276

LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

be among the list of the Grand Council as published by Stewart, that every
attempt was made to throw discredit upon his assertions—his character was
vilified, and more than one attempt was made to assassinate him. He was
obliged to quit the Southern States in consequence. It is, however, now
well ascertained to have been all true; and although some blame Mr. Stewart
for having violated his oath, they no longer attempt to deny that his revela-
tions were correct. I will quote one or two portions of Murel's confessions to

Mr. Stewart, made to him
when they were journey-
ing together. I ought to
have observed, that the
ultimate intentions of
Murel and his associates
were, by his own account,
on a very extended scale;
having no less an object
in view than raising the
blacks against the whites,
taking possession of, and
plundering New Orleans,
and making themselves
possessors of the territory.
The following are a few
extracts:—

e I collected all my
friends about New Orleans
at one of our friends'
houses in that place, and
we sat in council three
days before we got all our
plans to our notion; we
then determined to under-
take the rebellion at every
hazard, and make as many
friends as we could for
that purpose. Every man's business being assigned him, I started to
Hatches on foot, having sold my horse in New Orleans,—with the intention
of stealing another after I started. I walked four days, and no opportunity
offered for me to get a horse. The fifth day, about twelve, I had become
tired, and stopped at a creek to get some water and rest a little. While
I -was sitting on a log, looking down the road the way that I had come,, a
in fflght riding on a good-looking horse. The very moment I