CHAPTER VII.
The next day after my return to Mobile, I found myself very ill, and not a little alarmed by an excessive pain in my head, attended with a high fever; this disorder soon settled in my eyes, nature pursuing that way to expel the malady, causing a most painful defluxion of pellucid, corrosive water; notwithstanding, I next day set off on board a large trading boat, the property of a French gentleman, and commanded by him (he being general interpreter for the Chactaw nation), on his return to his plantations, on the banks of Pearl river: our bark was large, well equiped for sailing, and manned with three stout Negroes, to row in case of necessity. We embarked in the evening, and came to about six miles below the town, at a pleasant farm, the master of which (who was a Frenchman) entertained us in a very polite and friendly manner. The wind favourable, next morning early we set sail again, and having made extraordinary way, about noon came up abreast of a high steep bluff, or perpendicular cliff of high land, touching on the bay of the west coast, where we went on shore, to give liberty to the slaves to rest and refresh themselves. In the mean time I accompanied the captain on an excursion into the spacious level forests, which spread abroad from the shore to a great distance back; observed vestiges of an ancient fortress and settlement, and there yet remain a few pieces of iron cannon; but what principally attracted my notice, was three vast iron pots or kettles, each of many hundred gallons contents: upon enquiry, my associate informed me they were for the purpose of boiling tar to pitch, there being vast forests of Pine trees in the vicinity of this place. In Carolina the inhabitants pursue a different method; when they design to make pitch, they dig large holes in the ground, near the tar kiln, which they line with a thick coat of good clay, into which they conduct a sufficient quantity of tar, and set it on fire, suffering it to flame and evaporate a length of time sufficient to convert it into pitch, and when cool, lade it into barrels, and so on until they have consumed all the tar, or made a sufficient quantity of pitch for their purpose.
After re-imbarking, and leaving this bluff a few miles, we put into shore again, and came to a farm house, a little distance from the water, where we supplied ourselves with Corn meal, Batatas, bacon, &c. The French gentleman (proprietor of the plantation) was near eighty years old, his hair almost white with age, yet he appeared active, strong and muscular; and his mother who was present, was one hundred and five years old, active and cheerful, her eyes seemed as brisk and sparkling as youth, but she was of a diminutive size, not half the stature and weight of her son: it was now above fifty years since she came into America from old France.
I embarked again, proceeding down the bay, and in the evening doubled the west point or cape of the bay, being a promontory of the main, between which and Dauphin island, we entered the channel Oleron. From this time, until we arrived at this gentleman’s habitation on Pearl river, I was incapable of making any observations, for my eyes could not bear the light, as the least ray admitted seemed as the piercing of a sword: and by the time I had arrived at Pearl river, the excruciating pain had rendered me almost frantic and stupified for want of sleep, of which I was totally deprived; and the corroding water, every few minutes, streaming from my eyes, had stripped the skin off my face, in the same manner as scalding water would have done. I continued three days with this friendly Frenchman, who tried every remedy, that he or his family could recollect, to administer relief, but to no purpose. My situation was now become dangerous, and I expected to sink under the malady, as I believe my friends here did. At last the man informed me, on Pearl island, about twelve miles distance, resided an English gentleman, who had a variety of medicines, and if I chose to go to him he would take me there. I accordingly bid adieu to this hospitable family, and set off with him in a convenient boat; before night arrived at Mr. Rumsey’s, who received me kindly, and treated me with the utmost humanity, during a stay of four or five weeks. The night however after my arrival here I sincerely thought would be my last, and my torments were so extreme as to desire it: having survived this tedious night, I in some degree recovered my senses, and asked Mr. Rumsey if he had any Cantharides; he soon prepared a blister plaister for me, which I directed to be placed betwixt my shoulders; this produced the desired relief, and more than answered my expectation, for it had not been there a quarter of an hour before I fell asleep, and remained so a whole day, when I awoke entirely relieved from pain, my senses in perfect harmony and mind composed. I do not know how to express myself on this occasion; all was peace and tranquillity: although I had my sight imperfectly, yet my body seemed but as a light shadow, and my existence as a pleasing delirium, for I sometimes doubted of its reality. I however from that moment began to mend, until my health was perfectly restored; but it was several weeks before I could expose my eyes to open day light, and at last I found my left eye considerably injured, which suffered the greatest pain and weight of the disease.
