The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-08-09

Up THE MISSISSIPPI.
From Daualdsonville to Ficksburg and
holroe-=-Appearance Of tho Cotton.
vienna, La, July g, 1873.
Ep1ToR CH1EF-Immediately upon
taking the boat at your town, ad-
journed to my little bunk, where I re-
NAMED in the land Of nod nntil IL
o'clock ne1t day, which bad rather an
unpleasant effect upon my inner man,
as missed my breakfast; but I stood
it like . good fellow until dinner,
when settled the matter satiafactor-
lily to oil concerned. We passed b.
ton Rouge while I was ahed, there
fore missed the sights along that
portion of that river. StuaSt's point
was the first place Of interest I saw.
It is a long strip Of land projecting
into the river, with alengthy grove
of willows on each side, and Chimp
Of myrtle about oDe-third Of the dis
lance from the point, in the centre,
forming perfectly the capital letter A.
tits just opposite the great eddy which
il noted for alligators, and "a the boat
passed I saw two large ones summing
themselves on the river bank. I was
informed by gentleman that it was
now the season that they would attack
persons, even on shore. l believe he
said they we're laying their eggs.
From there ON the scenery was
quite picturesque in places. On one
side of the river you would see low,
swampy country, with large groves
Of myrtle and willow, while on the
other were huge hills and steep bluffs
fifty or seventy five feet high, and far
Their back the hills rising in the dis
lance until they almost seemed to
touch the clouds. At the mouth Of
Red river we landed at Fisherviile."
I asked the captain how far back from
the landing the village was. Laugh
ing, he pointed to an old wreck Of q
boat, and said that was Fishcrville,
Fisher e. Co.'s commission house,
Fishers hotel, and Fishers general
freight agency. He went on to say
that passengers who come down Red
river to take boats up the Mississippi
stop at Fishers hotel, where they are
charged S4.per day for corn dodgers
and clear rib side. l understand that
the proprietor once said to young
man who complained Of the fare, :" II
you don't like my style and prices,
you can just travel on, stranger" Be-
ing rather slack in faith, tho young
man preferred corn dodgers and ba-
con to a watery grave, and held his
peace. But they say when an upward
bound boat comes along it is marvel
oas to see how those people git up
git" off that old wreck, after thank
ing the landlord for his kindness and
consideration during their stay, and
bidding him some such gentle fare
well as "Good bye, old skinflint; I'll
get even with you yet" The imper-
turbable proprietor politely requests
! them not to over excite themselves
| on his account, and smiles blapdly as
the boat moves of.
Just before reaching Natchez, we
passed the highest bluff l have eve,
seen it must have been fully two
hundred feet high, to say nothing OF
the hill, which reached an altitude o.
ut least . hundred feet more. Won
der how the river ever got over it Z
suppose the Sovereign Arbiter Of ma
ture must have made the river before
He built the hill. We reached Nat
chez about 9 o'clock in the evening.
The city being we'll lighted, presented
a beautiful view to the eye as we ap-
preached. Situated on the side Of q
long sloping hill, the town looks much
larger at night than it really is.
l was very much struck with the
appearance Of an old Mississippi
planter who came aboard the boat at
Natchez. He reminded me very much
Of Bishop, who plays Ioodles with the
Chapman sisters. There was such a
quizzical expression over his counte-