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TEXAS
THE GULF OF MEXICO;
YACHTING IN THE NEW WORLD :
MRS. HOUSTOUN.
WITH PORTRAITS AND ILLUSTRATIONS,
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET,
1844.
PRINTED BY W. NICOL, 60, PALL MALL.
DEDICATION.
To those kind friends and acquaintances on
the other side of the Atlantic, who so cor-
dially welcomed the " Dolphin" to their
shores, I venture to dedicate these vo-
lumes. It is a satisfaction to me to think,
that my pages may recall to their minds the
many pleasant hours that I passed among
them ; while it will at least prove that 1
have not forgotten in the Old World, the
many instances of kindness and hospitality
which I experienced in the New.
M. C. H.
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
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http://www.archive.org/details/texasgulfofmexic01hous
CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
Departure from BlackwalL The schooner yacht
" Dolphin." Bay of Biscay. " Strong breezes
and squally." Nancy, the black woman. . . 1
CHAPTER II.
First view of Madeira. Funchal. Inhabitants.
Vegetation. Vintage. The Conral. Sugar-
cane. Invalids. Climate. A Madeira goat.
Bad conduct of three of the crew 16
CHAPTER III.
Departure for the West Indies. Peak of Teneriffe.
Dead calm. Employment of the crew. Sunday.
Barbadoes. Trade- winds. Dearness of provi-
visions, &c. Frogs and grashoppers. Bridge-
town . ci Miss Betsey Austin. " 37
VI
CHAPTER IV.
PAGE
Storm at sea. Lightning. Flying-fish. Iron light-
house. Jamaica. Port Royal Harbour. Earth-
quake of 1692. Pirates. Commodore Byng's
house. Wallace, the Newfoundland dog. Mus-
quitoes. Coloured and white population. Span-
ish town. The Queen's house. Kingston.
Unwholesome climate. Vultures. Superstition.
" The Doctor. " Sally Adams. Departure. . 65
CHAPTER V.
Cape Corrientes. Squally. The Mississippi. Be-
lize. Cat-fish. An odd character. Rifle shoot-
ing. River Scenery. Thick fog 113
CHAPTER VI.
New Orleans. The harbour. Texan Commodore.
The Hotel of St. Charles. Busy scene on the
strand. American manners and customs. Eligi-
ble situation of New Orleans. Population of the
state of Louisiana. Yellow fever. National edu-
cation, Departure from New Orleans. . . . 137
CHAPTER VII.
Sail for the Gulf of Texas. Galveston. Difficulty
of crossing the bar at the mouth of the harbour.
Vll
PAGE
Captain Elliott. Texas, its position, resources,
and extent, .182
CHAPTER VIII.
Political position of Texas during the first years of
her colonization. Events which were the more
immediate cause of her declaration of indepen-
dence .... 202
CHAPTER IX.
Progress of the struggle for Texan Independence.
Declaration of the people of Texas in general con-
vention assembled. Cruelty of General Santa
Anna. Battle of San Jacinto. Total rout of the
Mexican army 227
CHAPTER X.
Santa Anna brought prisoner to General Houston.
Termination of the struggle, and recognition of
the Republic. Constitution of Texas. . . . 243
CHAPTER XL
The island of Galveston. Curious mode of build-
ing houses. Six-roomed house built in a week.
Go-a-head career of the Texans 255
Vlll
CHAPTER XII.
PAGE
The public press. Courtesy of the Texans. Dry
stores. Important position in society of the pig,
The turn-out house. Chewing and spitting. Cli-
mate. Comic scene in crossing a Bayon. French
Emigrants. Idiot girl 264
CHAPTER XIII.
Sporting in Texas. Provisions. Bogs. Deer«
shooting. The Mustany, or wild horse. Fish.
Galveston fort. Improvidence and idleness of
the Texans. Return to New Orleans. . . .291
ILLUSTRATIONS.
City of Galveston .... to face the title-page.
Funchal, Madeira P a g e 18
Nancy, the Black Woman 108
Dolphin Yacht in the Mississippi 122
Portrait of General Santa Anna 244
CHAPTER I.
DEPARTURE FROM BLACKWALL. THE SCHOONER YACHT
"DOLPHIN." BAY OF BISCAY, "STRONG BREEZES
AND SQUALLY." NANCY, THE BLACK WOMAN.
Vieil ocean, dans tes rivages
Flotte comme un ciel ecumant,
Plus orageux que les nuages,
Plus lumineux qu'un firmament !
Pendant que les empires naissent,
Grandissent, tombent, disparaissent
Avec leurs generations,
Dresse tes bouillonnantes cretes,
Bats ta rive ! et dis aux tempetes ;
Ou sont les nids des nations ?
De Lamartine.
Who has not seen and admired the remark-
able and interesting coup d'ceil from the
windows of the Trafalgar Hotel at Black-
wall? It was on a bright afternoon early
in September that I was seated in one of
B
its cheerful rooms looking out on the
broad river, and the busy steamers pass-
ing to and fro. It was my last evening
before leaving England. We were about,
if I may so express it, to take up our
abode for the next twelve months on the
bosom of the Ocean ; our intention be-
ing to cross the Atlantic, and to visit a
large part of the American Continent.
I always feel, before setting out on a
long land journey, something approaching
to depression of spirits ; but on this occa-
sion the. entire novelty of the expedition
prevented the attack, and my pleasurable
anticipations were almost unalloyed. It
was a voyage undertaken principally in
search of health for me, and I was bound
to be pleased with the arrangements made
for my comfort. The sun had nearly set
when I walked to the West India Dock, in
which the Dolphin was lying ; I could
scarcely make her out in the dusky twilight,
and this was my first introduction to my
future home.
The Yacht had been often described to
me, and yet I was surprised at the size of
her cabins, and the extreme comfort of her
internal arrangements.
I was met by the Master and the Doctor,
and on going below found a most enjoyable
state cabin, quantities of books, and in short
every enjoyment which a reasonable woman
could require. My own cabin was large, with
two sofas, the bed being a swinging cot,
which was taken down in the daytime. My
first night on board was spent in the docks,
as we intended to leave them at daybreak.
No ships I believe ever sail, when they
ought to do so, or rather at the time ori-
ginally fixed for their departure ; and to
this rale, ours was no exception. The
middle of August was the time when we
had intended to have taken our leave of
England ; but so many alterations, and im-
provements had been required for the ves-
sel, that the 13th of September had arrived
before we were in readiness to leave Black-
wall.
The schooner yacht Dolphin is two hun-
dred and nineteen tons burthen,, drawing
twelve feet water, and measuring one hun-
dred feet in length : she carries six guns,
and her crew consisted of eleven men, one
boy, a carpenter, cook, and cooks' mate ; the
other persons on board were the master
and surgeon, the mate, steward, and stew-
ard's mate, and my own maid. We had
also with us a negress, a native of St. Tho-
mas in the West Indies, who had been stew-
ardess in one of the West India steamers,
and who was to attend on me till my own
maid became accustomed to the sea. We
were in all four and twenty souls on board,
and w r ere bound for Madeira as our first
resting place.
It was on the morning of the 13th of
September 1843, that, after being hooked
on to a steamer, we were tugged rapidly
down the river. The weather was fine,
as it generally is in the beginning of this
most pleasant of months in the English
climate ; the morning air was clear, bright,
and bracing, and ere we reached Gravesend
a fresh breeze sprung up from the west-
ward, which was just what we wanted.
Immediately all sail was made, and having
dismissed our little steamer, the Dolphin
was soon scudding along, at the rate of
ten knots an hour. Before dark we were
off Dover, and had put our pilot into his
boat. We were becalmed a whole day off
the Isle of Wight : this was tedious enough
certainly, but still it was pleasant to look,
a little longer, on the land we were leaving
for so long a period, and I could not help
thinking, as I gazed on the lovely Island,
how doubtful it was, if, in my wanderings
to the far West, I should see anything to
compare with it. But with all my ro-
mantic admiration for the shores of Eng-
land, I confess I was not sorry when to-
wards evening a breeze sprung up, taking
advantage" of which we crowded sail,
and soon lost sight of the coast. Our
departure having been so long delayed was
the cause of considerable inconvenience to
us, for on the 21st the moon changed;
and, as we had been led to expect, there
arose a gale of wind that certainly surprised
me.
I did not consider myself quite a fresh-
water sailor. I had frequently undertaken
short voyages before, had yachted in the
Mediterranean, and in the Channel^ and
steamed in various directions near home,
but the Bay of Biscay was new to me, and
nothing that I had ever before encountered
had at all prepared me for what we were
to undergo. It was a short pitching sea,
with a head wind, called in the log book,
" strong breezes and squally," but which
I thought at the time were tremendous
gales. Sails w r ere reefed constantly, while
occasionally a barque or schooner scudded
past us, too much engaged in attending to
her own safety to take any notice of us.
I was at first surprised at the calmness
and composure of the ship's crew, enter-
taining as I did a private opinion of my
own that we were in imminent peril. I
8
kept my fears to myself, however, and
learnt to know better in time.
How ill, and miserable, many of our
party looked when the wind first began
to freshen ! Till now, the sea had been calm
as a summer lake, but we had at last to
bid adieu to all the pleasurable sensations
of fine weather sailing. The very dogs
looked wretched, and instead of gambolling
about, and enjoying in common with our-
selves the novelty of the scene, they flung
themselves heavily down, against the side,
and when disturbed again by the violent
motion of the ship, rolled uneasily and
restlessly along the deck in search of some
safer berth. The poor doctor was I think
the greatest sufferer ; it was really melan-
choly to see him, doubled up under the
bulwarks, and obliged as he said, if he at-
tempted to move, to stick to every thing
that came in his way, like a leech. He
bore his troubles with exemplary patience,
as indeed we all did, and like everything
else, they came to an end at last. I was
happy enough not to suffer myself, but
my maid was a wretched prey to the dis-
tressing malady of sea sickness. I believe
there never yet existed a lady's maid who
was not ; though I have never yet been
able, either from physical or natural causes,
to decide satisfactorily why it should be
so.*
Sept. 22nd. Fresh gales, and squally,
with rain, two reefs in topsail, mainsail
triced up, and very heavy swell. A fearful
night succeeded to this stormy day. A
* Here I must take the opportunity of remarking for
the benefit of the world in general, and bad sailors in
particular, that the most popular dish at this time was
currie, it seemed to answer the purposes both of food
and medicine.
B II.
10
night not to be forgotten ; at least by me,
for in the course of it, an event occurred,
which stamped its horrors on my imagina-
tion.
The wind being adverse, we were con-
stantly obliged to " wear ship/' and when
this operation was going forward, great
care was required, and every precaution
taken to prevent such articles of furniture,
&c. from getting adrift as were not lashed
to the deck, or otherwise rendered im-
movable. When we were not prepared
for the natural consequences of tacking,
the tremendous lurches of the vessel set
everything, to say nothing of ourselves,
rolling about in mad confusion.
Towards the morning of the 23rd, when
the uproar was at its height, sails changing,
men rushing along the deck, the wind veer-
ing about in all directions, and the conse-
11
quent evolutions in full operation, my maid
staggered into my cabin, pale as a ghost,
and wringing her hands, " Oh ma'am, the
captain says, we are going to turn over ! "
This was really an awful piece of informa-
tion, conveyed too so suddenly : it tallied,
moreover, with my own silent fears, and I
confess that, at first, I fully shared in the
panic.
A minute's reflection, and the still more
consoling fact that we continued to remain
afloat, shewed me the absurdity of fear.
After all, the whole affair proceeded from
an attention on the part of the master,
who before giving the order to " bout ship,"
had sent to apprize me of his intention,
that I might not be taken by surprise.
The message had, however, gone from mate
to boatswain, boatswain to steward, &c,
till, like all things conveyed through many
12
hands, it became distorted, and by the time
it reached my ears, had arrived at the ap-
palling announcement that we were going
to the bottom.
One good result we perceived from the
gale, disagreeable, and frightful enough as
it was. It cured every one on board of sea-
sickness. I accounted for this by suppos-
ing it the effect of the counter irritation
system : and that the overpowering evil
of mental anxiety, removed the lesser one
of corporeal uneasiness.
Some little time before Madeira appeared
in sight, the weather moderated, and we all
began to cheer up ; the dogs shook them-
selves and lay down in the sun to dry ; the
idlers put on a thin seminautical costume,
and Nancy, the black woman, who had
been, however, anything but useful during
the gales, came upon deck to warm herself.
13
In fine weather, she was to be seen stand-
ing on the steps of the companion ladder,
listening to the rough jokes of the sailors,
with her shining black face just above the
hatchway. She was evidently a favourite
with the men, and I was often amused to
see her standing there, showing every white
tooth in her head, as she grinned a repar-
tee to her merry tormentors. Nancy was
a wit in her way, and, though not in her
first youth, was certainly something of a
coquette, and decidedly vain of her remain-
ing attractions. I can see her now sitting
on her stockingless heels in the forepart of
the vessel, with her red cotton handkerchief
tied over her head, chattering faster than
any magpie. This was Nancy when the
sea was calm ; when the wind blew, the
case was widely different, and though born
and bred a slave, she thought she had as
14
good a right to indulge in sickness and
idleness, as her neighbours.
The air had daily felt warmer as we pro-
ceeded southward, and the power of the
sun by the time we saw Madeira, was al-
most too great to be pleasant. I felt glad
to be spared the chilling changes of an Eng-
lish winter. The great merit of the cli-
mate of the Madeiras, consists, I believe, in
its freedom from these great sources of
suffering and illness to delicate and pulmo-
nary constitutions. It is said that while the
winter is twenty degrees warmer than in
London, the summer is only seven warmer.
Thus the extremes of heat and cold are
not nearly so violent, as in England. The
latitude of Lisbon appeared also charming,
and were it not for the dirt, and other
small inconveniences, I suppose that Lisbon
would be quite as desirable a residence
15
for consumptive patients as Madeira ; it has
certainly the advantage of being nearer
home.
As we neared the land, I felt that one
of the worst stages of our voyage was over.
The Bay of Biscay once passed in safety,
the wide Atlantic has but few terrors, and
I am sufficiently of a sailor to be aware
of the great advantages of having plenty of
sea room, and no land near,
CHAPTER II.
FIRST VIEW OF MADEIRA. FUNCHAL. INHABITANTS,
VEGETATION. VINTAGE. THE CONRAL. SUGAR-CANE,
INVALIDS. CLIMATE. A MADEIRA GOAT. BAD CON-
DUCT OF THREE OF THE CREW.
A ship in sight ! She bears a dismal freight,
No gay young hearts, with pleasant hopes elate,
# * * * *
Here living ghosts gaze up with languid eye,
And in the fervid sunshine pine and die.
Old Poem.
I was much struck by the first view of
Madeira : it rises up high, black and steep
from the sea, and looks at a distance like a
huge ruined wall. As you approach nearer,
however, you perceive white spots of houses
on the hill sides, churches, temples, and
abrupt ridges of mountains, on which seem
literally suspended the most lovely gardens.
17
All this, mingled with the green foliage and
the almost tropical vegetation, is lovely in
the extreme.
Sept. 26. We brought up in Funchal Roads,
in twenty-two fathom water. The weather
was extremely hot, at least it appeared so to
us, though this was the cool season at Ma-
deira. I need say nothing of the cordial
kindness, and unlimited hospitality of the
merchants at Funchal; the fact of their
liberality and good feeling to strangers is
too well known to need a comment, and
our reception furnished but an extra ex-
ample of its truth.
A nearer view of Funchal is very amusing
to a stranger. The shores are crowded with
boats, and with wild-looking Portuguese
gesticulating and quarrelling. The shape
of the boats is remarkable, their sterns are
so high and pointed. The rowers perform
18
their office in an erect posture, and with
their faces turned towards the fore part of
their craft. Children of very tender years,
bronzed by the sun into a deep copper co-
lour, are swimming about in all directions,
and quite in deep water. The surface of
the sea is studded by little black shining
heads. In short, the inhabitants generally
appear to me to partake of an amphibious
nature.
The houses of Funchal are mostly of a
dazzling white, which has a very unplea-
sant effect on the eyes. The roofs are ge-
nerally flat, but you likewise see many
turrets and steeples. There is an English
Episcopal Church, and an excellent resi-
dent minister. The English Library and
Reading Club are excellent ; there is, too, a
public ball-room, which is well attended ;
and in the reading-club I have before men-
19
tioned the amusements of cards and billiards
may also be enjoyed.
I have often been surprised at the fond-
ness for dancing which prevails in hot cli-
mates ; the inhabitants seem to enjoy this
exercise the more, the higher the thermo-
meter ranges. I was told, that in Funchal,
during the hottest months, balls were car-
ried on with unabated spirit till a late hour
in the morning, and that country dances
and Scotch reels were executed, with a
spirit of enterprise and perseverance un-
known in our Northern latitudes.
It is indeed a most beautiful, clear, and
enlivening climate ; nevertheless, I was cer-
tainly astonished at the degree of vigour,
which the inhabitants seemed to retain.
We went on shore in a Portuguese boat,
and I had an opportunity of comparing,
which I always do with peculiar satisfac-
20
tion, the superior cleanliness, promptitude,
skill, and composure of an English sailor
over his class in every other country. A
Portuguese man-of-war lay along side the
Dolphin, and the comparison certainly was
not in favour of the former. Such hal-
looing and such confusion I never heard,
as came wafted to us from our neighbours.
The officers possessed, I am sure, but little
of the salutary authority necessary to keep
sailors to their duty.
We were most kindly received by Mr.
Temple, who is a resident at Funchal, and
gladly remained a week in his comfortable
house. We spent our time very pleasantly
in wandering about the Island, which, even
at this advanced period of the year, pre-
sents much both of vegetation and scenery,
well worthy of notice. The flowers are
beautiful; such a profusion of geraniums,
21
fuchsias, and heliotropes, with the glo«
rious belladonna lily and bright oleander !
It is a perfect wilderness of sweets and bril-
liant colours. The human part of the
scenery is by no means in keeping with all
this, for a more dirty, disorderly, uncivi-
lized population it would be difficult to
imagine. Police there is none, and the
noises and confusion in the streets, espe-
cially at night, are most disagreeable ; they
effectually chase sleep, at least from the
eyes of a new comer. Mr. Temple's house
is situated close to the guard-house, and as
the sentries are by far the most noisy
people in the place, the neighbourhood is
not agreeable. One of their favourite
amusements at night was imitating the
noises and cries of different animals. They
alternately crow like cocks, roar like bulls,
and gobble like fifty turkeys. Their imita-
22
tions, I must say, were correct, but the ef-
fect was anything but pleasing. There ap-
pears to be but little religious feeling among
them; indeed their priests seemed to be
almost objects of contempt, and their
places of worship to be nearly neglected.
The squalid poverty you every-where
meet with is pitiable and revolting ; the
children run about almost in a state of nu-
dity, and are the ugliest little set of
wretches, excepting, perhaps, the diminu-
tive old women, I ever saw. The Portu-
guese inhabitants generally require but a
small quantity of food, and that consists
principally of fruits and Indian corn. They
are, though most frequently short in sta-
ture, a very strong and hardy race, and
their powers of enduring fatigue are great.
Of the truth of this I had ample proof in
my palanquin bearers, who under a broiling
23
sun, carried me at a sort of ambling pace
to the tops of the highest hills, without ap-
pearing in the slightest degree exhausted.
It is true that on arriving at the summits,
they generally begged for a cup of wine at
the houses of call, which are conveniently
placed there. It is, however, to strangers
only that they are in the habit of making
the application.
The vineyards are very pretty ; the vines
are trained over wooden pillars, supporting
a lattice-work of bamboo. The grapes are
dried in the shade, which is said to give
them a peculiar richness of flavour. The
vine was first introduced in Madeira in the
year 1420, and was brought from the
Island of Crete.
The vintage is just over, and numbers of
peasants are busily employed in bringing
down the newly made wine from the vine-
24
yards in the hills. Some of the men have
immense pigskins, filled with the red fluid,
slung over their shoulders, while others are
driving the pretty cream-coloured oxen
into the town, laden in a similar manner.
The effect of the pigskins is quite horrid ;
they are filled to their utmost extent, even
to the legs ; the mouth and nose being tied
up ; this appearance of being a real animal
is rendered still more unpleasant by the
blood-red stains on the hide of the crea-
ture. The drivers of the waggons, which
are of a most simple and primitive form,
are shrieking and bellowing all the while,
by way of encouraging their beasts, and
that with voices unequalled in the world, I
should imagine, for shrillness and power.
The grapes from which the largest quan-
tity of wine is made are small and ex-
tremely sweet; we have taken a large
25
quantity of them on board, besides ba-
nanas, and various sorts of common fruits.
The grapes from which the Malmsey wine
is made grow upon rocks, over which they
are trained — they are not gathered till
over ripe.
Among the many fine views which a
stranger at Madeira should not fail to visit,
that of the Conral stands preeminent. The
road to this beautiful spot is steep, and
stony. It is a valley completely enclosed by
high abrupt hills, none of which are less than
a thousand feet in height. The road lies
alarmingly near the edge of the precipice s
and is moreover extremely narrow. The
horses are, however, so active and well
trained, that no positive danger exists. A
Portuguese runner generally accompanies
your horse, encouraging him both by
threats and caresses to proceed, and often
c
26
not a little impeding his progress by
hanging on at his tail. The horses are
well shaped, though small, and particularly
adapted to the nature of the country, and
the roads.
The Mount Church, built on extremely
high ground, a short distance from Fun-
chal, cannot be passed unnoticed ; the view
of the town and roadstead from it is most
beautiful and curious. There is a large
convent, at which artificial flowers and
other sorts of ornamental work can be pro-
cured, besides delicious liqueurs, which the
nuns manufacture in great variety.
The most beautiful flowers and shrubs
are found on the summits of the hills, and
the whole appearance of the country is rich
and luxuriant, far beyond my powers of
description. The interior of the houses are
as enjoyable as the gardens are beautiful;
27
the rooms are large, high, and airy, and
the floors during the hot season are spread
with a fine matting ; very little furniture is
admitted, and the breeze is allowed to cir-
culate freely through the houses.
The dress of the gentlemen is as glaring
as the colour of the houses, being white
from head to foot; — jacket of white linen,
sailcloth boots, and trowsers of the same.
A large palmetto hat completes the cos-
tume, which if not becoming, is well suited
to the climate.
I enjoyed my palanquin extremely. The
motion is very easy, and sufficiently rapid,
considering the great inequalities of the
ground; I do not think that a horse could
get over the ground quicker. It was some
time before I hardened my heart to the
supposed sufferings of the bearers, which
after all were entirely imaginary. Eng-
28
lishmen would, I am sure, sink very soon
under the exertion, besides the natural ob-
jection entertained by our countrymen to
being used as beasts of burthen.
The sugar-cane grows in considerable
quantities, and it was formerly the staple
commodity of the Island, but, not proving
very productive as an article of commerce,
its culture was abandoned for that of the
vine. Coffee, likewise, though of a most
superior kind, is grown but in small quanti-
ties. The coffee-trees are very handsome,
and grow to a larger size than even in the
West Indies or Cuba.
Vines are found growing at a very great
heighth, some say nearly three thousand feet
above the level of the sea; but, though even
in these elevated situations they bear fruit,
no wine can be made from it. The chest-
nuts are excellent, and in great profusion.
29
There are a good many rabbits and wild
hogs on the island, but goats and oxen are
the most common, as well as the most
useful animals of which it can boast. Here,
for the first time, I tasted that most indis-
pensable article of (negro) food, the sweet
potatoe. I cannot say that I approved of
it as an adjunct to meat, but roasted like a
chestnut, and eaten hot, it is very tolerable.
I confess that in spite of its bright sun
and flowery hills, Madeira has left a me-
lancholy impression on my mind. I met so
many wasted invalids, pale hectic girls, and
young men, struggling vainly against decay.
Oh ! that sad feat of the physician who can
do no more, and " despairing of his fee to-
morrow," sends his patient away to breathe
his last in a foreign land ! Poor wanderers !
I saw their last resting place. " After life's
fitful fever they sleep well," — as well as
30
though they reposed under a grassy mound
at home. And yet — I would wish to have
those whom I had loved when living near
to me in death. It is a fancy, and the wise
would doubtless call it a weak one, but
who can reason away a fancy, or dogmatise
on the feelings of the heart* I have been
assured that consumptive patients at Ma-
deira, lose in the charm of scenery, and
under the influence of the climate, a sense
of their danger, and the precariousness of
their existence; that their spirits become
raised, and that at the last they quietly sink
to eternal rest with their sketch-books in
their hands, and hopeful smiles upon their
lips. — I doubt it. — Can they shut their
eyes upon the hundreds of fellow-sufferers
whom they daily meet? — or forget where-
fore they are there? It is a comfortable
belief, however, for their friends at home.
31
But I have not yet done with Madeira.
I must say something of its rain, and a
little more of its sunshine. The former
falls in great quantities during four months
of the year, viz. : — October, November,
December, and January. The rain was
described to me as descending in torrents ;
yet greatly must the inhabitants enjoy the
first refreshing and purifying drops, after
the long spell of sunshine. The honey is
delicious at Madeira; the bees have such
flowers to revel amongst that it would be
strange were it otherwise. The dress of
the Portuguese inhabitants is extremely
picturesque ; it consists of a blue jacket co-
vered with silver buttons, a little cap on
one side of the head, about the size of a
large saucer, a white or striped shirt, and
very wide trowsers.
The anchorage in Funchal Roads is any-
32
thing but safe, and more than once during
our stay we were in doubt whether we
should not be obliged to up-anchor and
stand out to sea, although there was not
more than half a gale of wind blowing at
the time.
We secured a good stock of turkies, be-
sides ducks and fowls, and a very pro-
mising goat : the latter, however, fulfilled
none of the promises made for her. Ma-
riana, (for that was her name) enjoyed the
reputation of being one of the best of her
kind on the island : indeed her Portuguese
owner, having exhausted his vocabulary of
praise, wound it up by saying, that " she
was fit to hang in a lady's ear." This, con-
sidering that she was about three feet high,
and large in proportion, with a most formi-
dable pair of horns, was saying a good deal.
By the man's account she was a perfect an-
33
nuity to him, and we considered ourselves
fortunate in securing her services. Un-
luckily for us, Mariana was not " a good
sailor," (that expression of much meaning)
and from the first she refused her accus-
tomed aliment, and would taste nothing,
except occasional scraps of such food as
one would imagine no sensible goat of any
country would have touched. Brandy cher-
ries and birch brooms she particularly re-
lished ; and on one occasion when in her
awkwardness she upset the mustard-pot,
(in hot weather we dined on deck) the con-
tents were greedily devoured. So much for
a Madeira goat, but as I could not wil-
lingly revert to her again, I will close her
eventful history here. We bore with her ca-
prices till we arrived at Jamaica, when we
turned her into the Dockyard, under the
protection of the Commodore, where I be-
c II.
34
lieve her to be at this moment. The little
bullocks must be much better feeders^ to
judge from the excellence of the beef; the
mutton is by no means so good.
Three of our men took the opportunity
of our stay at Madeira to misconduct
themselves sadly, so much so, as to require
the assistance of the local authorities in
bringing them to punishment. They were
three of our finest men, and had hitherto
conducted themselves well, at least to out-
ward appearance, but the cheapness of the
wine made it irresistible, and one night
they being more than commonly noisy in
the forecastle, the master sent to order
them to be quiet, and to put out the lights.