As soon as I acquired strength to walk about, and bear the least impression of open day light on my eyes, I made frequent, indeed I may say daily excursions in and about this island, strolling through its awful shades, venerable groves and sublime forests, consisting of the Live Oaks and Magnolia grandiflora, Laurus Borbonia, Olea Americana, Fagus sylvatica, Laur. Sassafras, Quercus hemispherica, Telea, Liquidambar styraciflua, Morus, Gleditsia, Callicarpa, Halesia, &c.
The island is six or seven miles in length, and four or five in width, including the salt marshes and plains, which invest it on every side, I believe we may only except a narrow strand at the South end of it, washed by Lake Borgone at the Regullets, which is a promontory composed of banks of seashells and sand cast up by the force of winds, and the surf of the lake; these shells are chiefly a small species of white clam shells, called les coquilles. Here are a few shrubs growing on these shelly heights, viz. Rhamnus frangula, Sideroxylon, Myrica, Zanthoxylon clava Herculis, Juniperus Americana, Lysium salsum; together with several new genera and species of the herbaceous and suffruticose tribes, Croton, Stillingia, &c. but particularly a species of Mimosa (Mimosa virgata), which in respect of the elegancy of its pinnated leaves, cannot be exceeded by any of that celebrated family. It is a perennial plant, sending up many nearly erect stems, from the root or source; these divide themselves into many ascendant slender rods like branches, which are ornamented with double pinnated leaves, of a most delicate formation. The compound flowers, are of a pale, greenish yellow, collected together in a small oblong head, upon a long slender peduncle, the legumes are large, lunated and flat, placed in a spiral or contorted manner, each containing several hard compressed seeds, or little beans.
The interior and by far the greater part of the island consists of high land; the soil to appearance a heap of sea sand in some places, with an admixture of sea shells; this soil, notwithstanding its sandy and steril appearance, when divested of its natural vegetative attire, has, from what cause I know not, a continual resource of fertility within itself: the surface of the earth, after being cleared of its original vegetable productions, exposed a few seasons to the sun, winds and tritrurations of agriculture, appears scarcely any thing but heaps of white sand, yet it produces Corn (Zea), Indigo, Batatas, Beans, Peas, Cotton, Tobacco, and almost every sort of esculent vegetable, in a degree of luxuriancy very surprising and unexpected, year after year, incessantly, without any addition of artificial manure or compost: there is indeed a foundation of strong adhesive clay, consisting of strata of various colours, which I discovered by examining a well, lately dug in Mr. Rumsey’s yard; but lying at a great depth under the surface, the roots of small shrubs and herbage, cannot reach near to it, or receive any benefit, unless we may suppose, that ascending fumes or exhalations, from this bed of clay, may have a vivific nutritive quality, and be received by the fibres of the roots, or being condensed in the atmosphere by nocturnal chills, fall with dews upon the leaves and twigs of these plants, and there absorbed, become nutritive or exhilerating to them.
Besides the native forest trees and shrubs already noted, manured fruit trees arrive in this island to the utmost degree of perfection, as Pears, Peaches, Figs, Grape Vines, Plumbs &c.; of the last mentioned genus, there is a native species grows in this island, which produces their large oblong crimson fruit in prodigious abundance; the fruit though of a most enticing appearance, is rather too tart, yet agreeable eating, at sultry noon, in this burning climate, it affords a most delicious and reviving marmalade, when preserved in sugar, and makes excellent tarts; the tree grows about twelve feet high, the top spreading, the branches spiny and the leaves broad, nervous, serrated, and terminating with a subulated point.
