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NEW ORLEANS TO NEW YORK. xiii

fortable apartment, from the windows of which he can enjoy
the constantly varying scenery, so new to European tra-
vellers.

On leaving New Orleans, in ascending the river, thte
country, still the same continuous flat, is enriched and en-
livened by a succession of pretty houses and plantations, with
each a small negro town near them, as well as the sugar-
houses, gardens, and summer-houses, which give the idea of
wealth and industry. For sixty miles the banks present the
appearance of one continued village, skirted with plantations
of cotton, sugar-cane, and rice, for about two miles from the
river, bounded in the rear, by the uncultivated swamps and
woods. The boat proceeds continually near the shore on one
side or the other, and attracts the inhabitants to the front of
their neat houses, placed amidst orange groves, and shaded with
vines and beautiful evergreens. I was surprised to see the
swarms of children of all colours that issued from these abodes.
In infancy, the progeny of the slave, and that of his master,
seem to know no distinction ; they mix in their sports, and ap-
pear as fond of each other, as the brothers and sisters of one
family ; but in activity, life, joy, and animal spirits, the little
negro, unconscious of his future situation, seems to me to enjoy
more pleasure in this period of his existence, than his pale com-
panions. The sultry climate of Louisiana, perhaps, is more
congenial to the African constitution, than to that of the
European.

The next morning we arrived at Baton Rouge, 127 miles
on our journey ; a pretty little town, on the east side, and
the first rising ground we had seen, being delightfully
situated on a gradual acclivity, from which, is a fine view of
the surrounding flats. The fine barracks close to it, contain
a few companies of troops. We here stopped to take in
some ladies, who continued with us to the end of the voyage.
To this place the leveé, or artificial banks, are continued
on both sides of the river from New Orleans, without which
the land would be continually overflowed. From this to
Natches (232 miles), the country is not interesting, consisting
principally of dense forest and wilderness, impenetrable to the
eye, diversified, however, by the various water fowl which the
passing vessels disturb, in their otherwise solitary haunts, and
by the number of black and gray squirrels leaping from branch
to branch in the trees. The great blue kingfisher, which is
common here, is so tame, as scarcely to move, as the boat passes,