This, the three men in question refused to
do, and moreover grew so violent and un-
ruly, that it was found necessary to send
for some Portuguese soldiers, from a
35
schooner lying nearly alongside, to assist in
capturing the delinquents. They were des-
perate in their resistance, vowing death and
destruction to all on board, and daring the
Doctor, who was armed to the teeth, and
all the others in authority, to approach
them. I happened to be on shore, and
knew nothing of these occurrences till
the following morning. They were at
length safely lodged in a miserable prison,
on a small insulated rock called the Loo.
Here, if anywhere, repentance was sure to
come ; and come it did, but all too late for
two of the culprits. These men had made
themselves so obnoxious to the rest of the
crew, and were moreover such confirmed
mauvais sujets, that all idea of compro-
mise was out of the question ; but with the
other man the case was different ; he was a
favourite with his messmates, and there
36
was evidence to prove that he had been led
away by the rest, besides which, he had
offended in a less degree. All things consi-
dered, we granted him a free pardon, while
the others were left on the rock, to their
solitude and their remorse.*
* I must not forget to mention a circumstance, which
I have since heard in regard to our recreant sailors.
At the great flood and hurricane, which occurred at
Madeira some months afterwards, these two men dis-
tinguished themselves greatly, by the voluntary zeal
which they displayed in the rescue and assistance of
the sufferers. They saved some lives, and worked in
the cause as only Englishmen can.
37
CHAPTER III.
DEPARTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. PEAK OF TENE-
RIFFE. DEAD CALM. EMPLOYMENT OF THE CREW.
SUNDAY. BARBADOES. TRADE-WINDS. DEARNESS
OF PROVISIONS, &C. FROGS AND GRASHOPPBRS.
BRIDGETOWN. " MISS BETSEY AUSTIN. "
Now in the fervid noon, the smooth bright sea
Heaves slowly, for the wand'ring winds are dead
That stirr'd it into foam. The lonely ship
Rolls wearily, and idly flaps the sails
Against the creaking masts. The lightest sound
Is lost not on the ear, and things minute
Attract the observant eye.
On the eighth day from our landing at
Funchal, we were again in readiness for
sea ; it was a lovely summer evening, about
seven o'clock, when the order was given to
up-anchor, and set sail for the West Indies.
The windlass was manned, and as I lis-
38
tened to the jovial chorus of the crew,
as they cheerily sung at their work, I
could not help thinking of their late
companions on the lone Loo rock, and
mentally comparing them to the captive
knight of old, in Mrs. Hemans* beautiful
ballad. It was, however, I fear, a sad waste
of sentiment.
On the third day from leaving Madeira,
we saw on the lee-bow the wonderful Peak
of Teneriffe, and this at the immense dis-
tance of one hundred and forty miles ! A
curious aspect it wore, — a high bank of
white clouds seeming to extend itself half-
way up to the heavens, and that small dis-
tinct peak of land crowning the whole.
Having been informed at Madeira that
we should have a fresh North-East wind,
which would infallibly and expeditiously
waft us to Barbadoes, and also that having
39
once set our sails, we should not have to shift
them till we arrived there, we were not
prepared for the long calm which followed*
A repetition of the words " calm and fine/'
varied only by occasional changes to, " light
airs and fine," is all I can find in the log-
book for many days. As for the employ-
ment of the hands, it consisted in spreading
and furling awnings, fitting and mending
cutter sails, spinning yarn, and washing
clothes. As for holystoning the decks, I
set my face against that from the first ; it is
the worst description of nervous torture of
which I ever heard, excepting perhaps, the
infliction of the squee gee, which, as its name
almost implies, sets every tooth in one's
head on edge for a week. Brooms and
swabs are bad enough, but to these I was
obliged to submit.
This, certainly, was not a very animating
40
life; still, what with fishing for dolphins
and bonetas, watching anxiously for wind,
which sometimes came in the tantalizing
shape of cats paws, time slipped along,
though the ship did not. I tasted one of
the bonetas, which the sailors had cooked
for themselves, and very tough and dry it
was. A dolphin, which soon after followed
its unwise example, and allowed himself to
be enticed on board, proved rather better.
We dressed up our namesake with wine
and other condiments, and he was pro-
nounced to be "not bad;" still I greatly
doubt if we should have allowed him even
this scanty meed of praise, had a turbot or
John Dory been within reach.
And now, having brought my readers
into a dead calm, or, as I have learnt to say
in America, — a fix, — I think it high time
to apologise for inflicting upon them any
41
fuller account of such a tedious time.
I ought to remember that wise remark of
Rochefoucauld, that u L'extreme plaisir que
nous prenons a parler de nous-memes, nous
doit faire craindre de n'en donner guere a
ceux qui nous ecoutent." Still, as a long
continuance of calm weather at sea is an
acknowledged trial both to the temper and
spirits, I have thought it better to give
some account of the manner in which we
endured it, for the benefit of adventurous
persons, who may hereafter be disposed to
follow us, and brave the dangers of the
wide Atlantic in a vacht.
But to return to our voyage. The ex-
ceeding beauty of the stars and sky within
the Tropics, has been often described, but
had I not witnessed their nightly glory, my
imagination never could have done them
justice. A lonely ship in the wide ocean
42
must ever, I think, be a source of poetical
feeling, even to the coldest fancy : but the
calm and quiet of the sensation is raised to
a trusting and almost holy train of thought,
when the heat of the day being over, and
the blazing sun gone down to his rest, you
lie beneath that canopy studded with most
brilliant stars, and feel with the poet, a
longing
" to tread that golden path of rays
That seems to lead to some bright Isle of rest."
One particularly quiet breezeless day, a
shark gave us a good deal of employment
and amusement. He was swimming about
the ship for hours, with the pretty little
pilot fish playing about his monstrous nose.
Every sort of bait, from salt junk to
tempting candles, was offered for his ac-
ceptance, and rejected. The monster evi-
dently was not hungry, for though he smelt
43
at them all, nothing would induce him to
nibble at the baited hook. Once only they
succeeded in hooking him, but he very soon
broke away. Towards the evening, however,
he grew more sociable, and condescended
to eat some biscuit which I threw to him
over the side. He was an enormous crea-
ture, at least ten feet in length. There was
something very unpleasant in the idea of
this horrid "creature following in our
wake," and though I did not share in the
sailors' superstition of their being harbin-
gers of death, yet I looked at him with
great distaste, feeling that he was thirsting
for our blood.
We saw flying fish in great numbers;
they flew on board at night, and were
found in the morning on deck and in the
chains, being attracted by the light. I ate
them for breakfast, and found them deli-
44
cious ; like a herring in flavour and con-
sistency, but more delicate.
While copying my journal in England,
on a positively winters day in the month of
June, dark, drizzling, and cheerless, how
strange it appears that I ever could have dis-
liked the sun, in the way I did, in the Tro-
pics. How often, in the morning, did I then
find myself exclaiming against its scorching
rays. At six o'clock, and often even at an
earlier hour, I was on deck, driven up by
the intolerable heat of the cabin, which
being below the surface of the water, was
necessarily hotter than it was above. It
was contrary to all orders to spread the
awning, before the decks were swabbed up,
so I had ample leisure for complaint. There
was that terrible sun again ; not a cloud
above or around, but one wide canopy of
blue over our heads ; nothing to break the
45
line of the horizon, and the azure sea,
shining as crystal, with its long wearying
swell. Yes! there was the perpetual sun
glaring on us through the long day, and
still more fiercely in the fervid noon ; the
winds asleep, and the ship rolling heavily
with her creaking masts, and idly-flapping
sails. One day was so like another, that
sometimes weariness almost took the place
of hope. " When will it end ?" I used to
exclaim, " When will there be a cloud ?"
It put me in mind of Coleridge's beautiful
description of a calm, in the " Ancient Ma-
riner." And truly the schooner did look
u like a painted ship upon a painted sea."
31st. Light breezes, hardly more than
" cat's paws," but they gave us hope. The
look-out man reported a sail on the lee-
bow. All eyes were strained to catch a
view of the vessel, as she gradually neared
46
us. She proved to be a small brig, and
hoisted English colours. She commenced
making signals, and our master deciding
that she wished to speak us, we slightly
altered our course, to facilitate her object.
Her only reason for nearing us appeared to
be to ascertain our longitude, which having
done, for we chalked it on the outside of the
bulwark^ she proceeded on her way. The
sight of this ship was quite an event, and
gave us matter of discussion for the rest of
the day. If I had followed my inclinations
I should have entered into conversation
with her, so eagerly did I long for the sight
of fresh objects : and I felt quite surprised
at the apathy with which she passed us by.
When o'er the silent seas alone,
For days and nights we've cheerless gone,
Oh I they who've felt it, know how sweet,
Some sunny morn a sail to meet.
During all this time the heat was intense,
47
the thermometer ranged from 88 to 96
under the awning, and there was no wind
to refresh us. The only manner in which I
could procure a breath of air, w r as by
spreading a mattrass on the deck, between
the ports, which were left open. It was
fortunate that the yacht contained a large
supply of water, as from the unexpected
length of the passage, and the intense heat,
an unusual quantity was daily consumed.
Had the calm lasted much longer, however,
we must have had an allowance of water ;
as it was, indeed, our fresh provisions began
to run short, and turkies and fowls were
anxiously counted over, and cared for.
There was much difficulty, after a time,
in finding employment for the ship's com-
pany, and as it is well known that the only
method of keeping sailors out of mischief,
and free from grumbling, is never to let
48
them be idle, all kinds of work were re-
sorted to.
The men, in fact, were seldom left in re-
pose; they were always either spinning
yarn, making mats, scraping cables, cleaning
guns, or occupied in some task of a similar
nature. We did not quite follow the ex-
ample of American ships, in which it is said
of the sailors, that
" Six days they labour, and do all that they are able,
And on the seventh, holystone the decks, and scrape
the cable/'
Sunday, of course, was a day of rest, and
idleness ; on that day the men, clad in their
light clean dresses, after attending prayers
on deck, lay listlessly about the forecastle ;
the best, and those most religiously inclined,
(and sailors are often so, in spite of their
reckless manners) were seen reading their
Prayer Books, or some sober book from the
49
ship's library ; others were poring over old
scraps of newspapers, or letters, which from
their long-folded creases, were evidently
the much and long-prized missives of their
wives, ox friends in distant England. Thus,
Sunday passed away, but on week-days the
evenings were cheered by ajiddler, and en-
livened by song. Music, such as " charmed
the spirits of the deep," was heard from the
forecastle, and in default of better and
more refined strains, shortened our silent
way. One of the performers, the steward's
mate, who boasted of having been " on the
stage" at an earlier period of his life, had a
beautiful voice, and really sung very tole-
rably. Sailors' ditties are very mournful
things, not at all like the joyous chorusses
I had imagined them to be; and I often
longed to give them some new and more
lively airs, to vary their monotonous concerts.
D
50
Still, though we scarcely appeared to
move, we certainly progressed a little, for
after a most tedious passage of thirty days,
I was told we were within a hundred miles
of Barbadoes. This was indeed most wel-
come intelligence, as we intended to make
that island. On the afternoon of this day,
when at least eighty miles from any land, a
hawk was perceived flying round the ship.
How glad I was to see him ! Poor thing !
He was very tired, as well he might be,
after his long aerial journey. After perform-
ing a few feeble evolutions, and alighting
occasionally on different parts of the rig-
ging, he settled on the foreyard-arm, and
being quite exhausted, was easily taken.
The creature did not live through the
night. He was a kestrel, and a very fine
one. In consideration of its long flight, and
from a feeling of gratitude, as having been
51
the first harbinger of land, we thought his
skin worthy of being preserved, for the pur-
pose of stuffing, and it was put in the me-
nagerie accordingly.
At six o'clock in the morning of the 2nd
of November, we were within a very few
miles of the land. Barbadoes is a very low
island, and does not strike one with any
feeling of either wonder or admiration.
You see a few white-looking houses on the
slight elevations. The sight of tropical
trees, cocoa, palms, &c. must always be
interesting to one who sees them for the
first time. About eight o'clock we made
Bridgetown, and at ten, a. m. brought up in
Carlisle Bay, in seven fathom water.
Nancy, the negress, gave me, immedi-
ately on our arrival, a fresh proof that ner-
vous fancies are not confined to fine or
even white ladies. Immediately after we
52
had come to an anchor, her conduct was
most remarkable ; she commenced running
wildly about the deck, evidently under the
influence of some nervous panic. Every
one she met she informed with striking
marks of dismay on her countenance, that
she must be near her end, for that she had
a loud and terrific sound in her ears, which
she was persuaded was the result of some
fatal malady. The men only laughed at
her, and at length she appealed to me for
advice and consolation. I was too merciful
to keep her longer in suspense, and told
her what every one in the ship might have
done, had they not enjoyed her tribulation,
that the noise she thought exclusively her
own, proceeded from myriads of frogs and
grashoppers, which we distinctly heard,
though at a considerable distance from the
land.
53
The first interesting object which claimed
our attention was an English man-of-war,
the Imaum. She had arrived a few hours
before us, and was lying at anchor. We
had taken up our position close to her, and
on comparing notes, we found that her pas-
sage from Madeira had been as long as our
own.
I became almost persuaded, by this new
instance of delay, of the truth of what I
had previously suspected, that the exist-
ence of trade-winds is a vulgar error, a sort
of travellers' wonder. It was a constant
demand of the doctor's, " Where is the
trade-wind?" and a standing joke on board,
that it had gone out of its course to annoy
us. It was some consolation to find that
we had companions in misfortune, and to
make quite sure that the winds of heaven,
and not the little Dolphin, had been in fault.
54
We were soon surrounded by boats, filled
with individuals of every shade of black,
brown, and yellow. The black ladies,
dressed in white, and adorned with the
most brilliant colours, glass bead necklaces,
with gaudy handkerchiefs tied round their
heads, were chattering and laughing, bar-
gaining and coquetting, but still com-
porting themselves with a dignity, and an
air of grandeur, which shewed them duly
conscious of their claim to respect, in being
"true 'Badian born."
I began to believe that, as they them-
selves assert, "you must go to Barbadoes
to larn manners " I was very much amused
by these freed bondswomen ; they came
upon the quarter-deck without any cere-
mony, walked down into the cabin, and
made themselves quite at home.
The negroes brought alongside such fruits
55
as the island afforded, and they were poor
enough. Having heard much in praise of
the West India fruits, I was disappointed
in those I saw. There were bad oranges,
worse grapes, no pines, at which we felt our-
selves much aggrieved, shaddocks, guavas,
cocoa-nuts, and bananas, all indifferent.
Still, notwithstanding the want of flavour of
their contents, the fruit baskets were imme-
diately emptied by our men, who seemed
greatly to enjoy the sour oranges and taste-
less cocoa-nuts. An immense quantity of
grass was also purchased by them, for the
purpose of making hats. These hats, which
they make with much ingenuity, I ex-
pected would be both light and cool ; they
however turned out to be neither. They
sew the plaits so closely together, that all
such purpose is defeated. As an addition
to the original weight, many sailors put on
56
a covering of canvas, and paint it thickly
over.
After enquiring the prices of various ne-
cessaries, we made the discovery, when too
late, that we had come to the wrong island
for supplies, everything we required being
both indifferent and expensive. Barbadoes,
I was told, imports almost everything from
Tobago and Martinique, and it was to St.
Pierre, the capital of the latter island, that
we ought to have betaken ourselves. Beef
and mutton are tenpence a pound at
Bridgetown, and water, of which we re-
quired a considerable supply, a dollar a
cask. Turtle are brought from Tobago,
cattle from the Costa firma, and fruit and
vegetables from Antigua and Martinique.
Still, it is well known, that the Island of
Barbadoes affords provisions of many sorts,
which are raised on its own soil, though
57
unfortunately for us, they were not the
kinds we required. I believe the exports of
sugar average about 300,000 cwts. annu-
ally.
Barbadoes is said to be one of the heal-
thiest of the West India Islands ; neverthe-
less, in spite of the prevalent opinion, I
confess that the country gave me the idea
of being anything but salubrious, princi-
pally from its lowness, and also from the
immense number of frogs and grashoppers,
which we heard throwing out their various
notes in all directions. This alone gives an
idea of marshiness and dampness, which
precludes that of health. Barbadoes was
one of the first, if not the very first of the
Caribbean Islands colonized by the Eng-
lish. For several years during the early
part of the seventeenth century, the Earl
of Carlisle was hereditary proprietor of the
58
Island, by virtue of a grant obtained from
James the First. After the Restoration, it
became the property of the Crown. The
coloured population seem to me to be tole-
rably well off, and not very idle.
We went on shore in the cool of the
evening, having appointed a carriage to be
in waiting for us at the landing. And such
a carriage and horses ! It was wonderful,
from their appearance, how they contrived
to go at all, but go they did, and at a tre-
mendous pace. In vain I implored the
negro driver to rein in his steeds. I believe
he was revenging himself upon them for
the previous drivings he had himself un-
dergone in his own proper person, for he
flogged away most unmercifully.
Bridgetown is a long straggling town.
There are no striking looking buildings in
it, but the streets are in general broad, and
59
the houses white ; there is a disagreeable
smell of cocoa-nut oil, but otherwise the
city gives you a pleasant impression of
freshness and cleanliness, particularly when
compared with Funchal, the last town we
had seen. There are several churches and
chapels, and a cathedral, besides several
buildings for charitable purposes. The po-
pulation of Bridgetown is about twenty-two
thousand. On leaving the town, and the
pretty gardens which surround it, our road
lay for several miles through an extremely
flat country. There is very little wood on
the island; some mahogany, cocoa-trees,
and palms, and also a good many shrubs,
but the country is in general very bare.
The flowers, however, are beautiful; the
datura scented the evening air, and fuch-
sias and heliotropes drooped over the
garden walls.
60
Oxen are more used as beasts of bur-
then than horses, but the meat is not
good. We were told, that at the proper
season there is plenty of shooting, con-
sisting of plover, teal, wild duck, &c.
Aloes are very much cultivated, to judge
from the number of plants to be seen on
the sides of the roads ; the ginger is not
reckoned so good as that grown in Ja-
maica. There is a great deal of land still
uncultivated ; towards the North, the coun-
try becomes much higher, and is compara-
tively cold. This part is known by the ap-
propriate name of Scotland, and it must be
a welcome change to the scorched inhabi-
tants of the South, to refresh themselves
occasionally by inhaling its invigorating
breezes. Rum is very dear in Barbadoes,
at least good rum, such as English sailors
like. The proportion of black and coloured
61
people to white is about six to one, of
which by far the greatest number are
black.
The barracks are large, convenient, and
airy. We returned by a different road from
the one by which we left the capital, and
after driving through a considerable portion
of the town, we visited the parade ground,
where the band of the ninety-second regi-
ment was playing for the amusement of
some half-dozen coloured people, on foot,
who were looking on. I noticed one or
two ladies on horseback, and Colonel
McDonald, who accompanied them, told us,
for our satisfaction, that the season had
been, and was, particularly healthy ; the
men, however, looked, I thought, weakened
and worn. We then pursued our drive as
far as the Government House. Here I was
rather entertained at our black charioteer,
62
who, pointing out to our notice a large
building, surrounded by iron railings, and
guarded by a sentry, informed us that it
was the " Queen's House, all kep fine, fur-
nish, ready for de Queen hersef, when she
come to see 'Badian people." He seemed
to entertain no doubt of the Queen's inten-
tion of crossing the Atlantic, and evidently
was rather surprised that her Majesty had
not taken an earlier opportunity of visiting
this interesting portion of her subjects.
Still, after all there was to be seen at
Bridgetown, I should be almost inclined to
think, from the oft-repeated question which
was addressed to me afterwards, " Did you
see Betsey Austin ?" that that worthy lady
is the principal attraction of the place.
Betsey, or Miss Betsey Austin, as she is
called, is a person of considerable import-
ance, who keeps the principal hotel at
63
Brigetown. She has a large acquaintance
amongst naval men, and is justly celebrated
in Captain Marryatt's delightful novel of
"Peter Simple;" she assured us she owed
much of her present prosperity to the work
in question, and seemed duly grateful to
the author. " He berry nice man, Captain
Marryat." Betsy may have her little faults,
as who has not, but she must have a kindly
heart in her capacious person from all I
have heard. Miss Caroline Lee, her sister,
is mistress of another hotel in the town,
and makes better preserves of all kinds
than any one else in the island. We took
in a large supply of live stock, such as
turtle, turkies, guinea fowls, and ducks.
Two of our sailors became embroiled in
a quarrel at one of the spirit shops at
Bridgetown ; and one of them, the carpen-
ter, after a hard fight, passed a night in
64
prison. I do not believe they were much
in fault, but the coloured population of
Barbadoes is notorious for seeking quarrels
with English sailors; and they, as is well
known, have no particular objection to a
row at any time. On lecturing the carpen-
ter, who was a Scotchman, for the folly of
his conduct, which had consigned him to
the hands of the police, and caused him to
spend a night in prison, he replied, " If I
had been mysel, it's no the dozen of them
should have ta'en me."
CHAPTER IV.
STORM AT SEA. LIGHTNING. FLYING FISH. IRON
LIGHTHOUSE. JAMAICA. PORT-ROYAL HARBOUR.
EARTHQUAKE OF 1692. PIRATES. COMMODORE
BYNG'S HOUSE. WALLACE, THE NEWFOUNDLAND
DOG. MUSQUITOES. COLOURED AND WHITE POPU-
LATION. SPANISH TOWN, THE QUEEN'S HOUSE.
KINGSTON. UNWHOLESOME CLIMATE. VULTURES.
SUPERSTITION. "THE DOCTOR. " SALLY ADAMS.
DEPARTURE.
There is a bondage worse, far worse, to bear
Than his who breathes, by roof, and floor, and wall,
Pent in, a tyrant's solitary thrall :
Tis he who walks about in the open air,
One of a nation who henceforth must wear,
Their fetters in their souls.
Wordsworth.
Nov. 4. Left Carlisle Bay at 5 o'clock p.m.
The Imaum, a line-of-battle ship, had
weighed her anchor five hours previously,
and we hoped to have the " pleasure of her
66
company" on the way, a sail being at ail
times a welcome sight at sea.
Nov. 5. Shortened sail to a squall, took
in a reef in main-sail, double-reefed fore-
trysail.
Nov. 6. Strong winds, thunder and light-
ning, treble-reefed foresail. How impossible
it is in words to give an idea of the grandeur,
the fearful magnificence of a storm at sea !
What a variety, are there, of stirring and
deafening sounds, filling the mind with min-
gled feelings of admiration and awe ! There
is the shrill treble of the wind, whistling its
fractious way through the rigging, joined
with the never-ceasing roar of the foaming
and angry sea, while the deep bass of the
gradually n earing thunder is heard distinct
above it all. The sea is one wild chaos of
mountains ; mountains never for one in-
stant still; now receiving us deep into a
67
fearful hollow, from which it seems as
though we never could rise again ; and now
carrying us over their summits, only to be
dashed with greater fury into the raging
abyss below. And how manfully the little
schooner rides over the frantic waves !
How lightly she rises again, and how care-
lessly she dashes the water from her bows,
as she passes on, unharmed, over the trou-
bled waters ! If a heavier sea than usual
breaks, and you hear the dull heavy blow
against her side, there is a tremble, a quiver,
as though the poor little thing were
stricken to the heart; it is, however, but
for a moment, and the little Dolphin is
bounding on again as proudly as before,
" Oh ! there's a holy calm profound
In awe like this, that ne'er was given
To pleasure's thrill ;
Tis as a solemn voice from heaven,
And the soul listening to the sound,
Lies mute and still."
68
It would be a cold heart, I think, that
would not feel an absolute affection for a
ship that has carried one in safety through
perils such as these. She seems so like a
thing of life, and I am sure I have parted
with many a soi-disant friend with infinitely
less regret, than I shall experience when I
look my last on our safe and happy little
schooner.
Two nights before we arrived at Jamaica,
the lightning was most vivid. The sky
seemed to open, and to have changed its
ordinary hues for a covering of flame —
while every moment, on this brilliant
ground, the red zig-zag forks darted out
their angry tongues of fire like some fierce
and goaded animal. For hours I gazed on
this most magnificent sight; I could not
make up my mind to go below, though the
rain began to pour in torrents. No one
69
who has not witnessed a storm of thunder
and lightning in tropical climates, can form
an idea of the mingled beauty, and terror of
the effect. For all the w r orld I would not
have missed the sight, terrific and awe-in-
spiring as it was.
Towards night the tempest was at its
height, and the sound of the contending
elements, as if roaring for their prey, dead-
ened the voice of man. Suddenly, a noise
more stunning than the rest struck upon the
ear. It was the electric fluid against the
mainmast ; the sound it made was like that
of two hands clapping, but five hundred
times as loud. Our mast was only saved
from destruction, and with it, doubtless, our
own lives, by the circumstance of the
rigging being wet, and acting as a con-
ductor, by which means the fluid was con-
veyed over the side into the sea. One of
70
the most remarkable occurrences during
the storm was one which affected my own
person. At the same time that the mast
was struck, I felt a warm and most pe-
culiar sensation down my hand, and im-
mediately mentioned the circumstance.
For many hours afterwards, a deep red
mark, about six inches in length, and
one in breadth, was plainly to be seen in
the place where I had felt the heat, and
what I should describe as almost pain. As
I was standing in the direction in which
the lightning passed, it is to be supposed
that I received at the same time the
slightest possible shock. The escape we
all had from this worst of dangers was
great and providential indeed. In a small
vessel, once on fire, with a large quantity
of gunpowder on board, our destruction
must have been inevitable, had not the
71
Power which had sustained us so long
among the dangers of the deep, stretched
forth a hand of deliverance over us.
During the night, the gale continued
with unabated fury. To sleep was impos-
sible, and as I lay in my cot, rocked from
side to side, and longing for daylight, I
heard a strange and unaccustomed sound
outside my cabin door. On going out to
ascertain from whence it proceeded, I
found some flying fish, which had come
down the companion-ladder with the wind
and spray, flapping their delicate wings on
the oil-cloth. It was a strange situation for
flying fish to find themselves in !
The Imaum was near us during the
gale, and at night we occasionally burnt
blue lights, which to me was very cheering.
Nov. 8. Squally, with heavy rain. Under
treble reefed topsails.
72
9th. We were rounding Morant Point.
Oh! what a swell was there. How we
were thrown about. For the first and only
time the cook requested a diminution of
the daily number of dishes, and the sound
of breaking crockery was heard playing its
destructive accompaniment to the sound of
the storm.
A lighthouse, which was not mentioned
in any of the nautical books, caused some
surprise to those on board who had been in
the West Indies before. This lighthouse,
which was an iron one, and one hun-
dred feet high, had, we afterwards found,
been sent out not long before from Eng-
land.
During the whole of the 10th, the high-
lands of Jamaica were in sight. We passed
over the ancient town of Port Royal, which
now lies " full fathom five" buried beneath
73
the sea; and soon after noon of the llth,
we entered the harbour of its successor of
the same name. We went in without a
pilot, in a gale of wind, and going at the
rate of twelve knots an hour. The Dol-
phin, as usual, behaved beautifully, answer-
ing to her helm, and dashing through the
troubled waters in most perfect style. The
rain was pouring down in torrents, such
rain as is seldom seen except within the
tropics. In these latitudes, it seems not so
much to descend in drops, as in a positive
sheet of water. The best of Mackintoshes
are no protection from its violence ; they
are wet through in five minutes. An expe-
rienced resident in this climate recom-
mended a thick blanket as the best dress in
which to encounter these storms.
