that, on returning home, they sorely missed
the water of the Mississippi. "I'll tell you, sir," said one very
intelligent fellow, within whose hut I walked to light my cigar;
"there's no pith in any other water after one's bin' used to drink o'
this; it seems as though a man couldn't work on water alone anywhere
else."

Whether this is fancy, or whether it arises from the regular and
abstemious habits they generally observe whilst working here, I cannot
tell; but the notion I found was universal throughout Louisiana.

I had frequent applications for a charge of fine powder for priming;
game, as they informed me, (that is, deer,) being in abundance. I was
greatly pleased with many of these men; they are hardy, industrious
fellows, and suffer much during the season of their stay from bad
quarters and bad diet: they said, nevertheless, it was a good place to
come down to, but spoke with infinite dislike of the dirk and rifle
practice of the neighbourhood.

Whilst passing Fort Adams after dark, our boat was hailed, signal fires
lighted, and at length rifles fired to bring us to; but all in vain, our
pilot held on his way, unheeding these pressing invitations. On my
observing to him that I conceived it a little hard not to touch for
passengers when apparently so near to them, he informed me that the
river was in rapid rise, and a current setting on that shore that might
ground the boat.

_Friday, 6th._--My servant awoke me with the tidings that our voyage was
complete, and we at Natchy-under-hill, where all things destined for the
upper region are landed. It was about six o'clock A.M., the rain coming
down merrily, when I took leave of the Superior and her captain, much
pleased with both, and landed ankle-deep in choice mud.

Three or four negroes followed with my baggage to the nearest store,
where I got a two-horse car, or dray, just put upon duty for the day. In
common with one or two other persons, I engaged the machine; and packing
my trunks and myself upon it, was dragged up the steep bluff, and so
made my first entrance into Natchez in a right Thespian conveyance, but
which assuredly required all the authority of antiquity to make it
respectable.

At noon the wind chopped about to north-east; and off went rain and
cloud, to be succeeded by a cold as cuttingly severe as any I ever
encountered in the North. Before dark the mud was converted into solid
ridges, and thick ice coated each astonished puddle.

My cha