o
the woods at any time during the night.

There were two conscripts on board my skiff to-day, one an Irishman and
the other a Pole. They confessed to me privately their extreme dislike
of the military profession; but at the same time they acknowledged the
enthusiasm of the masses for the war.

* * * * *

_15th May_ (Friday).--I nearly slept round the clock after yesterday's
exertions. Mr Douglas and I crossed the father of rivers and landed on
the Mississippi bank at 9 A.M.

Natchez is a pretty little town, and ought to contain about 6000
inhabitants. It is built on the top of a high bluff overlooking the
Mississippi river, which is about three quarters of a mile broad at this
point.

When I reached Natchez I hired a carriage, and, with a letter of
introduction which I had brought from San Antonio, I drove to the house
of Mr Haller Nutt, distant from the town about two miles.

The scenery about Natchez is extremely pretty, and the ground is hilly,
with plenty of fine trees. Mr Nutt's place reminded me very much of an
English gentleman's country seat, except that the house itself is rather
like a pagoda, but it is beautifully furnished.

Mr Nutt was extremely civil, and was most anxious that I should remain
at Natchez for a few days; but now that I was thoroughly wound up for
travelling, I determined to push on to Vicksburg, as all the late news
seemed to show that some great operations must take place there before
long.

I had fondly imagined that after reaching Natchez my difficulties would
have been over; but I very soon discovered that this was a delusive
hope. I found that Natchez was full of the most gloomy rumours. Another
Yankee raid seemed to have been made into the interior of Mississippi,
more railroad is reported to be destroyed, and great doubts were
expressed whether I should be able to get into Vicksburg at all.

However, as I found some other people as determined to proceed as
myself, we hired a carriage for $100 to drive to Brookhaven, which is
the nearest point on the railroad, and is distant from Natchez 66 miles.

My companions were a fat Government contractor from Texas, the wounded
Missourian Mr Douglas, and an ugly woman, wife to a soldier in
Vicksburg.

We left Natchez at 12 noon, and were driven by a negro named Nelson; the
carriage and the three horses belong to him, and he drives it for his
own profit; but he is, nevertheless, a slave, and pays his