The town of Port Royal owes its origin
to General Brague, in the year 1657. He
E
74
first discovered its advantages as a military
position. Its safe and splendid harbour,
and the opportunities it afforded for com-
merce, very soon raised it to a pitch of
wealth and prosperity, unsurpassed by any
other of our West India possessions. Its
greatest source of wealth, however, seems
to have been owing to the plunder depo-
sited there by the buccaneers. Gold, silver,
jewels, laces, and all the riches of the Spa-
nish possessions in America, were constantly
brought there, and it would be impossible
to form any idea of the immense value of
the spoils. Port Royal reached its highest
pitch of prosperity about 1692, and it is
from that year that its gradual decay may
be dated. A tremendous earthquake over-
threw, and buried beneath the waves, all
the principal streets of the once flourishing
city of Port Royal. Thousands perished
75
through this awful calamity, and the waves
of the restless sea rolled over the once
splendid church, and handsome buildings of
the doomed city. There are some who de-
clare that the steeple of the principal
church may still be seen many fathoms
under water in a calm day.
It was melancholy to reflect on the
frightful loss of life, and of the numbers of
human beings whose bones were strewing
the bottom of the harbour, in which we
were now securely floating. The sharks
swim carelessly over heaps of treasure, and
mounds of gold. I have often wondered
why some of our speculators, who in other
parts of the world employ their energies in
fishing for treasure, have not endeavoured
to rescue some of these buried riches from
the bottom of the deep.
The glory and prosperity of Port Royal
76
seem to have departed for ever. Scarcely,
after this fierce and terrible earthquake,
had the remaining inhabitants recovered
from their panic, and restored a few of the
streets to something of their former state,
when the ill-fated town was again destroyed
by fire. Two hurricanes, one in 1722, and
another in 1744, successively razed it to
the ground.
Jamaica has always been famous as the
resort of pirates. Among the places of his-
torical interest, as regards these adven-
turers, Cow Bay stands pre-eminent. It
was there that, in the year 1681, an en-
gagement was fought between the Gover-
nor, Sir Henry Morgan, and Everson, the
Dutch pirate. The force of the latter con-
sisted of but two ships, one of which was
taken, and the pirate killed. The other
vessel escaped. The crew of the one which
77
was taken were desperate, and fought
bravely for their lives. Those who were
not killed in action were executed on the
shore. All the men were English. Some
years after this occurrence, the neighbour-
hood of Port Royal was visited by a whole
fleet of pirates, who then infested these
seas. The barbarities they committed along
the coast, upon such of the harmless and
inoffensive inhabitants who were so unfor-
tunate as to fall within their reach, are de-
scribed as dreadful, and for miles around,
they desolated the country by fire and
sword.
There is certainly great beauty in the
surrounding country, but Port Royal itself
is as ugly as a town can well be. Immedi-
ately after our arrival, our kind friend,
Commodore Byng, sent to invite us to
make his house our home during our stay
78
in the island. The offer was gladly ac-
cepted, and we were soon landed at the
dockyard, under a scorching sun. No
sooner had we left the yacht, than the
sailors, one and all, threw off their clothes,
and plunged into the water. The master,
of course, ordered them instantly on board
again ; their escape from the jaws of the
innumerable sharks which here infest the
water, was almost miraculous. The thought-
lessness of sailors is really wonderful. The
Commodore's house is most comfortable.
Never shall I forget the delightful relief it
afforded, after undergoing the intense heat
of the suns rays, as they pierced through
the insufficient barrier of our quarter deck
awning. On shore, we enjoyed exceedingly
the green jalousies through which the sea
breeze blew refreshingly ; and then the
delicious iced water, and the luxurious
79
sofas and rocking chairs! I repeat, the
change was most delightful. The day after
our arrival a sad tragedy occurred, at least
it was a tragedy to me. My beautiful
young Newfoundland dog, Wallace, who
fetched and carried as no dog ever did be-
fore, and whose spirits and good-humour
rendered him a favourite wherever he went,
swam on shore in high health and spirits ;
while bounding about in the exuberance of
delight, at having escaped from the con-
finement of the ship, he suddenly fell down
in a fit, having, as we supposed, received a
coup de soleil. His sufferings, poor fellow,
were soon over, and he was buried in a
corner of the dockyard. I grieved for him
at the time, and greatly missed his honest
greeting when I returned on board.
The view from the Commodore's house
is interesting. Cocoa-nut trees waved their
80
hearse-like tops to the breeze close to its
walls, and within a stone's throw lay the
old " Magnificent." Further off, we descried
the delicate masts of our own little Dol-
phin, while the flag of the good ship
Imaum, was floating in the distance. The
opposite land was clearly to be discerned.
Up and down, before the house, paced the
black sentry, calling the hours as they
came round, and the bells of the various
ships echoed his cry.
The house, like most of those in tropical
climates, is raised from the ground on high
pillars. This mode of architecture not only
renders the apartments much cooler, but
preserves those who inhabit them, in some
measure, from the attacks of insects and
reptiles. Every expedient is resorted to
for protection from the bites of the detes-
table musquitoes ; notwithstanding which,
81
in common with all new comers, I found
them most annoying. It is not so much
the actual pain of the sting, at the time, as
the aggravation of it afterwards, that is so
trying ; and in this climate, where the
slightest scratch often becomes a serious
affair, the irritation produced by a mus-
quitoe bite is often attended with bad, and
even dangerous results. Two of our men
were in the hospital for some time, in con-
sequence of the venemous bites of these vi-
cious little creatures.
We had been much surprised at the
dearness of every thing at Barbadoes, but
we were more astonished, from the same
cause, at Port- Royal. Mutton, bad and
dry, lOd. a pound; a turkey, £1. 5s. ; and
a small bottle of milk, Its. 6d. Eggs are
6d. each, and all other necessaries of life in
proportion.
F II.
82
The residents told us it was impossible
to open one's mouth, for the purpose of
eating, under a dollar, and we found no
great difficulty in believing them. Sugar is
much dearer than in England, and I need
not add, much worse, as it is well known
that the refining process of the best is car-
ried on in the €< old country."
Jamaica, to my idea, presents the melan-
choly picture of a land whose prosperity has
passed away. Indolence is, I think, the prin-
cipal characteristic of the inhabitants of this
island at the present day, but it does not
appear that one hundred and fifty years ago
they were much more inclined to exertion
than they are now. You see people of
every hue, Creoles or natives, whites,
blacks, and Indians ; the latter with va-
rieties of the species. There is a regular
rule here by which to discover and to class
83
the different castes, and to ascertain the
exact proportion of black blood which runs
in the veins of each. I could not under-
stand, without taking more trouble than I
thought the subject worthy of, the com-
plicated classification, which is almost re-
duced to a science here ; but it is of im-
portance, to judge from the pains bestowed
upon it.
The Creole is generally handsome, and
well made, but from indolence, and other
causes, they are apt to become corpulent.
They are said to be irritable, but generous,
and kind-hearted, and their love of expense
and shew is great. Now, however, they pos-
sess, generally speaking, but very little of
the means necessary to enable them to in-
dulge in their favourite tastes and pursuits.
That the Creoles have been losers to a
large amount by the abolition of the slave
84
trade, there can be no doubt; and but
little, that the prosperity of the island ge-
nerally, its trade and resources, have gra-
dually declined. I think it also more than
questionable, whether the slaves themselves
have found a greater aggregate of happiness
since their freedom was declared. They
wander about now in rags and destitution ;
idleness is their occupation, and drunken-
ness their striking vice.
There is a look of hopeless indolence
about the coloured population, which I did
not remark in any of the other countries
we visited. At Barbadoes, there appears to
be some cleanliness, and some self-respect,
which is visible in their manners; and in
their attention to dress, and the adornment
of their persons ; here, on the contrary,
they seem thoroughly degraded. On my
first arrival, finding walking, and even
riding on horseback, too great an exertion
in such a climate, I enquired of a lady who
was paying me a visit, and who had been
some time in the country, whether there
were not palanquins for the use of indivi-
duals, who, like myself, were unaccustomed
to the climate? She shook her head,
" There is not a man in the island," was
the reply, " who would consent to degrade
himself by becoming a palanquin bearer !''
And these people but yesterday were
slaves! What they might be, had liberty
been bestowed upon them gradually, and in
a more judicious manner, I cannot say ; but
I have often thought, that had each man
been allowed to work out his liberation, the
boon would have appeared more valuable,
as we rarely prize that which has caused us
no difficulty in the attainment. A still
more important result would have been,
86
that a second nature, the well-known fruits
of habit, would have been acquired ; and cer-
tainly their present condition is not so good,
as not to make any other very desirable.
After writing all this, it has occurred to
me, that the same thing has been said
before, and much better than I can say it ;
but let it go. It is truth, I believe, which
is always something in this false generation.
No subject, and now I am writing about
truth, I may say it, no subject has ever
afforded a stronger proof of the depth at
which this virtue lies buried, than that of
slavery. That there were some who abused
their power over the negroes, there can, I
fear, be no doubt ; at the same time it is
equally true, that the rare instances of op-
pression were greatly magnified by the
morbid sensibilities, and sickly sentimenta-
lities of well meaning abolitionists.
87
I was made so very comfortable at the
house of the hospitable Commodore, that I
can say nothing, by experience, of the dis-
comforts attending a residence on the is-
land. The Governor, Lord Elgin, with
whom we had the pleasure of being previ-
ously acquainted, gave us the kindest invi-
tation to pay him a few days' visit at his re-
sidence in the hills. I did not feel equal to
the journey, which must be performed on
horseback, and commenced at five in the
morning in order to avoid the heat of the
sun, but I greatly regretted not being able
to see more of the interior of the island.
Our first excursion was to Spanish Town.
The route to Port Henderson from Port
Royal is by water ; it is about six miles from
the latter place. It is very much to be de-
plored that the religious edifices, erected
by the Spaniards here, should have been so
88
little respected by the English, who suc-
ceeded them. Whether from fanatical fury,
or other causes, they have been mostly de-
stroyed, or suffered to fall into gradual
decay. Spanish Town is irregularly built,
and, partly perhaps from the glare of the
white houses, appeared to me still more
oppressive than Port Royal.
The town is built on rather high ground,
sloping towards the shore ; and as there is
no marshy land between it and the sea,
the refreshing sea-breeze blows healthily
over the town. Spanish Town is long and
narrow ; its buildings may extend to about
a mile in length. There is a church and a
chapel. The former is handsome ; the
pews, pulpit, &c. are of cedar, and the
aisles are paved with marble. The chapel
stands near the Governor's house ; and not
far off is the guard-house, where a party of
89
regular soldiers are always on duty. The
Queen's house occupies one side of a large
square. It was built in 1762, and is one of
the finest of the kind in the West Indies.
The length of the facade is two hundred
feet, and it is built of most beautiful free-
stone, which in this clear air, and smoke-
less climate, retains its whiteness through-
out all time.
The Hall of Audience is a fine well pro-
portioned saloon, about seventy-five by
thirty feet. Some part of this immense
building is appropriated to public dinners,
balls, &c. The Assembly Chamber, or
Common House, is about eighty feet in
length, by forty in breadth ; there is a
raised platform at one end, which is lined
with seats for members. The chair of the
Speaker is raised a little higher than the
rest. Here, among the legislative assembly,
90
are to be seen both black and white faces.
The former direct, with the white inhabi-
tants, the affairs of the island ; and I am
told, that among them, are one or two in-
telligent men.
It will, indeed, be a work of time and
difficulty to restore Jamaica to any thing
like its former state of prosperity ; to cor-
rect the abuses which have crept into its
government, and to restore confidence
among all classes. The state of things is,
however, improving, and may it continue
to do so. Lord Elgin is exerting himself to
further these desirable ends ; and the uni-
versal popularity and esteem with which he
is regarded, as well as the prospect of suc-
cess, must cheer him, while devoting his ta-
lents and energies in this formerly almost
hopeless cause.
The Hospital stands at the East end of
91
the town, near the river. The situation
appeared to me to be ill chosen for the pur-
poses of health. Great care, however, is
taken of the sick, and large sums of money are
granted in order to defray the expenses of
their support, and the cost of medical aid.
The market of Spanish Town is well sup-
plied with fish, and black crabs, which are
really delicious, and with tolerable poultry,
milk, fruits, vegetables, &c. I have compared
the prices of some of the necessaries of life
before the abolition of slavery, with what
they are at present, and I find them now
very much higher; in many cases, nearly
two-thirds.
Turtle has not changed much in price ;
we found it the cheapest food, as it is also
the best, in Jamaica ; and we ate it in all
shapes, cutlets, roasted, grilled, and made
into soups, till we were quite tired of it.
92
There is a fine range of hills, North, and
North-West of the town. Among these,
are the pens, or villas of the rich inhabi-
tants, who go there occasionally to enjoy
health and coolness* The country is most
beautiful ; and there are fine chalybeate
springs in every direction. The road from
Spanish Town to Port Henderson is excel-
lent, but most disagreeably dusty. We
could only go out after the sun was set,
owing to the intense heat ; and the twilight
is so short in low latitudes, that it was ge-
nerally dark long before we returned to the
yacht. It was a favourite excursion of mine
that of visiting Kingston after sunset, and
by water. The view of the town from the
sea is very fine.
The distance from Port Royal is about
six miles, through what are called the Shal-
lows. For a considerable part of the way,
93
the passage is so narrow, in consequence of
the mangroves, which literally grow out of
the water, that there is scarcely room for the
oars of the boatmen. The scene is singular
and pretty, and after the scorching heat of
the day, the cool evening air was delight-
fully refreshing. Oysters adhere in great
numbers to the mangroves.
Kingston stands in an amphitheatre of
hills, and has full enjoyment both of the
land and sea breeze. The shape of the ce-
lebrated Blue Mountains is so varied and
capricious, that one can hardly help fancy-
ing it the result of one of those fearful
earthquakes, with which these countries
have so often been visited. The savan-
nahs, or plains at the bottom of them, are
charming. The mountains are in many
parts covered with the thickest foliage ; the
prickly pear grows in great quantities, and
94
there being but few paths, and those made
in the Indian fashion, for single file, it is by
no means safe to trust yourself in the fo-
rests without a guide.
The houses at Kingston are much supe-
rior to those at Spanish Town. The soil
on which the former town is built is partly
gravel, but, owing in great measure to the
torrents of water which descend from the
high country, it is surrounded by a vast ac-
cumulation of mud. The effluvia arising
from this, and from the oozy nature of the
soil, is terrible.
The water, too, here is bad and un-
wholesome ; in short, it is a dreadful place,
and you can hardly go through the
streets without being assailed by visions,
or ideas of plague, pestilence, and sudden
death.
We were in the habit of seeing occa-
95
sionally here, a poor depressed, weary,
young man, who had made up his mind
that he should have the fever, and must
inevitably die. I never saw any one so de-
pressed by the idea of death; his very
face had grown yellow by anticipation, and
yet he was in good health, and manifested
no other symptoms of decay.* Every day
he brought us some fresh story of illness or
fever ; and as his face was growing visibly
longer, day by day, it must be, by this
time, if alarm has not hurried him into the
Port Royal burying-ground, a perfect sight
to look upon.
The market is near the water side, and is
* I think our poor acquaintance must have been
some one of the wandering ghosts of Admiral Hosier's
ill-fated crew, who
From their oozy tombs below,
Through the hoary foam ascending,
Wander through the midnight gloom.
96
well supplied, especially with vegetables,
such as lettuces, cucumbers, French beans,
artichokes, celery, peas, beans, &c, all
brought from the mountains. I was told,
that in the season, there are delicious
strawberries, grapes, melons, mulberries,
&c. The apples are excellent ; and so, I
have no doubt, are all the other fruits, as
the climate among the hills varies from ac-
tual cold to temperate. A market-boat goes
daily to Port Royal and back.
The birds at Jamaica are very various
and beautiful. I must say, a propos of birds,
that one of the most disagreeable sights I
ever witnessed was a row of that horrid de-
scription of vultures, called scavengers.
They were resting on a wall, gorged with
their disgusting meal, their eyes closed, and
their heads sunk between their shoulders,
" And still for carrion carcases they crave."
97
These unpleasant creatures are protected
by the government, and there is a very
heavy penalty incurred by killing one of
them. They are very useful, devouring
carrion and preventing the accumulation of
offal. Were it not for the scavengers, pu-
trid and other fevers, would be still more
prevalent than they are at present. Our
doctor was very anxious to shoot one, and
we with difficulty dissuaded him.
It is strange, that in a climate like this,
greater care is not taken to cleanse the
streets, and to ventilate the apartments of
the houses. I am told, that in the lodging-
houses the rooms are so close and con-
fined, that it is impossible to breathe in
them freely. The overfilled church-yards
being in the heart of the living population,
is another great instance of imprudence.
They have such dismal names too for
VOL I. F
98
some of their streets and houses, " Dead
Man's Hole," for instance. Enough to kill
a nervous person, directly he sets his
foot in it. The quarters of the soldiers
have been removed from Kingston to a
higher ground on the hills. Thus some ame-
lioration in the lot of these poor fellows,
" sent in this foul clime to languish,"
has been effected. The latter position is
so much higher, that it has been found, al-
ready, an improvement in their lot.
There is a tolerable theatre at Kingston,
which, however, is not very well attended
by the inhabitants, though occasionally an
Italian Company comes from Havanna for a
month or two. There are several houses in
the town where sugar is refined, and which,
I was told, were worth seeing, but I confess
I did not feel very enterprising in this
climate.
99
Good rum is very high-priced, and the
same quality which, in England, can be
purchased at three shillings a gallon,
cannot here be procured at less than nine.
The reason of this is, that the rum is
sent to England, where it undergoes some
improving process, and that on its return to
Jamaica, its price is increased to this large
amount by colonial dues, charge of freight,
&c. The rum of the country, before it
takes a voyage to England, is execrable. I
could not avoid hearing frequent com-
plaints on this subject, from those charged,
— to use an American phrase, — with li-
quoring the ship's company, and the latter
certainly did not seem to approve of the
quality of the liquor.
But to return to Kingston. The moon
had risen when we returned from our ex-
cursion ; and as its brilliant disk rose
100
over the distant blue mountains, reveal-
ing their bold outlines, and shedding a
subdued light over the tranquil sea, a more
beautiful effect, or one more worthy of
some great painter's hand, could scarcely
be imagined ;
" How sweetly does the moonbeam smile
To-night upon yon leafy Isle."
And yet, over this calm scene the angel of
death was hovering ! Strange, that so lovely
a land should be the stronghold of disease,
the burial-place of the young, the healthy,
and the gay ! But so it is ! To-day strong
in health, and fresh in spirit; to-morrow,
numbered among the dead.
In no country that I ever heard of, is su-
perstition more rife than it is in Jamaica.
Even Ireland, that land of fancy and wild
imaginings, can boast but few national
ghosts and interesting revenants com-
101
pared with those which are said to flourish
on this island. They have their dujfies, a
most unpleasant species of ghost, answering
to the Irish banshee, who are said to
wander about in numbers proportioned to
the deaths which take place. In sickly
seasons, it is said, they may be seen to any
amount. Of course, in common with all
rational ghosts that ever were heard of,
they prefer the burial-ground as their place
of resort. There 3 when darkness comes,
they love to
" glide in paths that lead to graves."
By all accounts, they are fearful things
those same duffles ! and, as national ghosts,
have a decided claim to respect and consi-
deration.
The burial-ground of Port Royal is just
outside the town, and is a most congenial
spot for their unholy revels. It is strewed
102
with human bones of all sorts and dimen-
sions. Here they are said to hover over the
silent graves, dancing about in wild glee,
and sometimes even venturing beyond the
limits of the grave-yard, to pay nocturnal
visits to their former friends. There are
several cocoa trees in and about the burial-
ground ; their tops wave about, not at all un-
like the plumes of a hearse, and add greatly
to the gloom of the place. The ghost of a
certain merchant, who died some time ago
in Jamaica, is said to mount nightly to the
top of one or other of these cocoa trees, and
after taking a deliberate survey of the coun-
try, to descend and make his way into
the town. At the time of his death, several
persons owed him money to a considerable
amount ; in particular, one rather influen-
tial person, against whom he appears to en-
tertain a bitter grudge. The duffy of the
103
dead merchant frequently, in the dead of
the night, "when all around are sleeping,"
enters the house of his quondam friend,
and pummels his corpulent sides till he
roars for mercy. I was seriously informed
by a respectable lodging-house keeper,
whose house had formerly been a hospital,
that on moonlight nights, I might see
troops of its former inhabitants, those who
had died within the walls, walking leisurely
up and down the verandah, and looking
complacently in upon its present occu-
pants.
No fear of these nightly visitors seemed
to be felt by any one; on the contrary,
they were evidently considered as a sort of
domestic animal, whom, however, it would
be injudicious to disturb.
It may be mentioned, that there are
many superstitions peculiar to the negroes,
104
upon whose fears and credulity it is easy,
but very barbarous, to work.
The sea-breeze at Port Royal blows with
considerable violence. On one occasion, I
recollect a heavy decanter, full of wine,
being literally blown off the table by the
strength of the wind, as it blustered
through the Commodore's house. The
wind is considered here so healthy, and so
reviving in its effects, that it is universally
called " the doctor." I found his measures,
however, rather too violent to be agreeable,
and always fancied I felt the heat more,
after he had ceased to blow upon me, or
rather, in the intervals between his puffs.
I found, also, that many people agreed with
me, in disliking his diurnal visits.
The time was now fast drawing near,
when we were to take our leave of our
pleasant quarters. In spite, however, of
105
tropical heat, musquitoes, and white ants.,
it required a great effort to make up
our minds to bid adieu to our kind
and hospitable host.
A few days before our departure, the
Commodore, with several officers of the
Imaum, Captain Bruce, &c, gave us the
pleasure of their company at dinner on
board the Dolphin. It was their farewell
visit. The principal event which marked the
party was, that the Commodore's servant
fell into the sea, while attempting to get
into the barge. He rose immediately, and
was speedily picked up ; happily with the
usual number of limbs, for he had a narrow
escape from the sharks. Necessary busi-
ness connected with the yacht had already
detained us a considerable time ; new sails
had to be fitted, and awnings repaired, be-
sides many other arrangements, of which I
F II.
106
do not know the nature. We had also to
replace our two sailors who were left at
Madeira. This we found no difficulty in
doing ; the two new hands being men-of-
war's men, and called " very smart." The
Steward's Mate had also taken to drinking,
and idling, and was discharged. He was
the " tragedian," and made his appearance,
during our stay, on the boards of the King-
ston Theatre. A substitute for him was
not easily procured; however, we suc-
ceeded at last, and were declared in readi-
ness for sea.
We were to weigh anchor at five o'clock
in the morning, and consequently decided
to sleep on board the last night. Adieus
are always painful, whether addressed to
place or people. I never leave a house, which
in all probability I never shall see again,
without a heavy heart, and the last minute
107
always comes too soon. After bestowing
our last words, and last good wishes on our
host, we shook hands with the best and
most warm-hearted of negresses, Sally
Adams. This pattern for housekeepers to
single gentlemen has filled the like office at
Port Royal time out of mind, but only as
an amateur. She is sick-nurse at the Hos-
pital, and friend and assistant general to all
who require her aid. It is handed down
traditionally, that Sally Adams performed
these kind offices in the time of Admiral
Rodney ; and I am not at all sure that she
does not entertain a personal recollection
of the unfortunate Hosier.
Nancy, the negress, who had proved
herself, in stormy weather, anything but an
acquisition to our ship's company, we des-
patched in a steamer to her native island,
St. Thomas'. She was not a good specimen
108
of her country. Though by no means want-
ing in intellect, she possessed the worst qua-
lity of the fool, — cunning. I have often,
through my cabin-door, heard her boasting
of her ingenuity in deceiving a former mis-
tress, or rather owner, who, by her own
account, treated her with the greatest kind-
ness. " I made believe pain in side, no
work, then missis come and nurse, and rub
side, and do all work herself." I was not
sorry when she left us. Her extreme ugli-
ness really disfigured the ship.
At eight o'clock in the evening we took
a final leave of our kind friends, and pre-
pared ourselves for the noises, and rock-
ings, which make one every moment men-
tally acknowledge the truth of the saying,
that, " a ship is a thing you never can be
quiet in."
The Lightning man-of-war steamer left
NANCY.
109
Port Royal for Hayti, with prisoners, at the
time of our departure from Jamaica. After
remaining a day or two at St. Domingo,
she was expected to leave that island for
Havanna, to which city we were also
bound. I had indulged the hope of again
having a consort to sail with us, as there is
something to me very satisfactory in the
idea of having a friend near, on the wide
waters. I have been often told, that in case
of danger, there is seldom any chance of
their being of any use, yet the very sight of
them is cheering.
Having been merely fastened to a buoy,
we were soon under weigh the next morn-
ing. Again, and most probably for the last
time, I gazed on the beautiful scenery and
luxuriant vegetation of this most lovely of
the West India Islands. The Blue moun-
tains, half hid among the clouds, and the
110
dark hills rising from the sea, were glorious
to witness. But we leave the harbour,
and now
" the wind draws kindly aft,
All hands are up the yards to square,
And now the floating stu'n- sails waft
Our little ship through waves and air. ,,
Since we left Jamaica, sad changes have
taken place. The excellent Bishop, who
we left doing good, and " given to hospita-
lity," has fallen a victim to the climate ;
while Lady Elgin, the young, the beau-
tiful, and the good, has also been laid
low.*
If the remaining friends and relations of
those, that are thus prematurely laid in the
grave, can find a consolation in their be-
* Since writing the above, I see that the Assembly at
Jamaica have voted eight hundred pounds, to be ex-
pended in the erection of a tablet to the memory of the
lamented Lady Elgin, as a mark of the respect in which
she was universally held.
Ill
reavement, it must be in the sympathy of
the many who knew and appreciated the
virtues of the dead ; and in the belief, that
in another world, the virtues of the de-
parted have secured them, through faith in
their Redeemer, an eternity of happiness
and peace.
Rest, then, weary wanderer, here,
Be still — for sacred ground is near ;
Here 'neath a simple tablet lying,
The lov'd in life, the blest when dying,
Waits, in this dark and still abode,
A summons to attend her God !
A peaceful halo fills the air,
And tells that faith is sleeping there.
The young, the highborn, sleeps below,
For her, the tears of thousands flow.
Then, wanderer through this world of care,
Breathe o'er this spot a silent prayer ;
Pray for the desolate and poor,
Who ne'er were driven from her door,
Pray that the rich who here abide
May imitate so fair a guide :
112
May they, like her, with open hand,
Spread gladness through a grateful land ,
Winning, on earth, a people's love ;
An angel's glorious lot above !
CHAPTER V.
CAPE CORRIENTES. SQUALLY. THE MISSISSIPPI. BELIZE.
CAT-FISH. AN ODD CHARACTER. RIFLE SHOOTING.
RIVER SCENERY. THICK FOG.
He will lie, Sir, with such volubility that you would
think truth were a fool.
Shakspeare.
A strange fish ! Were I in England now, (as once I
was,) and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool
there, but would give me a piece of silver.
Shakspeare.
Nov. 22. a. m. Light airs and fine. Five
o'clock received the pilot on board —
passed Portuguese shoal — ten o'clock dis-
charged pilot. — Ten p. m. Beautiful moon-
light night, running six knots passed Port-
land Point and Pedro Bluffs.