My eyes having acquired sufficient strength to endure the open day-light, I set off from Pearl island, for Manchac on the Mississippi, in a handsome large boat with three Negroes to navigate her. Leaving the friendly Mr. Rumsey’s seat on Pearl Island, we descended a creek from the landing near his house; this creek led us about a mile, winding through salt sedgy marshes, into Lake Pontchartrain, along whose North shores we coasted about twenty miles, having low, reedy marshes, on our starboard: these marshes were very extensive between us and the far distant high forests on the main: at evening the shore became bolder, with sandy elevations, affording a few dwarf Oaks, Zanthoxylon, Myrica and Rham. frangula. We came to in a little bay, kindled a fire, and after supper betook ourselves to repose; our situation open, airy and cool, on clean sand banks; we rested quietly, though sometimes roused by alarms from the crocodiles, which are here in great numbers, and of an enormous bulk and strength.
Next day early we got under way, pursuing our former course, nearly Westward, keeping the North shore several leagues. Immediately back of this high sandy strand, (which is cast up by the beating surf and winds, setting from seaward, across the widest part of the lake) the ground suddenly falls, and becomes extensive flat Cypress swamps, the sources of creeks and rivers, which run into the lake, or Pearl River, or at other places; the high forests of the main now gradually approaching the lake, advance up to the very shore, where we find houses, plantations and new settlements: we came to at one of them charmingly situated, set sail again, and came up to the mouth of the beautiful Taensapaoa, which takes that name from a nation of Indians, who formerly possessed the territories lying on its banks, which are fertile and delightful regions. This river is narrow at its entrance, but deep, and said to be navigable for large barks and perriauguas, upwards of fifty miles: just within its capes, on the leeward shore, are heights, or a group of low hills (composed of the small clam shells, called les coquilles) which gradually depress as we retreat back from the river, and the surface of the land is more level; these shells dissolving and mixing with the surface, render the vegetative mould black, rich, and productive. Here are a few habitations, and some fields cleared and cultivated; but the inhabitants neglect agriculture; and generally employ themselves in hunting, and fishing: we however furnished ourselves here with a sufficiency of excellent Batatas. I observed no new vegetable productions, except a species of Cleome (Cleome lupinifolia); this plant possesses a very strong scent, somewhat like Gum Assasetida, notwithstanding which the inhabitants give it a place in soups and and sauces.
From Taensapaoa, we still coasted westward, three or four miles, to the straits that communicate with the lake Maurepas; entering which and continuing six or eight miles, having low swampy land on each side, the channel divides, forming an island in the middle of the pass: we took the right hand channel, which continues three or four miles, when the channels reunite in full view of the charming lake. We came to at an elevated point, or promontory on the starboard main shore, it being the North cape, from whence I enjoyed a very pleasing and complete view of the beautiful lake Maurepas; entering which next morning, a steady favourable gale soon wafted us nine or ten miles over to the mouth of the river Amite; ascended between its low banks; the land on each side a level swamp, about two feet above the surface of the water, supporting a thick forest of trees, consisting chiefly of Fraxinus, Nyssa aquatica, Nyssa multiflora, Cupressus disticha, Quercus phillos, Acer rubrum, Ac. negundo, Acer glaucum, Sambucus, Laurus Borbonia, Carpinus, Ulmus and others. The soil or earth humid, black and rich. There is scarcely a perceptible current: the water dark, deep, turgid and stagnate, being from shore to shore covered with a scum or pellicle of a green and purplish cast, and perpetually throwing up from the muddy bottom to its surface minute air bladders or bubbles: in short, these dark loathsome waters, from every appearance seem to be a strong extract or tincture of the leaves of the trees, herbs and reeds, arising from the shores, and which almost overspread them, and float on the surface, insomuch that a great part of these stagnate rivers, during the summer and autumnal seasons, are constrained to pass under a load of grass and weeds; which are continually vegetating and spreading over the surface from the banks, until the rising floods of winter and spring, rushing down from the main, sweep them away, and purify the waters. Late in the evening we discovered a narrow ridge of land close to the river bank, high and dry enough to suffer us to kindle a fire, and space sufficient to spread our bedding on. But here, fire and smoke were insufficient to expel the hosts of musquitoes that invested our camp, and kept us awake during the long and tedious night, so that the alligators had no chance of taking us napping. We were glad to rise early in the morning, proceeding up the Amite. The land now gradually rises, the banks become higher, the soil drier and firmer four or five feet above the surface of the river; the trees are of an incredible magnitude, particulary Platanus occidentalis, Fraxinus, Ulmus, Quercus hemispherica, &c. The Canna Indica grows here in surprising luxuriance, presenting a glorious show; the stem rises six, seven and nine feet high, terminating upwards with spikes of scarlet flowers.
