in the sugar line. Here were seq
mcnis of that strange system of diyis-
ion in human labor-of free headwork
and servie handwork which at this
time occupies so large space in the
/ United States. We next arrived at
the steamboat landing. counted
sixty boats OF this class al the different
wharges, and looking beyond, we be-
held sloops and scbooners, and briggs,
and ships. extending to the distance Of
two or three miles.
1t was the middle Of the day. The
Leyee or open space between the edge
of the river and the first row of city
buildings, was full of noise, and hustle,
and confusion. Steamboats, were ar
rivng and departing, lading and unla-
ding. Ferry boats were crossing the
river. Tow boat we're pulling and
dragging up ships, lately arrived from
distant ports. Italians. in skifs filled
with oranges, and pine apples and sea
shells, were begging for buyers. Bells
were ringing. Negroes were shouting,
and laughing, and singing, as they
marched four abreast naked to the
waist, each bearing mass OF lead on
his shoulder from the Galena steam