Nov. 26. This morning we made the Is-
land of Cuba and as we supposed Cape
114
San Antonio, The land was very low and
rocky, with here and there a few pines — ■
Our books of directions mentioned the
great resemblance between Cape Corri-
entes and Cape San Antonio, and also
how often they were mistaken for one
another. — As the weather was cloudy,
and, owing to the currents, as we were
not over sure of our exact position, we
kept a good offing, and soon after dis-
covered Cape San Antonio well to the
westward ; the land we had first made
being Cape Corrientes. We had also a
proof of the accuracy of our charts ; the
wrecks of two vessels being observable
on the shore about three miles to the west
of Cape Corrientes, where they had run
up high and dry, fancying they were well
past the westernmost point of Cuba. No
sooner had we rounded Cape San Antonio,
115
than we found our change of course en-
tailed upon us a dead foul wind ; we were
also no longer under the shelter of the
island. It was blowing very hard and the
strong wind, in opposition to the current,
produced a most unpleasant kind of sea. We
were under single reefed mainsail and fore-
stud-sail, and double reefed fore-trysaiL
Midnight — heavy squalls attended with
thunder, rain and lightning. There are few
things more provoking after having un-
dergone discomfort and fear, and after
having fancied oneself a perfect heroine,
than to be told that it was a mere nothing,
blowing rather fresh, &c, I often felt quite
mortified at having my illusions destroyed
in this rough manner.
Nov. 27. Double reefed fore-trysail —
three sail in sight, in the afternoon mode-
rate gales, midnight, squally. This was all
116
disagreeable enough, so we called a coun-
cil, or in Indian language, a Palaver, and
determined to give up Havana for the pre-
sent, and to bear up for New Orleans.
The change was delightful; we had the
wind with us, and skipped along beauti-
fully, seven, eight, and nine knots an hour,
a few double reefs, but nothing to signify.
Nov. 30. Fresh breezes and fine, sound-
ed, no bottom, at thirty-five fathom. In the
afternoon, double reefs again in mainsail.
Dec. 1. Sounded, forty-five fathom, mud,
altered course and set square sail. Three
o'clock p. m. received a pilot on board.
Saw a lighthouse on starboard bow ; at five
o'clock we brought up off Belize in three
fathom water, furled sails, cleared decks
and set the watch.
And this was the Mississippi ! The giant
river of which I had heard so much ! It
117
really was very disappointing; mud, and
reeds, and floating logs, yellow fever, damp-
ness and desolation ! I believe there are
about two hundred souls in this wretched
little village of Belize, at least fifty of them
are pilots. They go very far out to sea,
and their boats, though not handsome, are
well built and safe. The chief officer of
the customs, and the great man of the
place, came on board immediately and was
most kind in his offers of assistance ; he
had shooting " first rate " for my husband,
and a ball with a drum and tambour to
enliven the ladies, i.e. my maid and my-
self! By his account, game is very plen-
tiful here at all seasons of the year —
snipes in abundance, and thousands of wild
ducks ; and a short way up the river,
plenty of deer, quail, grey squirrel and
woodcock ; fish, to our surprise, is rather
118
a scarce commodity here : the sort most
frequently caught is called the cat-fish,
of which, by the bye, our new acquaint-
ance told us rather a remarkable anec-
dote. " Well sir," he began, " this is
queer what I'm going to tell you, but it's
a fact, that a friend of mine had a pointer
dog marked with very particular spots, and
this pointer had seven first-rate pups, all
marked the same. Well sir, my friend he
did'nt want the pups, so he just threw
them slick into the Mississippi ; he was
raised, my friend was, up north away, and
he threw the pups in good two hundred
miles from this, he did. Well sir, it might
be a couple of days after this I was a
fishing, and I caught as fine a cat-fish as
ever you saw, and in its inside what might
you think I found ? — just my friend's pointer
pups, two of them was dead surely, but the
119
rest was only a little hungry ! — and that's
a fact ! by — this and by that. "
This singular personage was very proud
of his skill in rifleshooting, and sent us evi-
dences of his skill, in the shape of some deli-
cious wild ducks shot that morning. He
had come off conqueror in a well contested
match with Alligator, the famous Indian
chief, and, what was of much greater
importance to him, he had likewise proved
his superiority as a sportsman over an
" English nobleman !" He forgot the name
of this " distinguished individual," as he
called him : by his account the " noble-
man" was travelling for pleasure (a cir-
cumstance in itself always sufficiently sur-
prising to a Yankee mind) and finding him-
self at Belize, challenged our informant
to a rifle match. The peer boasted of
being a first rate shot; he had won the
120
Cup at Manchester,, by his skill with the
rifle, and in short " he would show the
American what shooting was." u Well," said
the narrator, " his Lordship dressed himself
in a smart new bright green velvet hunting
coat, with mother of pearl buttons as big
as a dollar ; why I tell you, that coat was
enough to have skeered all the ducks away
from the river from this to eternity. Well,
sir, he put on the coat, and then he stood
up to fire, without a thought of keeping
himself out of sight of the birds, and then
away he popped, and a splendid gun he
had too, quite first rate. Well sir, I shot
twenty-two ducks out of twenty-three
shots; a man with us shot ten out of
twelve, while my Lord he never brought
down a bird. I guess he was surprised a
little, — I wish I did'nt obliviate his name,
but I do — and that's a fact.''
121
Our friend was really very useful to us ;
he was a good specimen of a genuine Yan-
kee : kind-hearted and hospitable to a de-
gree ; rather given to drawing the long-
bow ; but, as a sportsman, and a very good
one, he must stand excused. His son was
a very pleasant -mannered boy, a midship-
man in the United States Navy. The
two, together, supplied us plentifully with
game, which we were not sorry to procure,
as we intended sailing up the river to New
Orleans, a mode of voyaging, which, with
contrary winds, frequently occupies a con-
siderable length of time ; the distance is
about one hundred and five miles.
It is not very easy to procure provisions
of any sort at Belize. Beef is brought from
the city (New Orleans) only in sufficient
quantities to supply the wants of the pilots
and their families, and is very high priced,
VOL. I. g
122
namely, one shilling and threepence a
pound. Fowls and eggs are still scarcer ; no
poultry being reared in the neighbourhood.
Milk was not to be had at any price ; but we
were told that there was a widow lady up
the river, who had milch cows, and might
possibly be induced to part with some of
their produce. With this hope I was
obliged to be contented ; though, not hav-
ing enjoyed the luxury of milk in my tea
since leaving Jamaica, I confess I was ra-
ther disappointed in having to wait still
longer, for what we are accustomed to con-
sider an indispensable article of diet.
Dec. 2. Weighed anchor, and made sail
up the river with a fair wind, moderate and
fine. It is always customary to "take
steam" up the Mississippi, so that our de-
termination of sailing caused great astonish-
ment, but it was so much more agreeable
123
and independent a course, that we had no
hesitation in adopting it. The noise of the
high pressure engines, which are almost in-
variably used, is very disagreeable ; and
you have not even the advantage of coming
quickly to the end of your voyage, as the
steamer generally takes several vessels in
tow, and consequently, her steam not being
of sufficient power, you do not average
more than three or four knots an hour.
After losing sight of the harbour, you see
nothing on either side of the river, for
several miles, but the same low reedy
banks. Banks, however, they cannot be
called, as there is not the slightest percepti-
ble elevation ; you meet with innumerable
snags and floating logs, which give a very
desolate, ruinous look to the surface of the
water. On ascending a few rattlings, one
of the crew said he could see the sea over
124
the tops of the low trees ; there are several
passes out of the river, and between them
extend these swampy forests.
Occasionally we passed, or met a large
raft, floating up or down the stream.
These rafts have generally a little hut built
on them, in which there is a fire, and the
men, who have charge of these floating
islands, are very often seen comfortably
cooking their dinner ; the muddy water all
the while rippling over their wooden island,
and finding its way out again as quietly as
it came in.
Too much cannot be said of the extreme
muddiness and ugliness of this celebrated
river, a few miles from its mouth. Its fogs
" whip" those of our Thames. By the bye,
the Yankees use the verb, " to whip," inva-
riably where we say u to beat," for in-
stance : when we first entered the river, as
125
we lay at anchor, a little schooner passed
us, and without any previous greeting, the
master hailed us through his speaking trum-
pet, with the modest remark, " well stran-
ger, I guess T could whip you pretty con-
siderable, I could." — And by way, as he evi-
dently considered, of making good his boast,
he proceeded, taking advantage of our si-
tuation, to sail round us in a most trium-
phant manner. The Americans are great
boasters, — I cannot with any regard to
truth, say they are not, — and they are parti-
cularly glad to whip the English when they
can. At the same time the vaunt is generally
made in the spirit of good humour and
honest rivalship, and if taken in the same
way, would never lead, as is too generally
the case, to quarrels and heart-burnings.
By degrees the scenery improves and
the woods are thicker ; still the timber is
126
not of large growth, though the late autumn
colours of the leaves rendered them very-
varied and beautiful. The most common
tree is the sycamore, not quite the same
as ours of the same name, but nearly so ;
the brilliant crimson of its seed-pods, con-
trasted finely with the brown and changing
leaves. As we advanced up the river the
trees were of a more considerable size, and
there was much more variety in their foli-
age. Ilex and the line oak are very frequent.
There is a peculiarity in the appearance of
the woods, owing to the trees being almost
universally covered with the long drooping
Spanish moss. This parasitical plant hangs
from every branch and twig, descending in
long weeping clusters; these dependants
often grow to the length of six or eight
feet, and are of a greyish colour ; they
give a sombre hue to the forests, and render
127
their appearance somewhat monotonous.
The shores increased in beauty as we pro-
ceeded, being diversified with splendid mag-
nolias and cotton-wood trees. Occasionally
we saw extensive clearings, on which were
temporary wooden houses, erected near the
river side : they are occupied by the wood
cutters, who are employed in felling and
stacking the w r ood for the innumerable
steamers which work up and down the
river. These insatiable monsters of the
deep (the Mississippi is said to have no
bottom) will soon effect the almost total
destruction of those characteristic forests ;
they are fast disappearing under the hands
of the busy " go-a-head " steam-boat com-
panies.
We had a fine breeze all day, and though
there was much trimming of sails and beat-
ing up reaches, we found the log book
128
spoke well of our progress. We asked a
Yankee fisherman, after we came to an
anchor, how far we were from New Or-
leans, and his reply was " well, I expect
it will be sixty miles about from the city."
This was a very good day's work, particu-
larly as we were working against a current
running from four to five miles an hour,
and encouraged us to persevere. All day
we had been hailed every hour by some
steamer or other. The Webster, the Pre-
sident, or the Henry Clay, with the oft
repeated, " well, I guess you want to take
steam up to the City?" "No/' "no,"
u no/ we had answered till we were tired.
Now, all was comparatively still ; the huge
river was composing itself to rest after its
labours ; there was occasionallv a murmur-
ing sound from the adjacent shore, as of
some drowsy insects humming their latest
129
evening song, and now and then the light
paddle of a canoe went ripple, ripple past —
Here we lay, our two lights gleaming
through the evening mist, our sails furled,
all hands below save the solitary look-
out man, — yes, — here we lay on the broad
bosom of the giant Mississippi. What rest
it was after the stormy nights to which we
had so long been accustomed.
During the night the fog became very
thick, and we were kept rather in a state
of alarm from the number of steamers,
which were constantly passing us. By the
American law you are obliged to have
two lights constantly burning at the mast
head at night ; should any vessel, not show-
ing the required number be run against
on the river by another ship, the former
will not be entitled to any remuneration
for damage sustained in the concussion.
G II.
130
Dec. 3. The morning was damp, chilly
and foggy, but before nine o'clock the sun
had cleared away the mist, and we were
again under weigh. As we progressed, the
clearings became more frequent and greater
signs of civilization were apparent. There
was the more finished cottage, with its little
garden crowded with orange trees, and
most of them had in addition a small patch
of Indian corn. The oranges are small,
but grew very thickly ; they are sweet
and eatable, though not to be compared
to any which come to England. The wea-
ther was very chilly ; the thermometer on
deck at noon in the sun, stood at 54°, which
to us, so lately arrived from the scorch-
ing heat of the West Indies, was really
cold; but notwithstanding this, we found
the musquitoes very troublesome. All this
day we had quite sufficient amusement in
131
watching the birds, which were displaying
their bright colours in the variously tinted
woods. They really were beautiful, and
we were quite near enough to the shore
to distinguish their colours, and generally
speaking, their species ; there was the mock-
ing bird with its elegant shape, but rather
dingy plumage ; jays and woodpeckers of
every hue, and the gaudy Virginia nightin-
gale in great numbers ; we saw also wild
ducks and flocks of wild swans and geese,
the latter of which were extremely shy and
wild. Of course every traveller in America is
prepared by previous description to admire
the autumn foliage of these " pathless
woods." There is, however, a richness and
variety in them — the bright and almost
dazzling crimson shaded into rich golden
yellow, and intermingled with the brightest
which is perfectly indescri-
132
bable. If a painter were to attempt de-
picting them to the life, he would be called
" as mad as Turner," and truly no mortal
hand could image forth such scenes as
these.
In this, our second days pilgrimage, I
noticed several smart houses, the residences
of sugar growers, whose manufactories were
always near at hand. Rather further re-
moved were the log huts of the slaves.
We saw the latter in great numbers, both
male and female, working in the clearings ;
they seemed very cheerful, and we often
heard them laughing merrily as we passed
by : after all that I have been told of the
sufferings of these people, it quite gladdened
my heart to hear them. We made this
day but little progress towards " the City,"
there being scarcely any wind ; eighteen
miles, however, were better than nothing,
133
and as we were not pressed for time, we
still refused the offers of our friends in the
steam-tugs.
At four o'clock p.m. the breeze died away
entirely, and we came to an anchor in seven
fathom water. In the evening, after din-
ner, we rowed to the shore ; our object
being to procure a little milk, and see-
ing some cows in a neighbouring clear-
ing, we did not quite despair of success.
The river here is about a mile wide ; we
had, therefore, some little distance to
row, and the current was running very
strong ; we did not take any of the men
with us, as they had been so much em-
ployed all day in tacking, trimming sails,
&c. On reaching the shore the Doctor
alone landed. We waited a long time,
so long that the musquitoes tired with
worrying us went to rest, and the mighty
134
fog, which I had hoped to escape, co-
vered us over like a curtain. At length
there came the welcome sound of approach-
ing footsteps, and our companion accom-
panied by three men made his appearance.
He had literally been unable to escape
before, so warm had been his welcome
from these rude sons of the forest. They
were profuse in their offers of assistance,
and I believe would really have given us
any thing they possessed. From the lady
who kept the cows, we procured a small
bottle of milk, for which we paid two bits
— about one shilling ; they likewise brought
me some fresh eggs, which were quite a
luxury.
The question now was " how to find
the Dolphin ?" There is nothing so be-
wildering as a thick fog, and by the time we
had rowed, as we thought, to the middle
135
of the stream, we found ourselves com-
pletely puzzled, both as to our own where-
abouts and that of the schooner. The
steamers were puffing up and down, thick
and fast, giving us but little note of
their approach ; indeed, were they ever
so near, from the extreme density of
the fog, there was every chance of our
steering precisely the wrong way. Our
only guide was our knowledge that the
two lights of the Dolphin were to be
looked for under the north star. We
were at length enabled to catch a glimpse
of her, as the fog hung low over the water,
and our guiding star brought us to our
home in safety. In less than an hour I found
myself to my infinite relief in my floating
home, playing " Hail Columbia " with va-
riations ; an appropriate compliment to the
" great City," we were approaching.
136
Dec. 4. Alas ! no wind, another linger-
ing day. But the weather was warmer, and
the birds were singing so gaily that they
reminded me of an English day in June ;
there was now no variety in the scenery. We
came to an anchor early in the afternoon,
having made about ten miles ! After dinner
we rowed in the gig for some time along
the banks, and landed several times in the
hope of procuring fresh provisions. Meet-
ing with no success, we returned on board
laden with orange branches covered with
fruit. All night the fog was very thick and
the musquitoes most annoying.
CHAPTER VI.
NEW ORLEANS. THE HARBOUR. TEXAN COMMODORE.
THE HOTEL OF ST. CHARLES. BUSY SCENE ON THE
STRAND. AMERICAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, ELI-
GIBLE SITUATION OF NEW ORLEANS. POPULATION
OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. YELLOW FEVER.
NATIONAL EDUCATION. DEPARTURE FROM NEW OR-
LEANS.
ts Soul of the world, Knowledge, without thee,
What hath the earth that truly glorious is ?"
Daniel.
"Le gaing de nostre estude, c'est en estre devenu
meilleur et plus sage." * * * *
" D'autant que Tame est plus vuide et sans contre-
poids, elle se baisse plus facilement soubs la charge de
la premiere persuasion ?"
Montaigne.
Dec. 5. Only fifteen miles from the city.
Its towers, and the dome of the St.
Charles's Hotel, distinctly to be seen ! All
rather tired with the monotony of our
138
fresh-water voyage. A dead calm till two
o'clock, p.m. It was dusk before we
reached New Orleans, The first view of
the town from the river is very striking ; I
think I never saw, in any other, so long
and continuous a line of large, and even
grand looking buildings. The innumerable
lights which gleamed from the houses and
public buildings, and which were reflected
on the river, were to us, so long unused
to the cheerful aspect of a large and bust-
ling city, a most welcome sight.
Dec. 6. If New Orleans appeared de-
lightful to us by the light of its gas-lamps,
what did it not do when seen in the face of
day ! It was the busiest scene ! Such forests
of masts ! Such flaunting colours and flags,
of every hue and of every country ! Really,
as the Yankees say, " Orleens may stump
the univarse for a city." Five tier of ship-
139
ping in the harbour ! This is their busiest
time for taking in cargo.
There is a beautiful corvette lying near
us, a long low hull, and raking masts ; at
the mainmast is flying a small flag, with
one star on its brilliant white ground ; it is
the star of the young Republic of Texas.
"Boat alongside!" "Side ropes!" It is
the gig of the Texan Commodore. He had
sent a lieutenant from the San Jacintho,
with many kind offers of assistance and ci-
vility. In about an hour Mr. Houston re-
turned the visit, and brought the Com-
modore back with him. The latter gave
us a good deal of information as to the
state of the Texan country, and some news
from the army. His countrymen and the
Mexicans are continuing a desultory war-
fare, and with but little present prospect of
coming to an amicable settlement. One
140
thing which the Commodore told us gave
us a good deal of disappointment. We
found that our plan of going to Aransas
could not be put into execution. From all
we had heard, the country about that river
is the finest in Texas, and affords the best
sports, there being wild animals in great
variety. Unfortunately, the Dolphin, he
assured us, drew too much water for the
bar at the mouth of Aransas harbour, and
lying outside, is by no means safe. The
San Jacintho, though of eight hundred
tons, drew but ten feet ; she was fully
armed and equipped; all the Commodore
wanted was money, and that seemed very
scarce with him just then ; had he but pos-
sessed that necessary article, he " would go
to sea, take the Montezuma and Guada-
loupe, and whip the Mexicans all round !"
And so he very likely would, for he enjoys
141
the reputation of being a good officer, and
a very fighting one. Mr. Houston went on
shore with the Commodore, and was intro-
duced to the British Consul. During his
absence a great many boats came alongside.
Great curiosity was evidently excited by
our appearance. What could we be, a mi-
niature man-of war, with our guns run out
at the port-holes, and our white stripe?
No one knew. But we heard afterwards,
that our expected advent had been an-
nounced in the New Orleans newspaper,
and in that we were described as an armed
vessel, going to fight for the cause of free-
dom, viz, : to take the part of the Yu-
catanese. Truly, though I wish them every
success, I hope I may never hear the voices
of our six-pounders in their behalf.
We found the musquitoes most disagree-
able ; they were worse, if possible, than at
142
Jamaica ; but to make me some amends, I
had such beautiful flowers ! Jessamines of
every kind ; daphnes, roses, violets ! Such
a December bouquet ! and all growing in
the open air. How refreshing they were,
and how they reminded me of summer in
distant England.
We made it a rule, in general, not to
sleep out of our own house, but wer
tempted to break it here. Previous to our
arrival, we had heard so much of the great
Hotel of St. Charles, the immense extent of
its accommodations, and the size of its
apartments, that we decided upon spending
a few days there, in order to see these
wonders with our own eyes, and judge of
them with our understandings.
The St. Charles's Hotel was built on
speculation by the proprietor of the Astor
House, at New York, and I believe the
143
former to be, if possible, a still more pros-
perous undertaking than the Astor House :
It contains within its walls accommodation
for at least five hundred persons. We
landed in the gig about twelve o'clock, and
such a scene of business and bustle never
before met my eyes ! The Strand, or Le-
vee, as it is called, is crowded by busy-
looking men, passing in all directions ; evi-
dently, their heads are full of business, and
speculations and " operations," in course or
in perspective, fill up every thought and
feeling. No one looks at you, or delays
for a moment his walk, or his conversation,
for trivial causes. Indeed, I am inclined to
believe, that were a mad dog at their heels,
it would make but little impression upon
their absorbed faculties. Black slaves,
laughing, joking, swearing, and hallooing,
are rolling along the sugar casks, or tumb-
144
ling over the bales of cotton ; and sailors of
merchant vessels, the only idlers in this
busy scene, are lounging about, with their
pipes in their mouths, and their hands in
their pockets.
It is a most animated, and, to a stranger,
most amusing sight ; but with all this bust-
ling and noise, there is no confusion, and I
saw no disorderly persons about. Who are
those gaily dressed men sitting astride upon
cotton bales, and looking so composed,
while discussing some serious question with
each other ? You can judge nothing from
their countenances ; they are so well
schooled and tutored, that no one would
imagine an important mercantile negotia-
tion was in progress. That gentleman
mounted on a molasses cask, whistling, cut-
ting up a stick, as if for the bare life, but in
reality to prevent his countenance from be-
145
traying his feelings, is doing business with
the man, who is balancing himself on an
empty barrel near him. The latter, with
the eternal quid in the corner of his mouth,
is clearly looking out "for the giraffe," 5 *
and, after a while, he rises with great sang
froid, with, u Well, Sir, I calculate there's a
something of a string-halt in the bargain ;
its a horrid sight of money, Sir, you're ask-
ing, and as Pm in a tarnation hurry to
liquor, I'll just put it off till next fall." I
need hardly say that this shrewd gentleman
was recalled, and a bargain concluded.
The process of liquoring is gone through
several times before a bargain is struck.
This, the first specimen I saw of Ame-
ricans, in their own country, struck me for-
cibly. It shewed me that those who, in
dress, appearance, &c, are decidedly the
* Anglice, taking care he is not taken in.
VOL. I. H
146
gentlemen of the land, are so devoted to
money making, as evidently to have neither
time, nor many ideas to waste on other sub-
jects. It convinced me, that though the
contemplation of America as a nation, and
at a distance, may, and indeed, must be in-
teresting, yet the investigation and survey
of the people who compose that nation, must
soon become wearying and monotonous.
One may be amused for a time at the
shrewdness with which they make their
bargains, at the acuteness of their remarks,
and the originality of their expressions ; but
once convinced, as I speedily became, that
their every action proceeds from a love of
amassing wealth, and you cease to become
interested in individuals, whose conduct and
whose pleasures are swayed by such an ig-
noble cause.
The Americans are accounted, and I be-
147
lieve justly so, a moral people, but even
this merit is, I think, not so great a one in
their case, as it is among other nations.
Their love of wealth being all-powerful,
and being to be gratified only by the
strictest attention to business, it follows,
necessarily, that the habits of their lives
generally become quiet and restrained.
You seldom see an American lady ac-
companied in her walks, rides, or drives,
except on Sundays, by a gentleman ; it
would be a waste of time, and conse-
quently a useless expenditure of money, to
indulge in the gentle, and refining society
of the female sex. Young, delicate, and
pretty women are met unprotected, clad in
the gayest colours ; I believe they are not
denied any of the innocent enjoyments pro-
cured by dress and female society, and they
may be seen pacing the streets, from store to
148
store, and from boarding-house to boarding-
house, shopping, and paying visits. This
custom of young married women not having
a home of their own, but inhabiting those
nests of gossip called boarding-houses,
seems to me injudicious and reprehensible.
The young American wife, and they marry
when almost children, is thus left all day
without the society of her husband, or the
protection of his presence. Her conversa-
tion is limited to the vicious details of
scandal, or the insipid twaddle of dress, and
in a place where all have a right to enter,
the good and the well disposed woman
must frequently come in contact with
many, who, had she possessed a home of
her own, would never have been admitted
to her presence.
There were a variety of carriages stand-
ing for hire on the Levee. Their cleanliness,
149
the excellence and ease of their springs, to
say nothing of the well appointed appear-
ance of most of the drivers, would put to
shame the hired vehicles in most of the ca-
pitals of Europe. We chose an open car-
riage, though the weather was extremely
cold, for we were curious to see as much as
we could of this interesting city,
I remarked how closely those, whom I met
or passed, resembled each other. It is diffi-
cult to mistake a Yankee for the inhabitant
or native of any other country. They are
almost all closely shaven, not a vestige of
beard or whisker is left, — and then their
garments are all so precisely the same ! I
felt I should never be able to distinguish
one man from another. I could not at first
comprehend, why all the male inhabitants
looked so precisely like figures made on the
same model, but my lengthened drive
150
through the streets enlightened me. Out-
side a great many of the " notion ' stores, I
saw just such figures hanging up, coat, pan-
talon a sous pied; in short, the whole out-
ward man. There was this difference, and
be it remarked, it is an essential one —
the latter were men of straw. Such cannot
be said of the wealthy merchants of New
Orleans. The fact is this, there are no
working tailors at New Orleans, and every
article of dress comes ready made from the
Northern States. There are merchant-
tailors in plenty, and if the traveller in
New Orleans is in want of a suit of clothes,
he must, if of the masculine sex, betake
himself to one of these gentlemen, and he
will be forthwith fitted with anything he
may happen to want. " Pants' 9 are daily
announced, as a cargo just arrived u by the
from New York," the latter city evi-
151
dently has the responsibility of setting the
fashions to the 6UganU of the other cities
of the Union. These garments being all
of the same colour and fashion, fully ac-
counts for the similarity of the appearance
of the inhabitants.
Every one in America, (and I include
even New Orleans, where the admixture of
French blood, and the Southern clime, would
doubtless cause an appearance of gaiety, if
it can be looked for anywhere in the States)
— every one in America, I say, looks grave,
serious, and reflective. There is none of
the sportive, light-hearted manner visible
among the French, and occasionally among
our own countrymen ; their very amuse-
ments, and they are few, are partaken of
without any shew of relaxation or pleasure.
Why is this ? Because business pursues
them into the very heart of their enjoy-
152
ments ; because, in fact, it is their enjoy-
ment, and business is certainly not a lively
thing. It neither opens the heart, nor ex-
pands the countenance.
De Tocqueville says, — "I believe the se-
riousness of the Americans arises partly
from their pride. In democratic countries,
even poor men entertain a lofty notion of
their personal importance : they look upon
themselves with complacency, and are apt
to suppose that others are looking at them
too. With this disposition, they watch
their language and their actions with care,
and do not lay themselves open to betray
their deficiencies ; to preserve their dignity,
they think it necessary to preserve their
gravity."
If the Americans are the proud, sensitive
people that De Tocqueville asserts them to
be, how is it that this pride is wholly and
153
solely personal ? How is it that it does not
make them feel more acutely as a nation,
and induce them to bestow a little of the
anxiety they display for themselves as indi-
viduals, on the honour and name of the
country of which they affect to be so
vain.
The fact is, that, like many other proud,
or I should say, vain people, it is the very
sense of their public deficiencies, and the
knowledge that their want of national faith
is held up as a scorn and a warning among
the nations of the earth, that induces them
to wrap themselves up in this dignified (?)
gravity, and in a cold and repellent de-
meanour. An American does not even
relax at his meals, (to be sure, they oc-
cupy but a short space of time) his "at-
tachment to his cares" is greater than ours
to our pleasures; and it is this, as I said
h n.
154
before, that renders him so uninteresting a
character.
The ladies cannot be uninteresting here ;
they are so pretty, so gentle, and so femi-
nine looking. I have said that they walk
alone, and unprotected ; at the same time,
I ought to add, that so great is the respect in
which ladies are held in America, that such
a course can rarely be attended by any dis-
agreeable consequences. The taste which
the American ladies display in their dress is
questionable. It is true, their gowns, bon-
nets, caps, &c. all arrive from Paris, and I
much question whether an American lady
would condescend to wear anything, which
she even suspected was made by any other
than Parisian fingers.
The natural conclusion to be drawn from
this fact would be, that the American ladies
dress well. I, however, am far from think-
155
ing so. It is true, that each individual ar-
ticle is well made, and the fashion correct.
How can it be otherwise, when expense is
not regarded, and Baudrant's choicest
shew-rooms are ransacked for the New
World ? Still, the tout ensemble is not
pleasing; the cap or bonnet, however
pretty, is not put on well, and the colours
are never tastefully mingled.
Ladies in America are too fond of gla-
ring colours; and though their faces are
lovely, they do not hold themselves well,
and their figures are rarely good. I think
I never saw so much beauty, or loveliness,
so varied in its character, as I did in New
Orleans. There was the fair English-Ame-
rican, with her slight stooping figure, far
surpassing, in charm of feature, the beau-
ties of the "Old Country." The Creole-
brunette, with her springy form, and ac-
156
tive, graceful walk, cannot be passed unno-
ticed ; she looks very determined, however,
and, as if the strife of active and angry pas-
sions were often at war within her bosom.
But lastly, and far more beautiful than
either, I noticed the rich dark cheek of the
Quadroon. The eloquent blood in her soft
cheek speaks but too plainly of her des-
pised descent. She seems to blush at the
injustice of man, who visits upon her the
sins of her fathers. The passer-by arro-
gantly bids her stand aside, for he is holier
than she; in bitter contempt, the women
of the land shrink from her contact, and
the large sleepy eye, half hid by its curled
fringes, is hardly raised, as gracefully and
humbly she passes them by. Poor thing !
what wonder, if, feeling that she is neg-
lected and oppressed, she should turn in
the desolation of her heart to other ties.
157
Deprived too frequently of the many con-
solations of kindred affection; a solitary
link in the chain of human sympathies — *
brotherless, friendless, alone ! Let those
who have never known what solitude of the
heart is, speak harshly of the errors of the
despised Quadroon. I can but pity her.
All these, and much more, I saw and no-
ticed during my first long drive through
the busy streets of New Orleans. There is
indeed much to see, and much to remark
upon ; but close observation, after a time,
becomes wearying, and I was not sorry to
find myself arrived at the hotel. What a
really magnificent building it is, with its
immense facades, it quite strains ones eyes
to catch a glimpse of its gigantic dome.
The Americans certainly build remarkably
fine looking edifices sometimes. I am not
sure, however, that they are intended to
158
last. Yankees are too apt to chalk
out fine plans, and commence splendid
buildings, which after a time, and when
only begun, they leave to Providence to
finish.
" A new country is never too young for
exertion — push on — keep moving — go
ahead." This is the Americans motto.
They forget their youth, and consequent
want of strength, in this very love of ex-
ertion, and fondness for attempt and
" movin."
All this however does not apply to the
St. Charles, which is finished, and is as good
a specimen of a first-rate hotel as can be
found anywhere. The establishment is con-
ducted on a most liberal and splendid scale.
The rooms for the table d'lidtes are im-
mense, and public eating goes on at all
hours of the day. Longer time is spent at
159
table by the Americans, at New Orleans,
than in other parts of the Union, and greater
attention is paid to the details of the cui-
sine. This may perhaps be accounted for by
the admixture of French inhabitants, and
consequent Gallic tastes and feelings.
The ladies have a table d'hote appro-
priated to them alone ; I could not under-
stand why they were to have this indul-
gence, if indulgence it can be called, and
I wondered at first why they could not
wait till the hour of their husband's return
from 'change, for their afternoon, and, what
we consider, principal meal.
I found out during my stay, that eating
was, to judge from the frequency of its
recurrence, the favourite amusement of the
ladies, at New Orleans. They breakfasted
at nine, then a luncheon was spread at
eleven, dinner at four, tea at six, and
160
supper at nine o'clock ; at all these hours,
a gong of tremendous power sounds clang-
ingly through the hotel, summoning the
fair boarders from their different apart-
ments, to join in the social meaL
About one hundred ladies, I was told 5
sat down daily to these feminine repasts.
I do not think that English women would
submit to this, and great credit is due to
the fair Americans, for the submission with
which they give in to the wishes of their
" lords." To be sure there is much in
habit, and American women know, from
their marriage day, the delights of living
publicly in boarding houses, while they are
altogether ignorant of the charms of a pri-
vate life, the quiet delights of home, its
necessary duties, and its chosen society.
It is the want of employment to fill up
their long leisure hours, (for though highly
161
gifted, and carefully educated, American
ladies are not all studious and literary)
which increases the number of their meals,
fosters their love of dress, and creates the
tendency to gossip.
The ladies here see but little of their
husbands : it would be well were it other-
wise. The influence of a wife is silent but
great, and no women in any country are
better formed to use their power with
moderation and discretion, had they but
the opportunity of exerting it. All day
the husband is absent attending to his
everlasting business, and contracting habits
and manners, which the few short moments
he devotes to ladies' society are insufficient
to counteract.
Still women take a high position in the
United States ; their education is superior
to that of the men, and their writings have
162
in late years raised them to an elevated
grade, on the ladder of literary fame.
But I must return to the internal ar-
rangements of this hotel, which, in fact,
afford an excellent idea of the mode of
life in this great capital of the Southern
States.
The evenings are occupied by music and
dancing: the latter is a favourite amuse-
ment here, as I believe it to be generally
in America. The ladies invite such gentle-
men as they think agreeable, to take part in
their amusements ; and every evening* till
long past midnight, I was kept awake by the
stirring and animated sounds occasioned by
a " carpet dance," with its accompanying gig-
gling, fiddling, and floor-shaking. Still, I was
quite glad to hear them, for I had really felt
for the monotonous lives led by the poor la-
dies, and had imagined the gentleman capa-
163
ble of nothing but bargaining, liquoring and
shaving.* I was wrong, and so have many
travellers in the States been before me.
Most of the latter have neither remained
long enough in the country to discover
the truth, nor have they ever sufficiently
thrown away the veil of prejudice, so as
to enable them to see otherwise than
" through a glass darkly."
Our private apartments were very com-
fortable, well carpeted, excellent fires, lux-
urious furniture, and curtains of the richest
blue damask. The only hotel to which
I can at all compare it, is that of " Les
Princes " at Paris. I could almost have
fancied myself in that region of luxury,
good living, and civility; there are white
helps of the male sex, (our attendant was
English) and seven excellent Parisian cooks ;
* Anglice, taking your neighbour at a disadvantage.
164
I need not add that the cuisine was as good
as possible. My bed room was delightful ;
such snow-white musquito curtains, and
endless rocking chairs and Psyches ! really
had it not been for the appearance of the
two former I should have found it hard
to remember that I had crossed the
water.
An American breakfast, (when it is good
of its kind) is not to be surpassed in any
other country ; great variety of fish and
fruit, preserves of every kind, and cakes of
all sizes and descriptions. The buffalo
tongues are very praiseworthy, and so are
the Philadelphia hams, which they assert,
(and I cannot deny) " whip the West-
phalia by a long chalk." I thought their
far famed buckwheat cakes delicious, they
are buttered and eaten when hot, — but how
unwholesome ! nothing but an American
165
digestion could venture to indulge in them
habitually.
The price of all these little enjoyments
is rather high, in proportion to either Paris
or London. For three rooms, food, lights,
in short every thing (except wine) included
for my husband, myself and my maid, the
charges was seventeen dollars a day ; but
then it must be remembered that we dieted
(Yankee again) in private.
The day after our arrival, our new ac-
quaintance Commodore Moore paid us a
visit, accompanied by a General Euston ;
The former certainly did spin us some
wonderful yarns, concerning the new coun-
try we were about to visit ; but it was all
very amusing, and only made us the more
determined to see and judge for our-
selves.*
* The poor Commodore since those days has done
166
I did not see, in America, any of the
offensive familiarity which is said to exist
between masters and servants, or any of
that objection on the part of the waiting
class to attend as servants upon those,
whom the accident or acquisition of wealth
had placed for the time being in a superior
situation of life. In America no honest
calling is degrading, each man aspiring at
some future time to hold as important a
place in the world as another. Thus,
while fulfilling the duties of a servant, he
certainly feels himself upon an equality
many wonderful things, besides saying them. I was
quite sorry to read in a Texan paper, that he had been
accused of piracy ; he certainly appeared ready to do
any thing, (as the school boys say, " from pitch and toss
to manslaughter ") for his country.
General Euston has likewise I regret to learn, paid
the debt of nature, having been murdered (poor old gen-
tleman) by a faction. These things appear more sad
when one has known the parties, however slightly.
167
with his present employer, who may (how-
ever important his present situation) have
commenced life with as small an amount of
the all powerful cash as himself. This
feeling, and these aspirations, naturally pre-
vent any of the lowliness, and indeed ser-
vility, which is often the characteristic of
servants in aristocratic countries ; it does
more, it no doubt induces that certainty of
equality which to us is so objectionable.
As sensible men, however, having entered
into a temporary engagement and covenant
to serve and, therefore, to obey, they do not
(at least those who wish to maintain a good
reputation, and gratify their employers) in-
dulge in useless vaunts of liberty and equa-
lity, but without servility, and with sufficient
respect, do their duty during their volun-
tary engagement, as well, or better, than the
servants of manv other countries. The
168
terms of service over, the former master
may shake hands with, and converse in
familiar terms with his quondam servant,
without fear of compromising his dignity, or
coming in contact with language and habits
inferior or different to his own. Some
there must be, whose disposition and frame
of mind are dangerously affected by this
state of things ; who lose the sense of their
temporary dependence, in the broad sea of
democratic and over-liberal opinions, but
these instances, among a serious, methodical,
and sensible people like the Americans, are
rare, and by no means sufficient to contro-
vert my opinion that, (to use the words of the
French writer, from whom I have previously
quoted,) " the relation of servants and mas-
ters is not disorganized." It is rather dan-
gerous to take English servants to the
United States ; there are very few, com-
169
paratively speaking, whose attachment and
good sense are proof against the tempting
charms and delusions of nominal equality.
We had, fortunately, many opportunities
during our stay of becoming acquainted
with some of the most wealthy merchants
of this wealthy city, and I did not fail to
make every enquiry of them concerning its
resources, its institutions, and its capabili-
ties as a rising commercial capital. The
situation of New Orleans is one of almost
unparalleled eligibility. It can command
twenty thousand miles of river naviga-
tion ; thus, indeed, having " water privi-
leges' 7 on a large scale; and then, with the
sea, its navigation is perfectly easy, not
only directly down the Mississippi, but by a
canal and basin to the lake of Pontchar-
train. Thus, its proximity to the ocean
renders it almost a sea-port town. The
VOL. I. I
170
immense quantity of cotton with which the
city is literally choked up, during that part
of the year when the crop is brought in,
would alone give one some faint idea of the
extent of its commerce. During the time
we were in the harbour, there could not
have been much fewer than sixteen hun-
dred commercial flat-bottomed boats busily
engaged in it.
Louisiana, of which New Orleans is the
capital, comprised, in the year 1538, Flo-
rida, Alabama, Mississippi, South Tenessee,
and Missouri. It received its name from
the French King, In 1718, the city of New
Orleans was founded. In 1732, the popu-
lation amounted to five hundred whites,
and two thousand blacks. In 1812, Louisi-
ana became one of the States of the Union.
In this year, also, the first steam-boat built
on the Mississippi came down the river,
171
from Pittsburgh to New Orleans. Soon
after this, the war with England was con-
cluded. But previously to this year, se-
veral new settlements had been made, and
lands were colonized in Arkansas ; but the
principal settlements were at Dauphin Is-
land, Pensacola, and Mobile. In the year
1727., the Jesuits and Ursuline nuns ar-
rived from France, and many convents and
religious edifices were erected. In 1730,
the Council House and Jail were built.
During this year, the price of a negro was
one hundred and twenty-six dollars, now it
averages five hundred !
In 1769, the colony was ceded to Spain,
and in the same year the yellow fever made
its first appearance at New Orleans. The
Cathedral, or Church of St. Louis, is one
of the most interesting objects in the city,
though, alas ! suffered to fall almost into
172
ruins. It was built about this period, by
the Spaniards. The architecture, though
beautiful, is said by connoisseurs to be
neither pure nor regular. The grand en-
trance, consisting of a semicircular arched
door, with two Tuscan columns on either
side, is in the middle of the front part of
the building, which is finely situated, in the
centre of the Place d'Armes.
On looking over the annual lists of the
amount of shipping in the harbour, in
learning the value of their cargo, and in
comparing, one year with another, the cen-
sus, and the revenue, one cannot but con-
sider New Orleans as an unparalleled in-
stance of the rapid increase of prosperity.
In the year 1802, two hundred and fifty-
six vessels, of different kinds, entered the
Mississippi. The population of the city, in
1810, was twenty-four thousand five hun-
173
dred and fifty-two, having been trebled in
seven years. As I before mentioned, the
great epoch in the history of this rising
city, took place in the year 1812, when the
first steam-boat entered its harbour. In
1834, the city was first lighted with gas.
In 1830, the population, including blacks
and whites, amounted to forty-nine thou-
sand eight hundred and twenty-six. In or-
dinary years, the amount of deaths in New
Orleans averages three thousand eight hun-
dred. It is calculated, that about one in
fifty die of pulmonary consumption ; and
five hundred, at least, in passing through
the acclimating process.
According to the official details in the
record of the dead, during the year 1822,
the largest number of deaths, in any one
day, of yellow fever, was sixty ; and of
other casualties, eighty. During 1841, the
174
highest number, from yellow fever, was
forty-three ; and the greatest mortality ,
sixty ; thus satisfactorily shewing, that the
health of the city is improving.
The process of draining the immense
morasses, which almost surround New Or-
leans, is attended with great difficulty, and
proceeds but slowly.
The greatest rise of the Mississippi takes
place early in the summer, when the snows
melt in the north and the hill country.
When this rise takes place, the streets of
New Orleans are three or four feet below
the level of the river, and its inundations
are sometimes of great service in cleansing
and refreshing the city, during this season
of heat and fever.
There are many charitable associations
in New Orleans, and noble institutions for
the relief of the sick and poor. The
175
churches are handsome and numerous, and
the prisons remarkably well conducted.
The markets are clean, and more than
usually well supplied with every necessary
of life- Fruit is in great abundance ; ap-
ples, nuts of all kinds and sizes, from the
cocoa to the peccan, and pine-apples in
profusion, — the latter were introduced
from the island of Cuba.
But to return to the public buildings.
We greatly regretted having been at New
Orleans after the burning of the St
Charles' Theatre. I believe it was almost
unrivalled, even in Europe, for its size,
comfort, and the splendour of its decora-
tions. The cotton presses on the Levee
are well worth seeing, as are also the Mer-
chants' Exchange, and the Banks ; the City
Exchange is also very handsome.
Fires are very frequent at New Or-
176
leans, partly owing to the large proportion
of wood used in erecting the houses. The
fire arrangements are admirable.
Their system of national education can-
not be too highly praised. There is a com-
pelled tax of one per cent, on all appraised
property ; for this, every one receives in-
struction for his children, be they ever so
numerous. This education comprises every
branch of knowledge, and every sort of ac-
complishment. The masters themselves are
people of acknowledged worth and conside-
ration, and receive large salaries. On
Washington's birthday, thousands of these
young citizens of the Republic were pa-
raded through the streets, their teachers or
governors at their head ; they were on
their way to church, to fite the memory of
their national hero. I noticed one ex-
tremely pretty and lady-like person at the
177
head of one of the lines of girls. She was
very young, and held down her head, as if
rather an unwilling sharer in the exhibition.
On enquiry, I found she was the wife of a
military man, with a small income, and
possessing great musical talent, had been
appointed singing mistress, with a salary of
two hundred pounds per annum. To an
European, and especially to an English-
man, this admixture of the classes of so-
ciety, seems at first both strange and ill-
advised. But he should recollect, that there
is not, as with us, a broad line of demarca-
tion to separate the rich or the well-born,
from the poor and low; that each has a
right to mingle with each, and that it is not
the degradation of poverty, but of vice and
incapacity, which keeps one man below
another. I am aware, though no politician,
that in thickly populated countries, and in
178
governments such as ours, this system of
education could not be carried out ; but in
the States, where there is plenty of space
for each man to run his career, without
jostling his neighbour, where courage, per-
severance, and talent are sure to be re-
warded with success, it is assuredly sound
policy to raise as many useful citizens, and
as few ignorant and unprincipled ones as
possible.
The whole character of the city, particu-
larly of that part which is called the
French quarters, is very indicative of its
Gallic origin. The names of the streets
are principally French, with generally an
English translation beneath, such as, u Rue
des Grands Hommes" " Great Men Street,"
"Rue des Morales? " Moral Street," &c.
There are few good roads, as I found to
my particular inconvenience, being shaken
179
and jolted in a manner perfectly indescriba-
ble. The streets are wretchedly paved, but
the carriages are good, and the springs on
which they are hung, particularly safe and
easy.
Nothing can exceed the civility of the
store-keepers. It is true, they will not put
themselves much out of their way, but then
a refusal or an excuse is made with polite-
ness, and you are not pressed and urged to
purchase, as you so often are in European
shops. A stranger also should recollect,
that the value he sets upon his dollar, is
very different from the estimation in which
it is held here. He must learn to regard it
as a sixpence, and part with it as such.
Dollars are not scarce at New Orleans, As
a proof of this, I will mention a trifling
affair which occurred, I remember, soon
after our arrival, one of our party went into
180
a watchmaker's store, to purchase a glass
for a watch. After a short delay, a gentle-
man emerged from an inner room, with his
mouth filled, not only with the eternal
quid, but with no small portion of his din-
ner besides. On hearing the demand, he
very coolly replied, a Well now, as I'm eat-
ing my dinner, if you're going right up and
down town, s'pose you just call again, and
see if I've done, and then we'll put a glass
in that watch." His surprised customer
took up his property, and slightly hinted
that he would go to another store for his
glass. No attempt was made to detain
him — the dollar was no more to the New
Orleans trader, as I said before, than a six-
pence.
We had now been a fortnight at anchor
in the Mississippi, and, like true sailors,
were longing for change and variety. On
181
the 13th of December, therefore, it was
with cheerful hearts, that the men manned
the windlass, and prepared for sea. How
I enjoyed their impromptu songs ; the
words were rough, and the airs were still
more so. Still, as I heard the fine voice
of the boatswain, leading off with
The saucy schooner off she go,
Merrily on to Texas ho !
I was quite exhilirated, and felt as if no
future tempests could lessen my love either
for the ship or its element.
CHAPTER VII.
SAIL FOR THE GULP OP TEXAS. GALVESTON. DIFFI-
CULTY OF CROSSING THE BAR AT THE MOUTH OF
THE HARBOUR. CAPTAIN ELLIOTT. TEXAS, ITS PO-
SITION, RESOURCES, AND EXTENT.
The power of armies is a visible thing,
Formal, and circumscribed in time and space,
But who the limits of that power shall trace,
Which a brave people into light can bring,
Or hide, at will, — for freedom combating
By just revenge inflamed ?
Wordsworth.
Say, what is honour ? — Tis the finest sense
Of justice which the human mind can frame.
Wordsworth.
Dec. 13. Left New Orleans, and made
sail down the river. Wind and current
both in our favour. Brought up at six
o'clock in nine fathom w r ater; cold but
fine.
183
Dec. 14. Working down the river; mo-
derate breezes and fine. At five o'clock,
p. m. anchored in eight fathom water, with
fifteen fathom cable.
Dec. 15. Towards the close of this dav
we found ourselves near the South-West
pass out of the river, and truly rejoiced we
were, for we were quite tired of mud, and
snags, and longed for the blue water of the
deep sea.
Dec. 16. Fresh breezes, and a bright sun,
the weather was rather cold, but the fresh-
ness of the air coming over the sea was
delightful, and we were all enjoying in an-
ticipation, the delights of the wild country
to which we were bound.
Dec. 17. Strong breezes, and cloudy.
The Dolphin seems delighted to be in her
own element again, fresh water evidently
does not agree with her ; she is going
184
nine and ten knots an hour, and there
is scarcely any motion, the wind is so
fair*
The land of Texas is very low, and the
Guide books mention three trees, the only
ones on the island of Galveston, as a land-
mark. For these signs of vegetation we
were anxiously looking on the morning
of the second day from our leaving the
river. In the mean- while, a man was kept
almost constantly in the chains sound-
ing for bottom. This precaution is I believe
highly necessary in this part of the Gulf.
Late in the evening we sounded in ten fa-
thom water.
Dec. 18. Sounding all the morning —
ten fathom,, then eight, — seven — and five,
in quick succession. This did not seem
to me very agreeable, from the lowness of
the island, and the circumstance of the wind
185
blowing on shore ; there was a very thick
sea-mist too, and we could scarcely see the
length of the ship ahead. From time to
time the fog however rolled suddenly away,
and during one of these intervals, the man
at the mast head sung out " land on the
weather bow."
This was at eleven o'clock, a.m. The
wind had freshened considerably, and there
was a disagreeable drizzling rain falling,
when at a distance of three or four miles
from Galveston we shortened sail, and at
noon distinctly made out the town of Gal-
veston. I beg its pardon, I am aware that
" city" is the correct term for so im-
portant a place.
The fog and mist had by this time con-
siderably lessened in density, and we could
distinguish a few grey looking houses, a
church or two, and some masts of vessels,
186
but the latter were neither numerous nor
imposing. Allowance must be made for this
poorness of appearance, when we remem-
ber, that we saw ail these things through
an incessant rain, which made them, and
indeed the whole prospect, look cheerless
and forlorn.
Before our arrival we had heard much of
the dangers attending an entrance into the
harbour. The small depth of water on its
bar had always been held up to us in terro-
rem, and as a reason for avoiding this part
of the coast in the Dolphin altogether. All
these recollections made us naturally anx-
ious for the appearance of the pilot, for
whom we made a signal immediately after
shortening sail. As he did not make his
appearance we stood off again, and waited
with some degree of impatience, in hopes of
seeing his boat leave the shore.
187
We spent at least three hours in this
manner, shortening the time as well as we
could in abusing all the government au-
thorities indiscriminately, and pilots in par-
ticular. At length, however, to our great
relief, a large steamer, the New York, which
we had observed some time previously
occupied in getting up her steam, was seen
coming towards us ; her high-pressure en-
gine was puffing and blowing, like some
huge elephant out of breath, and her deck
covered with curious passengers.
When she had arrived within speaking-
trumpet distance, the captain hailed us
through this instrument, which is still in
general use in American ships, and gave
us the welcome information that he had
a pilot on board. We were delighted ; as
we now saw some chance of coming to
an anchor that day : the prospect of spend-
188
ing another night standing off and on was
by no means agreeable.
Before taking leave of us, the Captain,
in a true Yankee spirit of " making an
operation," offered to tow us over the bar.
This was on his own account, and for this
piece of civility, and trifling assistance, the
performance of which would have occupied
him half an hour, he demanded the mo-
derate sum of one hundred dollars ! — of
course the offer was declined ; however, as
it was made civilly, hats were mutually
raised in token of amity, and the New
York puffed back to her station in the har-
bour.
We had now received the pilot on board.
He was an Englishman, and a good sailor,
as well as a safe and experienced pilot.
There is at present a great want of these
useful individuals at Galveston, and also, —
189
as our own pilot informed us — an insuffi-
ciency of buoys; a few rotten barrels be-
ing placed here and there, often in wrong
places, and, not seldom, being removed by
accident or malice.
A strong northerly wind had prevailed
for some days, and a considerable quantity
of water had in consequence been blown
out of the harbour ; the bar was thus less
covered even than usual, and it became
necessary to trip the vessel. This opera-
tion consists in running the guns forward,
and shifting the ballast ; thus she was put
on an even keel, and the chances of her
bumping (as it is called) on the bar
are considerably lessened. The crossing
this formidable impediment was a mo-
ment of great excitement. The lead was
thrown into the sea without intermission ;
it was " by the mark four " — " quarter
190
less three " — " by the mark two 3J — u quar-
ter less two/' called out rapidly one after
another, by the man in the chains. Now
was the trying moment ; even the pilot
looked anxious, and we every moment ex-
pected to feel the bottom. After the sus-
pence of a minute, or indeed less, the pilot
drew a long breath, and exclaimed " all safe,
Sir, now" — the guns were run aft again with
all dispatch, and we were steering straight
into the harbour.
After crossing the bar, there is an ex-
tremely narrow channel through which
vessels must necessarily pass before they
can arrive at a safe anchorage. In this
channel we felt the bottom, or rather side,
but it is of soft mud, and there is no danger
in the contact.
In another half hour we found ourselves
safely anchored in Galveston harbour, with-
191
in a hundred and fifty yards of the stand,
in four fathom water. After dinner we were
agreeably surprised by a visit from Capt.
Elliot, her Britannic Majesty's Charge d' Af-
faires in this republic. We had heard, much
to our regret, that Captain Elliot was at
Washington, the present seat of govern-
ment, and had such been the case, we should
have lost much useful information, as re-
gards the republic, and infinite amusement
and enjoyment personally.
Previously to my arrival I confess to
having known but little of Texas, its posi-
tion, its resources, or its extent. It is just
possible that my ignorance in this respect
may be shared by others, and if so, some
account of the republic may not be unwel-
come.
Texas is bounded on the north, bv the
Red River, on the south by the Gulph of
192
Mexico, on the east by the Sabine River
and Louisiana, and on the west by the
Rio grande del Norte. Comprising within
these limits an area of nearly five hundred
thousand square miles. It has more than
three hundred miles of territory bordering
on the Gulph of Mexico, its coast lying
nearly N.W. and S.E. Supposing Texas
to have an average breadth of between
three to four hundred miles, and extending
in a north westerly direction for about seven
hundred, its surface may be said to present
an inclined plane gradually descending to-
wards the sea. Towards the north-west
is an elevated range of hills, (spurs of the
Rocky Mountains) from whence several ri-
vers take their source, flowing towards
the Gulph of Mexico, in a direction nearly
parallel to each other and about sixty
miles apart.
193
Texas has three divisions of country
differing from each other to a remarkable
extent, not only as regards its surface and
soil but also its climate. These are termed
respectively, by its inhabitants, the Low,
the Rolling, and the Hilly country. The
first of these, bordering upon the Gulph
of Mexico, and along the whole line
of coast, is a perfectly level low tract ex-
tending about sixty or seventy miles. To
these lowlands, which are certainly not
healthy, but wonderfully rich and produc-
tive, succeeds the beautifully undulating
Rolling Prairies ; nothing can surpass this
portion of Texas in natural attractions :
its ever verdant prairies resemble our most
beautiful parks ; magnificent clumps of tim-
ber are scattered over its surface, and its
valleys are watered by quick running limpid
streams. The third division comprises the
VOL. I. K
194
high broken mountainous tract more to the
north, at a distance of three or four hundred
miles from the sea coast ; here are said to
be Table-lands, with a soil scarcely inferior
to the former divisions, and fully equal to
either of the others in beauty and climate.
This country, as also the entire tract to the
northward, has not yet been sufficiently
explored to form any very accurate judge-
ment of its merits.
The principal rivers commencing, from
the eastward, are the Sabine and the Neches,
both flowing into the Sabine lake, out of
which there is a narrow inlet to the Gulph,
with a bar across the channel, having only
six feet of water ; this is the only mud bar
on the coast, those of all the harbours west-
ward being of hard sand. The Trinity
flows into Galveston Bay, the Bragos di-
rectly into the Gulph, with a most danger-
195
ous bar at its embouchure having not more
than five or six feet of water.
The Colorado flows into the Bay of Ma-
tagorda, which, like the Bay of Galveston,
and almost all the other bays on this coast,
is only separated from the Gulph of Mexico
by a narrow strip of land rarely more than
a mile or two in breadth.
The bay is nearly forty miles in length,
and has a bar at its entrance with seven
feet of water. The Guadaloupe, St. An-
tonio, and Neches, are inferior in size to
those I have previously mentioned, but,
like them, flow into similar long narrow
bays, separated from the sea by a sandy
ridge of a mile or more in breadth. The
Bay of Aransas, which receives the Guada-
loupe and San Antonio rivers, is connected
with the sea by an extremely narrow chan-
nel, with six feet and a half of water over
196
its bar. The Rio Grande del Norte, form-
ing the western boundary of Texas, rises in
the Rocky mountains ; it is said not to be
navigable, on account of its rapids, till
within two hundred miles of the sea, near
the town of Loredo ; thence, to the Gulph,
it is described as a noble stream, three or
four hundred yards wide, and of conside-
rable depth.
The Republic of Texas most undoubt-
edly owes its origin to Moses Austin, who
first conceived the plan of establishing a
considerable colony in that country. This
was eventually effected by his son, Stephen
Austin, assisted by Mr. Williams; both
Americans by birth, and men of distin-
guished talent and enterprise. With the
latter we had the good fortune to become
acquainted in Texas, and had to thank
him for a great deal of valuable informa-
197
tion regarding the country and its history.
Previous to the year 1821, the central
part of Texas appears to have been only
frequented by roving bands of Indians.
There were a few settlements on its eastern
frontier, bordering upon Louisiana ; and the
Mexicans, to the amount of four or five
thousand, were established in the neigh-
bourhood of San Antonio de Bexar, and
Goliad, or La Badia.
Moses Austin received his original grant
in the year 1820, when Mexico was under
the rule of Spain, and died soon after in
the United States, whilst preparing to put
his plans for colonization into effect. Soon
after his father's death, Stephen Austin
started with a small body of settlers from
New Orleans, and after arriving in Texas,
having carefully explored the country,
selected, as the lands most desirable, a
198
tract of country lying between the Brazos
and the Colorado river, at about seventy
miles distance from the sea. After a short
period, he again returned to the United
States, and made arrangements for coloniz-
ing on a more extended scale.
In the mean time, Mexico had finally suc-
ceeded in throwing off the yoke of Spain.
On Austin's return, therefore, to his co-
lony, in 1822, what was his mortification to
find that, before he could proceed with the
distribution of lands, it would be necessary
for him to proceed to Mexico, to solicit
from the new government a confirmation
of the grant made to his father ! It was
at this period, and whilst the Cortes were
debating upon Austin's petition, and also
other applications of a similar nature, that
Iturbide overthrew the existing govern-
ment, and proclaimed himself Emperor.
199
Austin had no difficulty in obtaining the
object of his visit Mexico has always
been too weak to govern her distant pro-
vinces, and, at this period, being utterly un-
able to protect her settlers in Texas, and
indeed, her own frontiers, from the ra-
vages of hostile Indians, she was only too
glad to avail herself of any offers made by
foreigners to colonize and settle in the rich
plains of Texas. This seems to have con-
tinued to be the prevailing feeling of the
successive governments in Mexico, from
1822 till the year 1830; and, in that in-
terval, almost the whole of Texas was
granted to different individuals, who were
called impresarios, or contractors. The
contract was,, that they were to introduce
into the country, and settle a stipulated
number of families, in order to be en-
titled to the land granted by govern-
200
ment. To return, however, to Stephen
Austin.
Scarcely had Iturbide granted his peti-
tion, when the Emperor was himself de-
throned by Santa Anna, who immediately
annulled all grants of land made by his pre-
decessor in power. Thus, Austin had again
to solicit from the Cortes a confirmation of
his former grant. This he at last succeeded
in obtaining, and soon after returned to
Texas. There be had to struggle with a
variety of difficulties. His infant colony,
now consisting of about three hundred fa-
milies, was to be governed without any
controlling power, unless we except the
moral influence which his superior men-
tal qualities enabled him to exercise over
the rude settlers. The population was
now rapidly increasing. In the year 1825,
nearly the whole of Texas had been
201
granted away to impresarios, and in 1830,
we find that settlements had sprung up
in every part of the country.
K II.
CHAPTER VIII.
POLITICAL POSITION OF TEXAS DURING THE FIRST
YEARS OF HER COLONIZATION. EVENTS WHICH
WERE THE MORE IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF HER DE-
CLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
And from these grounds, concluding as we doe,
Warres causes diuerse ; so by consequence
Diuerse we must conclude their natures too ;
For warre, proceeding from the Omnipotence,
No doubt is holy, wise, and without error,
The sword of justice, and of sin the terror.
Lord Brooke.
No country has been more calumniated
and misrepresented than Texas. She has
been called the Alsatia of the United
States ; and again,, the " pestiferous swamps
of Texas/' "pillaged from the too con-
fiding Mexicans/' &c. &c. The greater
part of these mis-statements, that have
203
appeared in England, concerning Texas,
are said to have been circulated by the
Mexican bondholders., and others inte-
rested in the prosperity of Mexico.* The
Americans, however, have been far more
bitter in their attacks upon the unoffending
Republic. The Southern States were doubt-
less influenced in their conduct by jealousy
of the far superior soil and climate of
Texas, and her probable commercial ad-
vantages.
* The Mexican debt to British bondholders amounts
to nearly ten millions sterling, and Santa Anna, in
the year 1837, either despairing of ever recovering
Texas, or hoping to acquire powerful allies in the
Mexican bondholders, made over to that body, lands in
Texas, to the extent of forty millions of acres, as fur-
ther security for the principal and interest of their
bonds. These lands were to be specially hypothecated,
until the total extinction of the bonds, and the govern-
ment engaged to give complete possession to the gua-
ranteed lands. This transaction is altogether so strange
and ridiculous, as to be scarcely credible.
204
The Northern States of America, on the
other hand, are ranged against the Re-
public, on account of the existence of sla-
very in the country, and from a feeling that
the interests of Texas are thereby con-
nected with the slave-holding States of the
Union, and thus increasing their power.
It appears to me, that few people have
ever had more just cause than the Texans,
for throwing off an oppressive yoke, and
separating themselves from a nation, which
had so long proved its incapacity even for
self-government. Previous to Texas de-
claring her independence, the Mexican Re-
public had been constantly a prey to inter-
nal dissensions ; and civil war, in all its
horrors, had desolated the country. Her
political institutions had been changed, or
overthrown, according to the interest or ca-
price of each successive military chief of
205
the country. The rule of these political
leaders was invariably marked by blood-
shed, cruelty, and oppression, and the
country was in a constant state of anarchy
and revolution.
I shall now endeavour to show the poli-
tical position of Texas during the first years
of her colonization, and afterwards to de-
scribe the events which were the more im-
mediate cause of her declaration of Inde-
pendence. Under the constitution of 1824,
Mexico was a confederated Republic,
somewhat similar to the United States,
having a President, Vice-President, Senate,
and a House of Representatives, as a central
government. Each State had, however, its
separate independent government. The
Mexican government, as I have before
mentioned, having found itself obliged, for
its own security, to encourage colonization
206
in Texas, declared by a decree of Cortes,
dated 7th May, 1824:—
H That Texas is to be annexed to the
Mexican province of Cohahuila, until it is
of sufficient importance to form a separate
State, when it is to become an independent
State of the Mexican Republic, equal to
the other States of which the same is com-
posed, free, sovereign, and independent, in
whatever exclusively relates to its internal
government and administration."
This decree was declared "inviolable,"
and the act says, " can never be reformed/'
It was then, on the faith of this decree,
that new settlers were constantly arriving
in Texas, from all countries, and this state
of things continued till the year 1830,
when the hitherto increasing prosperity of
the country received its first check.
Bustamente, an adventurer, who by in-
207
trigue, or bloodshed, had contrived to pos-
sess himself of the first office in the Mexi-
can Republic, prohibited the further ingress
of foreigners, and issued several decrees ini-
imical to the interests of Texas. The
Mexican government, apparently jealous of
its rising influence and prosperity, seems
now to have made several enactments, at
variance with the constitution of 1824. To
effect these, it was necessary to introduce a
considerable force of Mexican soldiers into
the country ; thus, it eventually ended in
Texas being placed almost entirely under
military rule. It would be difficult to give
an adequate idea of the numerous acts of
injustice and oppression to which the set-
tlers were subjected at this period. They
were at length driven to resistance; and
the military commandants, or governors,
were soon forced out of the country, and
208
with them the whole of the Mexican
troops.
The oppressive rule of Bustamente was,
fortunately, brought to a conclusion in the
year 1832. His object had been to esta-
blish a central government, instead of the
federal constitution, but finding himself un-
able to cope with the superior mental
powers and military conduct of Santa
Anna, he resigned his office in favour of
General Pedraza, and early in 1833, Santa
Anna was proclaimed President.
The Texans having now had sufficient
experience of the bad effects arising from
their being under the administration of the
State of Cohahuila, resolved to petition the
Supreme Government for a separation of
the provinces, and demanded that Texas
should be granted an independent state
government, in conformity with the fe-
209
deral compact, and Act of Cortes, of
1824.
The memorial set forth, that Texas was
virtually without any government at all ;
that the language of the people was diffe-
rent ; that Cohahuila and Texas were alto-
gether dissimilar in soil, climate, and na-
tural productions ; that owing to the nume-
rical inequality of their respective represen-
tatives, the enactment of laws beneficial to
Texas could only emanate from the ' ge-
nerous courtesy' of her constitutional part-
ner, and that legislative advantages to the
one might, from incompatibility of inte-
rests, be ruinous to the other.
Protection from Indian depredations,
they declared to be of vital importance to
Texas, which protection Cohahuila was un-
able to render. The Indians in their im-
mediate neighbourhood had been denied
210
justice, which would be granted by inde-
pendent Texas. Finally, Texas possessed
the necessary elements for a state go-
vernment, and for her attachment to
the federal constitution and to the re-
public, they pledged their lives and ho-
nours.
Stephen Austin was the person selected
by the people to proceed to Mexico, and to
submit their petition for the consideration of
Cortes. Austin, after waiting nearly a year
in the capital, and being able to gain no
reply to the petition with which he had
been charged, wrote to the authorities in
Texas, recommending them at once to or-
ganize a State, de facto, without waiting
for the decision of Congress.
This was considered by the government
as a treasonable proceeding, and shortly
afterwards Austin was arrested at Sattillo,
211
whilst on his return to Texas- Being
brought back to the capital, he was impri-
soned in the dungeons of the Inquisition
for upwards of a year. He did not return
to Texas till more than two years had
elapsed from the date of his departure, and
not until Santa Anna had overthrown the
federal constitution of the Republic, and
established in its place a Central Consoli-
dated Government, rendering him wholly
independent of the States of the Confede-
racy, and thus, in fact, becoming military
dictator of Mexico.
Several of the States were of course op-
posed to this change : some, indeed, re-
sorted to arms, but were unable to resist
the power of the dictator. The constitu-
tional authorities of Cohahuila and Texas
assembled at Mondova, and solemnly pro-
tested against this change of government.
212
They were, however, driven from office by
a military force, under General Cos. The
government was then dissolved ; and the
Governor, and other members of the State
legislature, were imprisoned. Thus, the
central government was established — in
opposition to the will of the States and of
the people — by the forcible, and unconsti-
tutional destruction of the social compact
which they had sworn to support. It was
at this juncture that Austin was released ;
and Santa Anna, becoming alarmed at
the public meetings, and various demon-
strations of opposition in Texas, deter-
mined on sending Austin back to his coun-
try as a mediator.
At a public meeting, soon after his re-
turn to Texas, he made the following
speech, giving very fully his opinions of the
state of affairs, and also recommending
213
such measures as he thought advisable to
be pursued.
"I left Texas," said Mr. Austin, "in
April, 1833, as the public agent of the
people, for the purpose of applying for the
admission of this country into the Mexican
confederation, as a state separate from Co-
hahuila. This application was based upon
the constitutional and vested rights of
Texas, and was sustained by me in the city
of Mexico to the utmost of my abilities.
No honourable means were spared to effect
the objects of my mission, and to oppose
the forming of Texas into a territory,
which was attempted. I rigidly adhered to
the instructions and wishes of my constitu-
ents, so far as they were communicated
to me. My efforts to serve Texas in-
volved me in the labyrinth of Mexican
politics! I was arrested, and have suf-
214
fered a long persecution and imprison-
ment.
" I consider it to be my duty to give an
account of these events to my constituents,
and will, therefore, at this time, merely ob-
serve that I have never, in anv manner,
agreed to anything, or admitted anything,
that would compromise the constitutional
or vested rights of Texas. These rights
belong to the people, and can only be sur-
rendered by them.
H I fully hoped to have found Texas at
peace, and in tranquillity, but regret I find
it in commotion ; all disorganized, all in
anarchy, and threatened with immediate
hostilities. This state of things is deeply to
be lamented ; it is a great misfortune, but
it is one w r hich has not been produced by
any acts of the people of this country. On
the contrary, it is the natural and inevi-
215
table consequence of the revolution that
has spread all over Mexico, and of the im-
prudent and impolitic measures, both of the
general and state governments, with regard
to Texas. The people here are not to
blame, and cannot be justly censured.
They are farmers, cultivators of the soil,
and are pacific from interests from occupa-
tion, and from inclination. They have uni-
formly endeavoured to sustain the constitu-
tion and the public peace, and have never
deviated from their duty as Mexican citizens.
" If any acts of imprudence have been
committed by individuals, they evidently
resulted from the revolutionary state of the
whole nation, the imprudent and censura-
ble conduct of the state authorities, and the
total want of a local government in Texas.
" It is, indeed, a source of surprise and
creditable congratulation, that so few acts
216
of this description have occurred under the
peculiar circumstances of the times. It is,
however, to be remembered, that acts of
this nature were not the acts of the people,
nor is Texas responsible for them. They
were, as I before observed, the natural con-
sequences of the revolutionary state of the
Mexican nation ; and Texas certainly did
not originate that revolution ; neither have
the people, as a people, participated in it.
The consciences and hands of the Texans
are free from censure, and clean.
" The revolution in Mexico is drawing to
a close. The object is, to change the form
of government, destroy the federal constitu-
tion of 1824, and establish a central or con-
solidated government. The states are to
be converted into provinces.
" Whether the people of Texas ought or
ought not to agree to this change, and re-
217
linquish all or a part of their constitutional
and vested rights, under the constitution of
1824, is a question of the most vital im-
portance ; one that calls for the deliberate
consideration of the people, and can only
be decided by them, fairly convened for the
purpose.
" As a citizen of Texas, I have a right to
an opinion on so important a matter. I
have no other right, and pretend to no
other. In the report which I consider it
my duty to make to my constituents, I in-
tend to give my views on the present situa-
tion of the country, and especially as to the
constitutional and natural rights of Texas,
and will, therefore, at this time, merely
touch this subject.
" Under the Spanish government, Texas
was a separate and distinct province. As
such it had a separate and distinct local or-
VOL. I. l
218
ganization. It was one of the unities that
composed the general mass of the nation,
and as such participated in the war of the
revolution, and was represented in the con-
stituent Congress of Mexico, that formed
the constitution of 1824. This constituent
Congress, so far from destroying this unity,
expressly recognized and confirmed it by
the law of May 7, 1824, which united
Texas with Cohahuila, provisionally, under
the especial guarantee of being made a
state of the Mexican confederation, as soon
as it possessed the necessary elements.
" That law, and the federal constitution,
gave to Texas a specific political existence,
and vested in its inhabitants special and de-
fined rights, which can only be relinquished
by the people of Texas, acting for them-
selves, as a unity, and not as a part of Co-
hahuila, for the reason that the union with
219
Cohahuila was limit ed, and only gave
power to the State of Cohahuila and Texas
to govern Texas for the time being, but
always subject to the vested rights of
Texas. The State, therefore, cannot relin-
quish those vested rights, by agreeing to
the change of government, or by any other
act, unless expressly authorized by the
people of Texas to do so ; neither can
the general government of Mexico legally
deprive Texas of them without the consent
of the people. These are my opinions.
" An important question now presents it-
self to the people of this country. The
federal constitution of 1824 is about to be
destroyed, and a central government esta-
blished ; and the people will soon be
called upon to say whether they agree to
this change or not. This matter requires
the most calm discussion, the most mature
220
deliberation, and the most perfect union.
How is this to be had ? I see but one way,
and that is by a general consultation of the
people, by means of delegates elected for
the purpose, with full powers to give such
an answer, in the name of Texas, to this
question, as they may deem best, and to
adopt such measures as the tranquillity and
salvation of the country may require.
" It is my duty to state, that General
Santa Anna verbally and expressly autho-
rized me to say to the people of Texas,
that he was their friend, that he wished for
their prosperity, and would do all he could
to promote it ; and that in the new consti-
tution, he would use his influence to give
to the people of Texas a special organiza-
tion, suited to their education, habits, and
situation.
" Several of the most influential and in-
221
telligent men in Mexico, and especially the
Minister of Relations and War, expressed
themselves in the same manner. These de-
clarations afford another and a more urgent
necessity for a general consultation, of all
Texas, in order to inform the general govern-
ment, and especially General Santa Anna,
what kind of organization will suit the edu-
cation, habits, and situation of this people.
" It is also proper for me to state, that
in all my conversations with the President
and Ministers, and men of influence, I ad-
vised that no troops should be sent to
Texas, and no cruisers along the coast. I
gave it as my decided opinion, that the ine-
vitable consequence of sending an armed
force to this country, would be war. I
stated that there was a sound and correct
moral principle in the people of Texas, that
was abundantly sufficient to restrain, or put
222
down, all turbulent or seditious movements,
but that this moral principle could not, and
would not, unite with any armed force sent
against this country., On the contrary 5 it
would resist and repel it, and ought to do so.
" This point presents another strong
reason why the people of Texas should
meet in general consultation This country
is now in anarchy, threatened with hostili-
ties ; armed vessels are capturing all they
can catch on the coast, and acts of piracy
are said to be committed under cover of
the Mexican flag. Can this state of things
exist without precipitating the country into
a war ? I think it cannot ; and> therefore,
believe, that it is our bounden and solemn
duty, as Mexicans and as Texans, to repre-
sent the evils that are likely to result from
this mistaken and most impolitic policy in
the military movements.
223
"My friends, I can truly say, that no
one has been, or is now, more anxious than
myself to keep trouble away from this
country. No one has been, or now is,
more faithful to his duty as a Mexican ci-
tizen, and no one has personally sacrificed,
or suffered more in the discharge of this
duty. I have uniformly been opposed to
have anything to do with the family poli-
tical quarrels of the Mexicans.
" Texas needs peace, and a local govern-
ment ; its inhabitants are farmers, and they
need a calm and a quiet life But how can
I, or any one, remain indifferent, when our
rights, our all, appear to be in jeopardy ;
and when it is our duty, as well as our ob-
ligation, as good Mexican citizens, to ex-
press our opinions on the present state of
things, and to represent our situation to
the government? It is impossible. The
224
crisis is such, as to bring it home to the
judgment of every man, that something
must be done, and that without delay.
The question will, perhaps, be asked, what
are we to do ? I have already indicated
my opinion. Let all personalities, or divi-
sions, or excitements, or passion, or vio-
lence, be banished from among us. Let a
general consultation of the people of Texas
be convened as speedily as possible ; to be
composed of the best and most calm, and
intelligent and firm men in the country ;
and let them decide what representations
ought to be made to the general govern-
ment, and what ought to be done in future."
I have copied at full length the senti-
ments and opinions of Austin, which he ex-
pressed on his return from Mexico, because
his opinion on this important subject had
great weight with all parties. The cha-
225
racter of Austin stood high, as an unpreju-
diced observer, a just man, and a disinte-
rested member of the state. Even the
Mexicans, though they had uniformly op-
pressed, and persecuted him, yet in the
main, did justice to his unbending princi-
ples of honour and integrity. The account
given, on the authority of such a man as
Austin, of the motives and grievances
which influenced the colonists, should, I
think, go far in refutation of the many un-
just, and ill-founded charges that have been
made against the Texan people.
Though repeatedly stigmatized, as owing
their origin to ruffians, and runaway rogues
from every part of the world, we find the
new settlers influenced in their struggles
for freedom, by feelings of which more ci-
vilized, and longer established countries,
might be justly proud.
L II.
226
The colonists certainly were inclined to
treat the opinions of Austin with deference,
and to be guided by his judgment ; and it is
probable, that had Mexico, at this crisis,
adopted conciliating measures, and acted
with common justice towards the colony,
the progress of disaffection and revolt
would have been arrested, and Texas
would have been retained as one of the
States of the confederacy.
How long, however, it would have conti-
nued so, it is not for me to determine ; it is
not probable, that a country formed of
such independent spirits, would have re-
mained under any yoke, particularly that of
a State, where the language and habits
were so essentially different from their
own, and whose capital was distant from
their frontier at least twelve hundred miles.
CHAPTER IX.
PROGRESS OF THE STRUGGLE FOR TEXAN INDEPEN-
DENCE. DECLARATION OF THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS IN
GENERAL CONVENTION ASSEMBLED. CRUELTY OF
GENERAL SANTA ANNA, BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO.
TOTAL ROUT OF THE MEXICAN ARMY.
And tell me haughty harte, confesse a truth,
What man was aye so safe in glorie's porte ?
But traynes of treason (oh the more the ruth)
Could undermine the bulwarks of this forte,
And raze his ramparts down in sundrie sort ?
Search all thy books, and thou shalt find therein,
That honour is more harde to holde than winne.
Gascoigne.
In conformity with the advice of Austin,
committees of safety and vigilance were
now formed, and resolutions passed, to in-
sist on their rights, under the federal con-
stitution of 1824. Troops were organized,
and every preparation made to resist the
228
Mexican forces, which were expected to be
sent against them. In these anticipations
they were not disappointed ; General Cos
soon after arrived at Copano, and marched
thence to Bexar.
The first meeting of the hostile troops
was at Gonzales. The Mexicans, in an at-
tack upon the town, w r ere repulsed with
great bravery, and suffered considerable
loss, both in killed and wounded. Shortly
after this, a more important victory was
gained, in the capture of the town and gar-
rison of Goliad, containing a great quantity
of military stores, besides three hundred
stand of arms, and two brass cannon. This
was followed by the election of General
Austin, as Commander-in-Chief of the
Texan army ; and the new leader, under
the banner of the Mexican federal consti-
tution, immediately marched upon Bexar, a
229
town strongly garrisoned by the Mexican
troops, under General Cos.
After several engagements in the neigh-
bourhood, which invariably resulted in fa-
vour of the colonists, the town of Bexar
was stormed by a party of three hundred
volunteers. The Mexicans behaved with
determined bravery, but were unable to
withstand the fury of their assailants ; up-
wards of three hundred had fallen before
the unerring rifles of the Texans, and on
the fourth day the garrison agreed to capi-
tulate.
General Cos and his party were allowed
to return into Mexico with their arms and
private property, under their parole of ho-
nour, that they would never again assist, in
any way, to oppose the re-establishment of
the federal constitution of 1824. The
Texans, by the achievement, gained posses-
230
sion of a large quantity of military stores,
including nineteen pieces of ordnance and
two swivel guns, several hundred stand of
arms, and abundance of ammunition.
The country was now freed for the pre-
sent from Mexican troops, and a general
convention of delegates, from the different
municipalities of Texas, was forthwith held
at San Filipe de Austin. On the 3rd of
November, 1835, a state government was
organized for Texas, and their motives and
principles proclaimed in the following ma-
nifesto : —
" Declaration of the people of Texas, in
general convention assembled.
" Whereas, General Antonio Lopez de
Santa Anna, and other military chieftains,
have, by force of arms, overthrown the fe-
deral institutions of Mexico, and dissolved
the social compact which existed between
231
Texas and the other members of the Mexi-
can confederacy ; now, the good people of
Texas, availing themselves of their natural
rights, solemnly declare —
" First — That they have taken up arms
in defence of their rights and liberties,
which are threatened by the encroachments
of military despots, and in defence of the
republican principles of the federal consti-
tution of Mexico.
"Second. — That Texas is no longer mo-
rally or civilly bound by the compact of
Union ; yet stimulated by the generosity
and sympathy common to a free people,
they offer their support and assistance to
such of the members of the Mexican Con-
federacy, as will take up arms against mi-
litary despotism.
" Third. — That they do not acknowledge
that the present authorities of the nominal
232
Mexican Republic have the right to govern
within the limits of Texas.
" Fourth. — That they will not cease to
carry on war against the said authorities,
whilst their troops are within the limits of
Texas.
" Fifth. — That they hold it to be their
right, during the disorganization of the Fe-
deral System, and the reign of despotism,
to withdraw from the Union, to establish
an independent government, or to adopt
such measures as they may deem best cal-
culated to protect their rights and liberties ;
but that they will continue faithful to the
Mexican Government, so long as that na-
tion is governed by the constitution and
laws that were formed for the government
of the political association.
" Sixth. — That Texas is responsible for
the expenses of her armies now in the field.
233
" Seventh. — That the public faith of
Texas is pledged for the payment of any
debts contracted by her agents.
" Eighth. — That she will reward by do-
nations in land, all who volunteer their ser-
vices in her present struggle, and receive
them as citizens.
" These Declarations we solemnly avow
to the world, and call God to witness their
truth and sincerity, and invoke defeat and
disgrace upon our heads should we prove
guilty of duplicity.
B. T. Archer, President/'
The struggle for independence had now
fairly commenced ; two months had scarce-
ly elapsed after the departure of General
Cos, when almost all the military resources
of Mexico were brought against Texas, di-
rected by Santa Anna in person. This in-
vasion seems to have occurred at a most
234
unfortunate period for the settlers. Austin^
with several others of their most influential
men, had been sent as Commissioners to
the United States, to seek assistance from
those who might be expected to sympathize
in the cause of independence, and another
party had marched towards Matamoros on
the Mexican frontier.
The town of San Antonio de Bexar was
thus left defenceless, its garrison of one hun-
dred and forty men being obliged to take re-
fuge in the fort of the Alamo on the opposite
side of the river. Here they defended them-
selves for a fortnight against a force amount-
ing to four thousand men. The Mexicans
though frequently repulsed, at length suc-
ceeded in taking the place by storm, and the
whole of its garrison were put to the sword.
After the final struggle, there were left but
seven men and these were refused quarter.
235
It is also asserted that such were the feelings
of exasperation evinced by the Mexicans
from the determined resistance made by the
Texans, that the bodies of the dead were
subjected to every sort of indignity. The
obstinate courage of the Texans is said to
have caused them a loss of nearly fifteen
hundred men 5 and no treatment was thought
sufficiently bad for their conquered foes, liv-
ing or dead.
Thus fell the Alamo after a defence high-
ly creditable to Texan bravery and military
skill. Shortly after this period, the invaders
obtained another advantage over Colonel
Fannin and a body of about three hundred
men. In this instance the Mexicans be-
haved with almost unparalleled treachery
and cruelty. Santa Anna came up with
Colonel Fannin and his little army, as they
were retreating before the superior numbers
236
of the Mexicans. The Texan Colonel, not-
withstanding the disparity of numbers, en-
gaged the enemy and fought with despera-
tion till darkness put an end to the conflict.
Four or five hundred of the enemy had
fallen before the deadly aim of the Texans,
who now entrenched themselves in the
Prairie, resolved to sell their lives as dearly
as possible. During the night, however, the
Mexicans received a reinforcement, and
Colonel Fannin determined to surrender,
provided he could obtain an honourable
capitulation. The propositions made by
Colonel Fannin were accepted by Santa
Anna, and terms of capitulation were then
signed and formally interchanged.
According to these terms, the Texans were
to surrender, and to give up their arms, on
condition of their lives being spared, and
their being allowed to retire into the United
237
States. No sooner, however, were they in
his power then Santa Anna, totally regard-
less of faith and honour, ordered them all
to be massacred, under circumstances of
aggravated cruelty.
On the 11th of March a convention, as-
sembled at Washington, had declared Texas
a " free, sovereign and independent Repub-
lic." A constitution was framed, and an exe-
cutive government appointed, to act until
other elections should be made by the
people. The provisional government re-
tired to Galveston Island, where they re-
mained until the conclusion of the w r ar.
The Texans were now thoroughly exas-
perated by the cruelty and want of faith
they had experienced at the hands of the
Mexicans, and, fortunately for them, Santa
Anna found at length a rival more than his
match in General Houston. The Texan
238
army under his command was now posted
on the Colorado river, and amounted to
about twelve hundred men. The enemy,
having received considerable reinforcements,
occupied the river both above and below
him ; General Houston, therefore, apprehen-
sive of being surrounded, deemed it advisa-
ble to retire to the Brazos, which he crossed
on the 12th of April : thence he led his
troops to the Buffalo Bayon, and down its
right bank to within a short distance of
its junction with the San Jacinto river.
The Mexican army soon approached, and
occasional skirmishes took place during the
day, until Santa Anna withdrew his troops
to a position on the banks of the San Ja-
cinto, and there commenced a fortification
about a mile distant from the Texan camp.
Houston had ordered the bridge, on the only
road communicating with the Brazos, to be
239
destroyed, thus cutting cff all possibility
of the enemy's escape. The Texans com-
menced the attack at half past three, and
a most sanguinary conflict ensued. The
Colonists fought as men only do when they
contend for life and freedom, and they were
irresistible. I extract the following details
from General Houston's report of the Battle
of San Jacinto. ee About nine o'clock on
the morning of the 21st, the enemy were
reinforced by five hundred choice troops,
under the command of General Cos, in-
creasing their effective force to upwards of
fifteen hundred men, whilst our aggregate
force for the field numbered only seven
hundred and eighty-three " . . . " The
conflict lasted about eighteen minutes from
the time of close action until we were in
possession of the enemy's encampment, tak-
ing one piece of cannon, four stand of co-
240
lours, all their camp equipage, stores and
baggage." ..." The conflict in the
breastwork lasted but a few moments;
many of the troops encountered hand to
hand, and not having the advantage of
bayonets on our side, our riflemen used
their pieces as war clubs, breaking many of
them off at the breach. The rout com-
menced at half past four, and the pursuit
by the main army continued until twi-
light." " In the battle, the
enemy's loss was six hundred and thirty
killed, among whom was one General Offi-
cer, four Colonels, two Lieutenant- Colonels,
two Second Lieutenant-Colonels, seven Cap-
tains, one Cadet. Prisoners, seven hundred
and thirty. President General Santa Anna,
General Cos, four Colonels, Aids de Camp
to General Santa Anna, and the Colonel of
the Guerrero Battalion are included in the
241
number. General Santa Anna was not taken
until the 22nd, and General Cos yesterday,
very few having escaped. About six hun-
dred muskets, three hundred sabres and
two hundred pistols, have been collected
since the action ; several hundred mules
and horses were taken, and nearly twelve
thousand dollars in specie. For several days
previous to the action our troops were en-
gaged in forced marches, exposed to exces-
sive rains, and the additional inconvenience of
extremely bad roads, badly supplied with ra-
tions and clothing, yet amid every difficulty
they bore up with cheerfulness and forti-
tude, and performed their marches with
spirit and alacrity — there was no mur-
mering. ,,
An important blow was now given to
the Mexican power in Texas ; and be it
remembered this decisive victory over the
VOL. I. M
242
chosen troops of Mexico, was gained by a
mere handful of raw undisciplined volun-
teers, armed with rifles alone, and suddenly
drawn together from their agricultural pur-
suits to defend their liberty and indepen-
dence.
CHAPTER X.
SANTA ANNA BROUGHT PRISONER TO GENERAL HOUSTON,
TERMINATION OF THE STRUGGLE, AND RECOGNITION
OF THE REPUBLIC. CONSTITUTION OF TEXAS.
Thou in a moment canst defeate
The mighty conquests of the proude,
And blast the laurels of the greate,
Thou canst make brightest glorie set
O' th' sudden in a cloud.
Habington.
As has been already mentioned, the pri-
soners of importance taken on this occasion
were Santa Anna the President, and General
Cos ; the former was captured on the day
following that on which the engagement
was fought ; he was discovered disguised,
and without any vestige of soldierly uni-
244
form, wandering alone, on the banks of
Buffalo Bayon. This was indeed a sudden
and most overwhelming change ; a terrible
turn in the wheel of fortune. He was se-
cured without difficulty as he had retained
no arms in his sudden flight. It was per-
haps fortunate for him that the party by
whom he was taken were ignorant of his
name and rank, as the people were beyond
measure exasperated against him. Santa
Anna was conveyed without delay to the
presence of General Houston, who, having
been wounded in the ankle during the en-
gagement, was lying underneath a tree.
The head of the Texan General rested up-
on a rough pillow^ his war saddle being
laid under his head ; a blanket was spread
beneath him, and this was his only couch.
Santa Anna was led up to him, and boldly
announced himself thus, — " Soy Antonio
AWT©BI© L^FEl ME SIM! I A MI if A
/ c
245
Lopez de Santa Anna, Presidente de la Re-
publica Mexicana, y General en Gefe del
ejercito de operaciones."*— Upon this intro-
duction General Houston politely requested
his prisoner to take a seat on a medicine
chest : to this he consented, but appearing
rather faint, and not a little agitated, the
chest was opened for some remedy for these
complaints. Having swallowed a conside-
rable quantity of opium, the patient declar-
ed himself better, and found words to say
to his captor " you were born to no ordin-
ary destiny ; you have conquered the Napo-
leon of the West !" What vanity in this
free-booting leader of a degraded and miser-
able people !
The President's own account ofthisinter-
* I am Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President of
the Mexican Republic, and General in Chief of the army
of Operations.
246
view with the Mexican General, when the
latter was a prisoner, and entirely in his
power, is very characteristic of his own
bold and decided nature; his deadly foe
was in his hands, he had proved himself
merciless, and unworthy of faith, and had,
by his own conduct, forfeited all claim to
the consideration and forbearance due to-
wards a prisoner of war. The place of
meeting was not one calculated to impress
the Mexican with awe, or to give him an
exalted idea either of the riches or power
of his conqueror. But the dignity of the
latter did not depend upon outward show,
and he received his prisoner, as a great man
should, — without parade or any outward
demonstration of triumph. In the course
of the conversation which followed, Santa
Anna whether by design, or otherwise, ad-
dressed his captor by the title of General,
247
omitting the word President, &c. and thus,
according to Houston's view of the matter^
tacitly denying his right to independence
and authority. u I only looked at him,
Gentlemen," said the Texan President in
his account of the audience, — " I looked
at him once, and he corrected the mistake ;
if he had'nt, you know, gentlemen, I should
have closed the scene ; " meaning, he
should have at once signed his death
warrant. The look must have been an
expressive one indeed, and yet it may be
doubted whether the Mexican was aware
by how slender a hair the sword that
hung over his head was suspended. Better,
far better would it have been for his
country had the President not allowed his
kindness of heart to overcome his sense
of justice : had he ordered the execution
of Santa Anna, much bloodshed would
248
have been spared, and many evils pre-
vented.
The political motives which influenced
General Houston on this occasion are not
known, but the liberation of Santa Anna
was not effected without great difficulty,
and much opposition. The majority of
the people demanded his execution, as a
just atonement for the blood of their fellow
citizens, who, by his merciless and treache-
rous mode of warfare, had been so inhuman-
ly sacrificed.
After a time, however, a convention was
agreed upon, and the Mexican General
was set at liberty. His intention was to
embark without loss of time for Vera Cruz ;
this however he soon found was not an
easy matter to effect. The rage and ani-
mosity of the Texans against him, had not
in any degree subsided, and the excitement
249
was so great and universal, that it was found
necessary for his own safety, again to place
his person in security. The Texan Presi-
dent, however, contrived with some diffi-
culty to liberate him, and he then embarked
in safety for the United States. He arrived
at Washington on the 18th of December,
and from thence was sent in a ship of war,
by the xlmerican government, to Vera Cruz.
No sooner had this unprincipled man again
obtained power in his own country, than,
forgetful of the noble sentiments and gen-
erosity which had guided the conduct of
the Texan President, he again commenc-
ed his system of annoyance and petty war-
fare; thus proving that however much we
may admire the magnanimity of Houston's
behaviour, the policy which guided him was
mistaken. His treacherous and vindictive
enemy was left free to annoy and harass
M II.
250
the man, who so generously overlooked his
cruelty and his crimes. The frontiers of the
Republic have been constantly disturbed
by this implacable foe, and its progress to-
wards settlement, population, and prosperity
materially retarded.
The victory , of San Jacinto terminated
the struggle for independence in Texas.
Since that event the Mexicans have resorted
to every sort of intrigue, and pursued a
course of policy, which has certainly an-
swered the object for which it was adopted.
The Mexican policy evidently has been, —
by keeping the country in a constant state
of agitation from " threatened invasion," to
check the tide of emigration, which other-
wise could have flowed into Texas. Since
their defeat at Jacinto, however, the Mexi-
cans have never undertaken another organ-
ized campaign against, or invasion of, Texas.
251
It is true that marauding bands have attacked
the frontier towns, and that constant appre-
hensions are entertained of their making
still bolder inroads ; yet notwithstanding
these evident hindrances to emigration, the
country is rapidly encreasing in population,
and there is little doubt that the Anglo
Saxon race, by whom this is chiefly effected,
will ere long overrun the rich provinces of
Northern Mexico. Texas has now been
recognized as an independent republic by
most of the European powers, as well as by
the United States of America. An indus-
trious, agricultural population is rapidly
pouring in from Kentucky and the Northern
States of the Union, while England, France
and Germany, are contributing their share
of emigrants to swell the encreasing tide.
The present population of this rising coun-
try may be estimated at eighty thousand
252
free men, and to these may be added twenty-
two thousand slaves. In the province of
Bexar there are a considerable number of
Mexicans. The Republic is divided into
thirty-six counties.
ft^W.
Red River.
Nacogdoches,
Shelby.
Harrison.
Sabine.
Robertson.
San Augustine.
Montgomery.
Jasper.
Harris.
Jefferson.
Galveston.
Liberty.
Brazoria.
Houston.
Fannin.
Bowie
Jackson.
Burnet.
Victoria.
Fort Bend.
Gonzales.
Austin.
Bexar.
Washington.
Goliad.
Milam.
Refugio.
Bastrop.
San Patricio.
Fayette.
Travis.
Colorado.
Lamar.
Matagorda.
Panola.
The constitution of Texas is modelled,
with some little difference., after that of
253
the United States ; Texas being an in-
tegral, whilst the United States form a
federal, Republic. The legislative power is
exercised by a President and Vice-Presi-
dent, elected for three years, and a Senate,
and House of Representatives, The mem-
bers of the former at present consist of
fifteen, and the latter of thirty-two mem-
bers.
The common law of England, so far as it
is not inconsistent with the constitution,
and the acts of Congress, has been adopted
as the general law of the land. It must
not, however, be supposed, that the colo-
nists of Texas are at all behind-hand in
the art of making laws for themselves. On
the contrary, they enact them with sur-
prising facility. Austin, a town of inconsi-
derable size, on the Colorado river, is the
nominal seat of government. It is, how-
254
ever, situated too near the Comanche In-
dians, to be considered a safe place for the
meeting of Congress ; the Comanchies being
a hostile tribe, and very inveterate in their
hatred of the whites. Washington, a town
on the Brazos, is the actual seat of govern-
ment. A meeting of the Indian tribes is to
take place in a few months at the Waccoo
village, some hundreds of miles from
Washington, up the country. This meet-
ing may be productive of peaceful and con-
ciliatory measures.
CHAPTER XL
THE ISLAND OF GALVESTON. CURIOUS MODE OF BUILD-
ING HOUSES. SIX-ROOMED HOUSE BUILT IN A WEEK.
GO-A-HEAD CAREER OF THE TEXAN S.
An Isle I fain would sing, an island fair,
A place too seldom view'd, yet still in view :
Most obvious to all, yet most unknown to most.
Phineas Fletcher.
I have already remarked, that at a dis-
tance, the city of Galveston — in America
every village is called a city — gives one,
on a first view, no very high idea of its im-
portance. The houses in general are small,
though, here and there, an overgrown rick-
etty looking building speaks of the larger
means and higher pretensions of its occu-
pant. The streets are disposed with not
much regard to regularity ; and the houses
256
are built of wood, most frequently of
planks nailed together, clinker-fashion.
The whole affair has, I must say, at pre-
sent rather a fragile appearance, and it will
readily be conjectured, that when viewed
from the water, any grandeur of effect
must be quite out of the question.
The island of Galveston is about fifteen
miles in length, and seldom exceeds two in
breadth. I have before remarked, that on
its surface it boasts but three trees, and
those are not remarkable for size or
beauty. The soil is rich, and is covered
with the long, thick, and rather rank grass
of the Prairie. The island is intersected
with several inlets of the sea, or Bayons,
as they are called. At present, Galveston
is the only town in existence on the island,
but it is fast rising into size and import-
ance. It is strange, that here, where bricks
257
could so easily be made, the inhabitants
should still continue satisfied with their
wooden tenements. The only bricks I saw
in Galveston were those forming one soli-
tary chimney. It is calculated that, on an
average, these wooden houses last ten
years ; and in the mean time they are very
liable to be blown down. It must not be
supposed, however, that such an occurrence,
—which, by the way, is by no means a rare
one — materially injures the building cap-
sized The houses, in fact, and religious
edifices at Galveston, are formed to endure
shocks of this description. They are all
raised a foot or two from the ground, by
means of small, but solid blocks of wood,
one of which is placed at either of the four
corners. This is ingenious ; it raises the
house out of the road, and in the summer
keeps out the snakes, &c, to say nothing of
258
the pigs. Were brick edifices to be recom-
mended to the Galveston citizens, I have
no doubt that their reply would be, that, in
the first place, the wooden houses occupy
infinitely less time in their erection. To
this I agree, but would it not eventually
answer, in the necessity of rebuilding being
less frequently required ? Another excuse
would be, that the foundation of the soil
being light, the brick buildings would be
more likely to weigh it down than the
wooden ones. This may be the case ; but
cannot good foundations be made, and wet
and light soil improved, and rendered ca-
pable of supporting the weight of an
ordinary house? Another advantage of
a wooden tenement, — which, however,
I am inclined to think, is a questionable
one — consists in its faculty of locomo-
tion. It is no uncommon thing, to see a
259
house of considerable size drawn by means
of a movable windlass to a considerable
distance.
The English church is at present in
rather a dilapidated condition. During a
recent hurricane, it was, in common
with half the town, and the Roman Ca-
tholic Chapel among the rest, thrown
on its beam ends, where it remained
till it was raised up. The city of Gal-
veston fell, as might a pack of cards built
into temporary houses by a child at play !
The Catholic priest, poor man, whose
abode was in the vestry of his little chapel,
took refuge, during the hurricane, in the
Protestant Church, which was the last to
fall. He was afterwards gravely and se-
verely rebuked by the righteous among his
congregation, for his want of faith, and his
taking refuge among the heretics. It might
260
naturally be supposed, that Galveston
would remain, after this visitation, a heap
of ruins ; but no — in an incredibly short
period of time, both houses and churches
were raised from their recumbent position ;
no one was hurt, either in their persons or
their pockets, and business went on the
same as before. It is true, that the church
windows were all broken, and are not yet
repaired ; but we were told that the clergy-
man had gone to Halifax, to obtain funds
from the Bishop for that purpose.
I was quite surprised at the celerity with
which houses are erected here. A very
good six-roomed house is raised, from
floor to ceiling, and rendered fit for habi-
tation in a week. I do not mean to say
that they are remarkably air-tight, or parti-
cularly well arranged; but to build any
house in so short a time is worthy of remark.
261
I have heard, to pursue the subject of houses,
of a description of building, which I am
sure would tell well here, where mud is at
a discount. It is, as nearly as I can recol-
lect, to make a double wall of planks, each
wall being at a distance of some eight or ten
inches from the other. The space between
the two should be filled up with mud, well
pressed down. After a short time, this be-
comes as solid as brick ; and houses built
in this way, would, I am sure, be much
more comfortable. The external air would
be much more effectually excluded ; the
inmates would have less to suffer, both
from cold and heat ; and there is no
doubt, that the houses themselves would
last for a considerable longer period than
they do at present. I cannot assert that
the process of building would be effected
as speedily as it now is : much more time
262
would doubtless be expended ; and time to
these people is money. Perhaps, how-
ever, when the population is greater, and
labour consequently cheaper, some im-
provements in these respects may be ef-
fected. The Texans are an impatient
people; they drive to, and at their end,
with greater velocity than any individuals I
ever saw or heard of. Nothing stops them
in their go-a-head career. The present,
and how to make the most of it, is their
iddejixe, and they are too much occupied
by their daily business, to have leisure to
think calmly of results.
To u go-a-head," is essentially the motto
of the Texan people ; and let them once
get well on their legs, and no people are
better calculated to do it faster. I am not
going to enter into their politics ; but I
thought from the first, and I have heard
263
sensible Texans say the same thing, that
they ought to lean upon some established
power — say the United States, — at least
for the present.
But to return to Galveston ; the city
contains about three hundred covered
buildings, which a bold person would, or
might call houses. There are also four
churches ; rather a considerable proportion,
I should say to the number of inhabitants,
which amount only to about two thousand.
Then, there are temples, squares, theatres,
botanical and zoological gardens ; but they
are only at present on the ground plan.
Altogether, Galveston is a rising city ;
and no doubt will rise in time to be of
considerable importance.
CHAPTER XII.
THE PUBLIC PRESS. COURTESY OF THE TEXANS.
DRY STORES. IMPORTANT POSITION IN SOCIETY OF
THE PIG. THE TURN-OUT HOUSE. CHEWING AND
SPITTTNG. CLIMATE. COMIC SCENE IN CROSSING A
BAYON. FRENCH EMIGRANTS. IDIOT GIRL.
It is the mynd that maketh good or ill,
That maketh wretch or happie, rich or poore ;
For some that hath abundance at his will,
Hath not enough, but wants in greatest store ;
And other that hath little, asks no more,
And in that little is most rich and wise ;
For wisdom is most riches.
Spencer.
There are many large and valuable stores
in Galveston. Under this denomination,
come all sorts of warehouses and maga-
zines, and what in England we should call
shops. There are three newspapers printed
and circulated at Galveston. These have a
265
considerable sale, and as entire liberty of
the press is, of course, allowed, their con-
tents are often amusing enough.
The advertisements, likewise, are by no
means deficient in entertainment. The
most numerous are, I think, those of me-
dical men, of whom Galveston boasts a
large supply. It is quite a treat to a
stranger, at least it was so to me, to drive
through this very original city, and remark
the different amusements, callings, and
trades. There are plenty of attornies' of-
fices. Law is decidedly popular, even in
this new country ; and I noticed no small
sprinkling of grog shops. Some of the
most frequented stores are those containing
drugs and chemicals; and every ship that
comes in is announced as containing
leeches by thousands, quinine by hogs-
heads, and calomel by clots ; to say no-
VOL. I. n
266
thing of demi Johns of Castor oil. Doctor-
ing must answer here, if anything does.
In this colony there exists a spirit of
good will, and mutual helpfulness, very
pleasant to see. I believe this to be the
case in most new settlements, before refine-
ment begets selfishness, and the indulgence
of luxuries hardens the heart. If a settler
happens to require the aid of his neigh-
bour's hands, or working tools, in the per-
formance of any manual labour, the assist-
ance is rendered as readily as it is asked.
This is saying a great deal, for no one
seems to hesitate a moment about consi-
dering his neighbour's property as his own ;
and should the latter not happen to be in
the way, his goods are removed, pro tem-
pore, without scruple.
I have reason to speak gratefully of
the courtesy and civility of the Texans.
267
During our stay among them, I experi-
enced repeated instances of goodwill ; one
in particular, which prepared me for the
rest, I will mention here. The pier
near which the yacht was anchored,
extended a considerable distance into the
sea. The landing was at all times difficulty
more especially so at low water. To a lady,
the clambering ascent, for there were no
steps previous to my arrival, was almost im-
practicable. The morning after our arrival
I prepared to go on shore in the gig, really
dreading the difficulties which, I was told, I
had to encounter. What was my surprise
and satisfaction, to find, when the boat
touched the piles of the wharf, that a most
convenient flight of steps, and a balus-
trade had been erected during the night.
This had been done without any regard to
expense, and solely for my accommodation.
268
The person to whom I was indebted for this
really useful service, neither expected, nor
would receive any remuneration. He was
an ale-house keeper on the wharf, and a very
well educated man, for any station of life.
Such occurrences as these may be called
trifling, but they at least serve, in some
measure, to illustrate the character of the
people, and to justify my remarks on their
willingness to befriend, and render assist-
ance to one another.
The designation of "dry store," is that
which is appended to by far the largest
number of the houses of Galveston. Till I
made enquiries, I could not imagine what
these stores contained. The very name,
too, was an anomaly; for the said dry-
store stands most frequently in water, or at
least in mud and mire, which to English
feet would be scarcely fordable. Trifles
269
such as these are totally disregarded by
these hardy settlers, and their wives and fa-
milies seem equally disposed with them-
selves to make light of difficulties. There
is something very praiseworthy in this un-
daunted spirit of enterprise, and one feels
that it both deserves, and will be rewarded
by eventual success.
Now I am on the subject of mud and
mire, I may as well suggest, that a very
little trouble and expense would raise both
houses and causeways above the inconveni-
ence of wet ; but, as I before remarked,
these people prefer enduring evils to losing
time in remedying them. At present, the
numerous pigs are the only living creatures
who benefit by the oozy prairie, which sur-
rounds nearly every house in Galveston.
The pigs here are as much considered, and
I believe occupy as important a position in
270
society, as those of Ireland* They are not,
however, clean feeders, — those Galveston
swine ; nothing seemed to come amiss to
them, and they disputed the carrion food
with the disgusting turkey buzzards. Hav-
ing observed this, I carefully eschewed
pork during my stay. The pigs themselves
are frightful ; their long tails are destitute
of curl, even when suffered to retain their
original number of joints. This, however,
is seldom the case. The dogs, both wild
and tame, are inveterate pig hunters ; being
often hungry withal, the latter frequently
suffer, and it was a rare sight to meet one of
these unclean beasts with either ears or tail.
Thus, all creatures here make up their
minds to bear the ills which flesh is heir to.
It is a truth, which every moment is forced
upon one, that those difficulties and dis-
comforts, which would appear most formi-
271
dable to us, are unfelt and unnoticed by
them ; and that, where an Englishman would
sink, past redemption, in the mire of des-
pondency, they, to their praise and credit
be it spoken, contrive to struggle through.
There is one large and flourishing hotel
at Galveston, besides several smaller ones.
In the former, the Tremont House, as it is
called, assemble the fashionable portions of
the society. The table d'hote dinner hour
is two ; and, after the quarter of an hour,
which is the time an American generally
allows himself to devote to this meaL has
elapsed, they are to be seen reading the news-
paper under the wide verandah of the hotel,
in every variety of bodily contortion. I
believe it is not in the nature of an Ameri-
can to sit still, or to sit straight. They are
perpetually either rocking or balancing
themselves in their chairs, or, with legs
272
hanging over the railing of the verandah,
performing that frightful act of uncleanli-
ness, on which Mr. Dickens has heaped
such deserved reprobation. I wonder what
the American ladies are about, that they
do not put a stop to this latter proceeding,
which, and I do not exaggerate, is men-
tioned with disgust in all civilized societies,
whenever the manners and habits of our
transatlantic brethren chance to come
under discussion. I have reason to believe
that the fair "ladies of the land" are as de-
licate and refined in their habits, as they
are well educated and beautiful ; that they
have unbounded influence over, and are
treated with marked respect and considera-
tion by the hardy " sons of the soil/' ad-
mits not of a doubt ; — then why do they not,
one and all, rise up and say to their hus-
bands., their brothers, and their lovers,
273
u Cast away that lump of tobacco, which
disfigures your appearance, and renders
your voice and manner of speaking ridicu-
lous ; I will have no chewing. I will have
no spitting. If you must smoke, do it in
moderation, and with propriety , but let our
floors, our hearths, be secure from pollu-
tion." American ladies! do this, and you
may not only as now be proud of your
countrymen as men, but vain of them as
gentlemen.
But to give up being personal, and re-
turn to more general subjects. From all
I could learn, and judging from the opi-
nion of a skilful medical man, who had
been a long time in the country, I should
say, that the climate of Galveston Island is
by no means unhealthy. Of course, in
these latitudes, the heat, during two or
three months in the year, must be very
N II.
274
great. July, August, and September, are
the most trying months; then the mus-
quito rages ; and men doubtless long for
trees, and cooling streams, and shelter
from the sun. Of the climate, during the
remaining nine months of the year, I heard
no complaint, even among our dissatisfied
countrymen. The scenery, if such it can
be called, is totally without variety : a long
monotonous prairie, with occasional tus-
socks of high grass, little plots of reeds,
and frequent bogs, cover the whole extent
of the island. The soil is rich, and well
adapted to grazing purposes. There are a
good many deer, which are sold in the
market at about two dollars each. Fowls
and turkeys, alias gobblers, are brought
from the main land, distant about four
miles ; the usual price of the former is ten-
pence ; and of the latter, one dollar each.
275
The only " drive" is on the sea-beach,
and a most beautiful beach it is — so hard
and smooth, with its fine sand, that you
scarcely hear your horse's foot fall, as he
trots, or rather runs along — a light car-
riage behind him, and the broad prairie
spreading far before. Occasionally you are
— I was going to say — stopped, but I should
have been wrong : no one is stopped in
this country by anything short of a bowie-
knife, or a rifle-ball ; but your progress is
delayed by an interesting Bayon, through
which you have to wade, or swim, as the
case may be. There is neither time nor
spare cash to erect bridges; and, indeed,
were the expense to be incurred, the pro-
bability is they would be washed away by
the first rain, or by a more than usually high
tide. Bridges then being out of the ques-
tion, nothing is left you but to make the
276
best of such means of transport as are
within your reach. If you fortunately
chance to meet with any person who has
lately crossed, you ask, "Well, Sir, is it
swimming ?" Should the answer be in the
affirmative, and you happen to be on
horseback, equipped for a journey, with your
plunder (luggage) about you, you " up sad-
dle-bags," and boldly plunge into the stream.
Should your route lie along the shore, the
safest plan is to go a good way out to
sea — on — on — till you find yourself
well out among the breakers. I confess,
that at first this struck me as rather an
alarming proceeding ; but, in fact, it is much
the safest plan ; there being always a bar
of sand formed across the mouth of these
bayons, and if you can hit that, the depth
of water is much lessened.
At the crossing of one of these bayons,
277
we once witnessed a most comical scene,
We were returning from a shooting ex-
cursion in a light carriage, and were ac-
companied by an English gentleman on
horseback. We had crossed our last bayon
in safety, when we found a traveller,
going in the contrary direction on foot,
waiting patiently for a lift over the water.
He was a Frenchman, and his figure
was rather an anomaly in these wild re-
gions; he was accoutred in the full cos-
tume of la jeune France ; long chevelure,
pantalons a sous pied ; coat 5 guiltless of
collar, and painted boots : sure " such a
man was never formed" to tread the path-
less prairies, and how he got there, and
who he was, I could not guess, and never
have to this day, But there he stood,
bowing and shrugging, with a most cat-like
horror of wetting his feet. He was evi-
278
dently most anxiously looking out for an
opportunity of crossing the awful looking
breakers dry-shod. No sooner did our
companion perceive his situation, than he
kindly offered to recross the water, pro-
vided the Frenchman would mount behind
him. This, however, was sooner said than
done ; it being no easy matter for a gen-
tleman, evidently not too well skilled in
equestrian exercises, to effect a location on
the back of a fiery steed, quite unused to
carry any extra burden. The cavalier at-
tempted to spring up, au pantalon dtroit ;
but it was all in vain ; for after each suc-
cessive effort he found himself stretched
on terra jirma. After many fruitless at-
tempts, he changed his ground, and
eventually succeeded in fixing himself in
front, with his arms clinging closely round
our friend's throat. In vain, however,
279
the unfortunate rider, suffering for his phi-
lanthropy, implored to be released. " Mais
Monsieur," vociferated the Frenchman, in
the true spirit of Sinbad's " Old Man of the
Sea/' " Je suis tres bien comme 5a." " If
you are, I'm not," was the reply ; and in a
moment, the arms were transferred to the
neck of the horse ; and thus, with legs
dangling, and himself hanging on as if for
the bare life, the poor foreigner was safely
conveyed across the breakers. We laughed
heartily, and would, I fear, willingly have
increased our merriment, by seeing the fo-
reigner struggling in the shallow water.
Poor man ! his troubles were not yet at an
end. A small bundle which he had held in
his hand had fallen from his grasp, and
during his equestrian exploits had drifted
well out to sea ! What this precious bun-
dle contained we had yet to learn. No
280
sooner was its owner in safety, than hat in
hand, and hair streaming in the breeze, he
made his compliments to his deliverer.
"Mille remercimens." — "Ce n'est rien, une
complaisance de prairie, dans ce pays sau-
vage il faut s'aider Tun et 1'autre." " C'est
vrai, et voyez vous, Monsieur, j'etais fort
embarrasse, c'est que je portais le bonnet
de Madame ma femme," Here he disco-
vered his loss, which in the agitation of the
moment had passed unnoticed. "Mais
mon dieu ! on est il done le bonnet de ma
femme V 9 The Englishman pointed si-
lently to the sea, and we left our friend on
the beach, shrugging his shoulders in impo-
tent despair.
Now that I am on the subject of emi-
grant Frenchmen, I must say a word on
the extreme fitness of these people to cope
with the inconveniences of a new country,
281
such as Texas. They are more light of
heart, and less easily depressed than the
English settler ; added to which, their
wants are fewer, and more easily supplied.
If a Frenchman, in the distant and scarcely
inhabited prairie, finds himself in want of a
dinner, he takes his rifle, cries, " a la chasse?
and is as proud and happy if he returns
with a small lark, to regale himself after
his toil, as an Englishman would be had he
brought home a fat buck.
One evening, as I stood on the wharf,
waiting for the gig to come off from the
Dolphin, I witnessed the disembarkation of
one hundred and fifteen emigrants, shipped
by the authorities from France. They were
a motley group ; most of them well clothed,
and one and all looking cheerful and
happy. Among them, I remarked a poor
old man, erect and strong. He was dressed
282
like a farmer, but from his carriage, I
thought must have been a soldier in his
youth. He had on a blouse, with a fur
casquette on his head ; his wife carried his
gun, and he was surrounded by his chil-
dren. He told me he had left his farm,
near Verdun, to settle in Texas. In his
own country he was a poor man ; here, his
children (he had eleven of them) at any
rate would not starve. " Madame," he
said, " nous ne sommes pas des paresseux,
nous sommes ici pour travailler." There
was a promise of success in the old man's
energetic tone, as he uttered these words.
It was, he said, very pleasant to be greeted
by kindly words in a foreign land, on his
first landing. He was one of Napoleon's
old soldiers. u Je ne suis pas aristocrate,
moi." (What egotism there is in a
Frenchman.) Moi! The tears stood in
283
the old man's eyes, as he offered me a
pinch of snuff. It was all he had to give ;
and I received the offering in the spirit in
which it was made. His old tabatiere was
modelled after the petit CaporaVs cocked
hat; it was of tin, polished and shining
from long use.
Among the group stood an idiot girl.
I was much struck by her appearance:
though her deficiency in intellect was evi-
dent from a certain wandering gaze in her
dark eyes, which it was impossible to mis-
take, yet her countenance betrayed but little
of that vacuity, which is so generally indica-
tive of her class. Such pitiable objects as
decided idiots have frequently something
revolting in their manner and appearance ;
with this poor emigrant however there was
nothing of this, and I looked at her with
unmixed feelings of interest and compassion.
284
She was not exactly pretty, but her features
were small, and interesting, and of all the
party her person appeared the cleanest, and
her attire the least untidy and neglected*
I was sufficiently interested to enquire her
history, and learnt that she was the daugh-
ter of poor parents in the neighbourhood of
Verdun. An object of compassion from her
birth, she had nevertheless not been quite a
useless burthen upon her parents. Her
docility was remarkable, and she learnt to
be useful in various little matters. An-
nette — for that was her name — was very
deaf, and she had an impediment in her
speech, which rendered her utterance ex-
tremely painful ; still a through the gloomy
vaults of the dull idiot's brain" meandered
ideas peculiar to herself, and when the
difference between right and wrong was put
before her, the natural goodness of her dis-
285
position led her to refuse the evil and
choose the good.
It happened that the child of a small
farmer in Annette's village — he was the
very old Buonapartist with whom I found
her on the wharf — strayed away one sum-
mer's day, and was not missed for several
hours : he was a little boy of some three
years old. Annette was present when the
loss of the little plaything of the house was
discovered : she witnessed the agony of the
mother, and the manly grief of the old
farmer. That night Annette's little bed
was unoccupied.
One day, and another passed away. The
country was scoured in all directions, in
search of the missing ones, but without
effect. On the third evening, when the mo-
ther had almost given up hope in the sick-
ness of despair, Annette gently entered with
286
the young boy in her arms ; noiselessly she
stept, and the mother saw and heard no-
thing till she felt her child's warm kisses on
her cheek ! Enquiries were showered upon
both, — where had they been ? In what
situation had the idiot girl discovered the
lost child? They could not tell — the
girl's poor head was weak and wandering,
and her companion was but an infant.
Something he told of a hollow tree, and of
Annette's cloak being wrapt about him ; she
had fed him too with bread which she had
brought — and this was all they knew.
Soon after this poor Annette became an
orphan, and the father, grateful to the feeble
minded girl who had saved the child of his
old age, brought her with his family to this
new country, and she was unto him as a
daughter. When I saw Annette the hand
of the rosy faced boy was in hers ; she was
287
evidently a favourite, and a playfellow. I
have no fear, but that the poor girl will do
well in the wilderness ; there is here such
an universal feeling of kindness towards
childhood and helplessness. She looked
happy and careless like the rest, and I am
certain she will never want a friend, as long
as Texan hearts remain, as they are now,
in the right place.
How little did any of these poor people
conceive of the difficulties that awaited
them ! " Is not this Bexar T they asked
immediately on their landing ; and when
they were told that they had some hun-
dreds of miles of difficult country to travel
over before they could arrive at the pro-
mised land : though they looked disap-
pointed for a moment, yet the spirit of hope
was soon awake again, and like the pilgrims
of old they went on their way rejoicing.
288
Notwithstanding the hopeful, and even
joyous expression which I remembered on
the countenances of these emigrants, the
sight altogether left a sad and painful im-
pression on my mind. I can fancy I see
them now, those pale cold faces, and shiver-
ing forms interspersed among bales of cotton
on the unsheltered wharf: a bitterly cold
and fierce norther is blowing upon them,
and their scanty garments are but ill pre-
pared to screen them from its violence.
Heaven only knows whether they will ever
realize the fortunes they have come so far
to seek, but as I bid them adieu, I wished
them success from the bottom of my heart.
After this interesting sight, we went on
board the Dolphin, with two of our corps
diplomatique, Captain Elliot, and Monsieur
de Cramayel. As usual the affairs of the Re-
public, especially as regarded the important
289
subject of emigrants were discussed. We all
agreed that it was incumbent on all govern-
ments sending out parties to this new, and
little known country, to obtain every inform-
ation which could be useful to the settlers,
previous to their departure. In case of
failure, also, or of sickness, their should be
means of relief at hand, and large families
should not be permitted to leave their homes,
with even the possibility of starvation before
them. From Captain Elliot I always gained
much valuable information in regard to this
young and interesting country.
Our acquaintances in this little settlement
were necessarily few, and we were really
obliged to those among them, who were
willing to share the monotony of our sea life.
I beg to offer many thanks to the corps di-
plomatique of Texas for the agreeable va-
riety of their society,
VOL, I. O
290
I regret extremely, that owing to our
living on board the Dolphin, I did not ex-
tend my acquaintance among the pleasant
society, which I am aware the city of Galves-
ton affords. I hope, at some future visit, to
be able to make amends for the loss, which
was caused by those unavoidable impedi-
ments to visiting — viz. stormy days, — and
foaming seas. We were not in a situation
to be hospitable at the time of our anchor-
age in Galveston bay.
CHAPTER XIII.
SPORTING IN TEXAS. PROVISIONS. BOGS. DEER SHOOT-
ING. THE MUSTANY, OR WILD HORSE. FISH.
GALVESTON FORT. IMPROVIDENCE AND IDLENESS OF
THE TEXANS. RETURN TO NEW ORLEANS.
To snare the fish we fix the luring bait ;
To wound the fowl we load the gun with fate.
Parnell.
Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own.
Wordsworth.
There is not much variety of amusement
at Galveston. Game, however, was plentiful
in the neighbourhood ; and of this we took
advantage, and never missed a day without
going out to try our skill. Horses were to
be hired in plenty, and not very bad ; there
is a certain Captain Gary, in Galveston, who
keeps, what is courteously termed, a livery
292
stable. He is a free negro, who with great
labour and perseverance saved up money to
the amount of a thousand dollars, and pur-
chased his freedom. Horses are to be had
from him at half a dollar a day, with a sort
of carriage included. In this vehicle our
little party daily packed up their guns, and
sometimes their fishing tackle, and sallied
forth in quest of adventures. Their sport
was very varied. When the wind was north-
erly, there were flocks of sea-birds, in num-
bers almost incredible, ducks of every des-
cription, the delicious canvass-back, the man-
darin, the pintail, and our common wild
duck, all good ; but the most numerous
kinds were scarcely eatable, being hard and
fishy. The geese were the most difficult to
shoot, being very shy ; and from the want
of cover in the prairie, they generally saw
us in sufficient time to get out of our way.
293
Mr. Houston however, contrived sometimes
to bring one down, and that at distances
of one hundred and fifty yards ; but they
are not worth eating for no keeping
makes them tender, and they taste much
more of fish than fowl. No one must
be surprised at our attempts to eat near-
ly every thing we shot. Our dinners, with
the exception of game, consisted always
of beef ; mutton was not to be had —
a sheep being quite a sight at Galveston.
Pigs, to be sure, there were ; but they fed
so uncleanly, upon snakes and dead dogs,
that recourse to them was not to be
thought of. Turkeys and fowls were
scarce, and we had had enough of them on
the voyage. The venison is good, but des-
titute of fat ; the price of a deer is about
two dollars. Soon after our arrival, Mr.
Houston went to the main-land, and came
294
back with a magnificent deer, which he had
brought down with small shot. It caused
great jealousy among the Galvestonists.
" I say, Captain, so you've been using up
our deer, I see/' said one of these gentle-
men to him, when he returned triumph-
ant with the spoil. I remember, on the
same day, that I took a drive on the sea-
beach ; the day was fine, and I saw
many beautiful, and some curious birds.
There was the pelican standing drowsily in
the shallow water, and as we approached,
wheeling away with his heavy lagging
flight. There were beautiful herons of va-
rious kinds, and a flight of spoonbills, of a
brilliant rose-colour, like the flamingo.
More inland, the bright plumaged cardinal
darted past us, while the yellow larks
skimmed above us, in vast numbers. It
was a pleasant day, and I well remember it.
295
Mr. Houston was so pleased by his sue-
cess with the deer, that the day following
we tried our fortune again. We were not
very systematic in our arrangements, and
were easily beguiled out of our path by
any game that chanced to come in our way.
Bogs are frequent, and not a little dan-
gerous, as there are scarcely any visible
signs of them, and if you are unlucky
enough to get well into one, the chances
are rather against your soon getting out
again. In the neighbourhood of these bogs
snipes are very plentiful, and Mr. Houston
had left me in charge of the carriage, and
was fast filling his pockets with those birds,
when I espied a fine deer bound out of the
rushes, not ten yards behind him. Unluc-
kily, he neither saw nor heard him, and I
had the mortification to see the animal get
away without a shot being fired at him.
296
Soon after, we saw by the help of our
glass, two deer feeding together at a dis-
tance. They are extremely shy, and our
only plan was to surround them, making
the circle smaller by degrees. I took up
my position at one angle ; Captain E., who
accompanied us, at another ; and Mr.
Houston, with his rifle, at the third. The
deer stood a moment at gaze, evidently
doubting at which point to make his es-
cape. Unluckily for himself, he chose the
strongest position, and while in full career,
he received his death wound from Mr.
Houston's rifle. I must confess, that anx-
ious as I always was that the shot should not
miss, yet I always felt a reaction of regret,
when I saw the prey stretched lifeless be-
fore me. On this occasion, though they
assured me the deer was to all intents and
purposes dead, yet I could not see his qui-
297
vering limbs, and leathern coat, stretched
almost to bursting by convulsive sighs,
without reproaching myself for having been
a party to his assassination. I felt still
more remorse, when we discovered that his
companion, the friend perhaps of years,
would not leave the spot where he had
fallen, but kept hovering about, just out
of gun-shot, long after the remains of his
companion had been removed.
I must here tell an American anecdote of
deer shooting. One of our acquaintances,
as a proof of the great tenacity of life in
these animals, informed me, that he had
once shot a deer, had cut its throat, and
half skinned it, when, rather to his surprise,
the animal suddenly rose, looked about
him, and finally trotted off. " He required
another ball in his heart to finish him — -
and that's a fact, Madam."
o II.
298
Wild swans are very numerous, but too
shy for sport ; the price of a swan's skin is
a dollar. The best bird I tasted in Texas
was the prairie hen ; it is a delicious com-
pound of pheasant, grouse, and partridge.
People that have been in India say that it
resembles the jungle fowl of that country.
It is as large as a pheasant, with spurs or
tufts of feathers on its heels. We killed
quantities of snipes, and plovers — some-
times twenty at a shot. The inhabitants
do not waste their ammunition upon such
small game, except the boys, who from the
age of five years are intrusted with a rifle ;
and dangerous enough are these inexperi-
enced sportsmen to harmless passers by.
The perseverance of these people when a
deer is in question, is remarkable ; they
will creep in a horizontal position, in the
long grass, for hours together ; sometimes,
299
perhaps, not advancing more than a yard in
a minute. Our livery-stable keeper. Captain
Cary, earned a great portion of his freedom
money in this way. A drunken rascal he
was, with a head covered with black wool
and shaped like a sugar loaf. He let out a
great many horses to our sailors at differ-
ent times ; and when we first arrived, they
seemed to prefer a ride to the grog shop ;
though there was every variety of apple-
toddy, egg-nogg, gin-sling, hot tom-and-
jerry, and juleps of every kind advertised at
the numerous bar-rooms, in most tempting
array. It was quite amusing to see them
mounted on high stepping horses, riding
as only sailors do, as hard as they could go,
without any definite object — their hats at
the back of their heads, their loose trowsers
above their knees, and full three feet
of daylight between themselves and their
300
saddles. At the risk of their own lives
and the horses, they would come gallop-
ing down the slight wooden pier, shout-
ing and hallooing, for the admiration of
their comrades on board. This love of
equestrian exercise, however, did not last
long. The charms of " Social Hall," " Ten
Pin Alley/' and the " Travellers' Friend,"
soon seduced them, and more than once
their leave was broken, and they returned
intoxicated to the vessel.
The mustany, or wild horse, I w T as not
fortunate enough to see in any numbers.
They are small, strong, and wiry ; but, as I
before remarked, difficult to tame, and apt
to be vicious. I saw one just lassoed, with
the Mexican, who had caught him, on his
back; he was using great, but I suppose
necessary severity. I do not know which
looked the wildest, the horse or his rider.
301
On the day that I saw this animal, we had ra-
ther a disagreeable adventure., namely, be-
ing nearly swamped in a bog in the prairie.
Our horse floundered in, but luckily the
hind wheels of the carriage were on terra
firma. By this means we were able, after
a good hour's labour, to rescue the poor
animal from his disagreeable situation.
It is really quite melancholy to see the
innumerable bones of animals, which are
scattered over the face of the country.
During our drives and rides, we were con-
stantly stumbling over these dismal looking
remains, bleaching in the sun. The bones
are principally those of horned cattle,
which have sunk too deeply in the bogs
to be able to extricate themselves. No
greater proof than this can be required
to prove the immense quantity of cattle
that exist in this country. Often I have
302
perceived the head and shoulders of an
unfortunate animal just appearing above
the surface of the bog. Life being still in
the creature, we have thought it advisable
to send a merciful bullet through its de-
voted head. Mr. Houston, on one occa-
sion, was on the point of putting a period
to the sufferings of a poor beast, thus
doomed to a living grave ; he was, how-
ever, deterred by the recollection of a piece
of advice he had previously received. The
Texans are particularly sensitive about the
interference of strangers in any of their
affairs ; and it is more than probable, that
the shooting of a cow, however well inten-
tioned the act, would give rise to disagree-
able language, and possibly to measures of
retaliation.
There are many kinds of excellent fish at
Galveston. The best of these is decidedly
303
the red fish. It very much resembles the
cod in flavour, and grows to the length of
fifteen feet. We found it excellent when
salted.
There are likewise immense quantities of
grey mullet, which, though certainly an in-
ferior fish, are nevertheless verv welcome
when no other, nor better sorts are to be
procured. At low water, they were taken
from the pier by means of a casting net.
Oysters are much in demand, oyster soup
being a favourite delicacy among the Ame-
ricans. They are large, and coarse, and by
no means highly flavoured. We often took
grey mullet ourselves with a casting net;
and occasionally, in the Bayons, Mr. H.
hooked a red fish, which was a pleasant va-
riety in our sports. The bait for them was
a piece of crab, or oyster. I was disap-
pointed at finding so small a variety of
304
shells along the coast. For the first few
days after my arrival, I wearied my eyes
with looking for treasures of this description.
I soon, however, discovered that I must
give up the search in despair, I never
found, notwithstanding this deficiency, that
the drives along the sea-beach were either
dull or monotonous. There were always
ducks to circumvent or surprise, and pelicans
to watch, as they stood unconcernedly in the
water ; and generally, travellers to enter
into conversation with. I regretted that
the time was drawing near when we were
to leave the island. We are, however, look-
ing forward to returning when the weather
is finer, and the prairie not so wet.
The sea fogs were just now very disagree-
able, and it must have been extremely un-
safe for ships to venture near the land. On
the 9th of January a large vessel was seen.
305
This was an event of importance, and it
was quite delightful to perceive the masts
and sails of what we plainly perceived was
an English man-of-war, breaking the line of
the horizon. By degrees, and as the vessel
approached nearer the land, she was pro-
nounced to be the Electra, an English cor-
vette. Her arrival on the Texan coast had
been expected, and the pilot went out to her
immediately in his little schooner* The
sea mist, which had partially cleared away,
came on again so thickly, shortly after his
departure, that he found it impossible to
find the ship. In consequence of this, the
Electra stood off to sea again. This sort
of weather continued for about a fortnight ;
it is true, we had occasional glimpses of sun,
but they shone through such a curtain of
misty haze, as to be as unlike the bright
king of day as possible.
306
It is very curious, the suddenness with
which these mists roll away. During this
time there was no rain, and our sporting
amusements went on as usual. The day
before that on which we intended bidding
adieu, for the present, to the young Republic,
we had some rifle practice with the seven
barrel. A deserted house was the object,
and the owner's old boots the particular
aim. Mr. Houston gained credit from the
lookers on for the correctness of his aim at
this singular and original target.
Not far from the scene of this exploit is
the fort of Galveston ! Not willingly would
I speak in disparaging terms of any of the
warlike defences of the city ; but I cannot
really advise the good citizens to trust
too much, or too implicitly to them. Their
safety in case of an attack by sea, lies in
the difficulty of access to their coast. The
307
bar at the mouth of the harbour, and the
shallowness of the water, form a natural
barrier to invasion^ by means of that ele-
ment. For the same cause, a navy is al-
most a useless possession to themselves. I
believe the President always strongly object-
ed to having the Republic burdened by the
purchasing, fitting up, and maintaining the
expence of ships of war. In the present
financial condition of the country, a navy is
a worse than useless incumbrance.
The extreme apathy and indolence of
these people, when there is no present and
personal good to arise from their exerting
themselves, is really wonderful; love of
country, though I believe it to be strong
within them, is as nothing compared with
self interest and aggrandisement. I believe
the same observations would apply to most
individuals throughout the world, but I
308
could not help being struck with its peculiar
applicability to these Republicans. As a
proof of this, I may mention that there were
lying in the harbour of Galveston, a brig
and a steamer, both vessels of war ; they
were both aground, and were literally falling
to pieces for want of repair, a prey to ma-
rine insects and vermin of all kinds. A
little money, and a very slight degree of
exertion, expended in time, would have
saved two valuable vessels to the Republic,
and also their harbour from exhibiting a
most unsightly monument of their impro-
vidence and idleness. The revenue of the
country is not at present sufficient to play
ducks and drakes with ; w r hat it may be here-
after time will shew, as well as the disposi-
tion of the people as to its expenditure. In
the mean time, the money arising from the
sale of these vessels would have been some-
309
thing. Not long ago a large steamer went
on shore on the island about ten miles from
Galveston city. She belonged to a Galves-
ton merchant, and contained a large cargo
of cotton. She very soon broke up, as a
heavy norther was blowing at the time, and
very little of her besides her engine was
saved. A good many bales of cotton were
floated on shore, and we used to meet por-
tions of the iron work being hauled (An-
glice carted) along the beach to Galveston.
Altogether the loss must have been a heavy
one to the proprietor. Cotton, harmless as
it looks, sometimes turns out a most dan-
gerous cargo. If at the time it is packed, it
happens to contain the least degree of mois-
ture, it is apt to ignite, in the same manner
as hay when pressed into a heap, in a similar
state.
Our kind friend, Monsieur de Crama-
310
yel, the Charge d'Afifaires for France,, had
sent me a most beautiful little live hawk, of
a species quite new to me, which he had
shot, but it was only " seriously " not " dan-
gerously wounded. " The sailors, — who
certainly are the most tender hearted people
in the world, as far as as dumb animals are
concerned, — nursed it through its illness,
and soon made it quite tame and sociable.
We had by this time accumulated quite a
menagerie on board. My favourite dog, I
have related before, died of a coup de soleil
at Jamaica : long may the graceful boughs
of the cocoa nut tree wave over his tomb !
We had still, however, old Rake the setter,
who is I regret to say, far gone in decrepi-
tude, and second childishness ; like many
other better dogs than himself, he has had
his day ; yet still u sans eyes — sans teeth
— sans everything" — the old dog always
311
finds a warm berth, a kind word, and the best
of dogs' food that can be had for asking. Be-
sides this worthy animal we had two mocking
birds, an eagle and a goat. The latter we
found a most useful animal, though not equal
in beauty to her predecessor; she was
bought at New Orleans with her kid. The
latter soon found its way into a pie ; those
on board, with harder hearts than I could
boast of, eating of it with great satisfaction.
I heard the poor goat wandering about the
decks over our heads, in search of her child,
and uttering dismal bleatings, while her pro-
geny was under discussion. Had I had the
heart to partake of it, I am sure I never
again could have looked poor Nan in the
face with any degree of assurance.
We had serious thoughts of continu-
ing our course southward, to visit Vera
Cruz, and thence to proceed to Mexico.
312
Several circumstances however deterred us
from following this plan. In the first place
we were by no means sure that, coming from
the port of a hostile country, we should be
well received by the Mexicans. Another
reason was, the want of a tolerable road
between Vera Cruz and the capital. Three
hundred miles over rocks and stones, a-
mongst brigands, and thieves, was enough
to turn back the boldest of us. To New
Orleans, therefore, it was decided that we
should again betake ourselves.
The Electra, after a fortnight's absence,
or rather after standing on and off the shore,
had at length succeeded in coming to an
anchor outside the bar. She has brought
despatches for Captain Elliot, and we are to
take him out to the Corvette in the Yacht.
January 26th. — We took our pilot on
board, he having assured us that there was
313
sufficient depth of water on the bar for us
to go out of the harbour.
I was really quite sorry to say adieu to
this island, where we had lingered so long.
We had on board our friends of the corps
diplomatique, who were bound, as the Yan-
kees say, to pay a visit to Captain Darley,
on board the Electra. We passed the for-
midable obstacle of the bar without any
difficulty, and, soon after, put both pilot and
passengers into the boat of the former, with
many farewells and good wishes. We pass-
ed close to the bows of the Electra, and
remarkably well she looked to us, accus-
tomed to Yankee and Texan craft. The
wind was favourable, and we steered a
direct course to the southwest pass of the
Mississippi.
If we escape the dangers of plague, pesti-
lence, famine, and shipwreck, and live to
vol. i. p
314
return to Texas, I shall, I have no doubt
have something more to say about the
young Republic. " It's a fine country and
that's a fact."
END OF VOL. i.
PRINTED BY W. NICOL, 60, PALL MALL,
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