Now having advanced near thirty miles up the Amite, we arrived at a very large plantation, the property of a Scotch gentleman, who received me with civility, entreating me to reside with him; but being impatient to get to the river, and pleading the necessity of prosecuting my travels with alacrity, on account of the season being so far advanced, I was permited to proceed, and set off next morning. Still ascending the Amite about twenty miles farther, and arrived at the forks, where the Iberville comes in on the left hand, ascending which a little way, we soon came to the landing, where are ware-houses for dispositing merchandize, this being the extremity of navigation up this canal, and here small vessels load and unload. From this place to Manchac, on the banks of the Mississippi, just above the mouth of the canal, is nine miles by land; the road straight, spacious, and perfectly level, under the shadow of a grand forest; the trees of the first order in magnitude and beauty, as Magnolia grandiflora, Liriodendron tulipifera, Platanus, Juglans nigra, Fraxinus excelsior, Morus rubra, Laurus sassafras, Laurus Borbonia, Telea, Liquidambar styraciflua, &c.
At evening arrived at Manchac, when I directed my steps to the banks of the Mississippi, where I stood for a time as it were fascinated by the magnificence of the great sire[54] of rivers.
The depth of the river here, even in this season, at its lowest ebb is astonishing, not less than forty fathoms; and the width about a mile or somewhat less: but it is not expansion of surface alone that strikes us with ideas of magnificence; the altitude and theatrical ascents of its pensile banks, the steady course of the mighty flood, the trees, high forests, even every particular object, as well as societies, bear the stamp of superiority and excellence; all unite or combine in exhibiting a prospect of the grand sublime. The banks of the river at Manchac, though frequently overflowed by the vernal inundations, are fifty feet perpendicular height above the surface of the water (by which the channel at those times must be about two hundred and ninety feet deep); and these precipices being an accumulation of the sediment of muddy waters, annually brought down with the floods, of a light loamy consistence, continually cracking and parting, present to view deep yawning chasms, in time split off, as the active perpetual current undermines, and the mighty masses of earth tumble headlong into the river, whose impetuous current sweeps away and lodges them elsewhere. There is yet visible some remains of a high artificial bank, in front of the buildings of the town, formerly cast up by the French, to resist the inundations, but found to be ineffectual, and now in part tumbled down the precipice: as the river daily encroaches on the bluff, some of the habitations are in danger, and must be very soon removed or swallowed up in the deep gulph of waters. A few of the buildings that have been established by the English, since taking possession of the colony, are large and commodious, particularly the warehouses of Messrs. Swanson & Co. Indian traders and merchants.
The Spaniards have a small fortress and garrison on the point of land below the Iberville, close by the banks of the river, which has a communication with Manchac, by a slender narrow wooden bridge across the channel of Iberville, supported on wooden pillars, and not a bow shot from the habitations of Manchac. The Iberville in the summer season is dry, and its bed twelve or fifteen feet above the surface of the Mississipi; but in the winter and spring has a great depth of water, and a very rapid stream which flows into the Amite, thence down through the lakes into the bay of Pearls to the ocean.
Having recommendations to the inhabitants of Batonrouge, now called New Richmond, more than forty miles higher up the river, one of these gentlemen being present at Manchac, gave me a friendly and polite invitation to accompany him on his return home. A pleasant morning; we sat off after breakfast, well accommodated in a handsome convenient boat, rowed by three blacks. Two miles above Manchac we put into shore at Alabama: this Indian village is delightfully situated on several swelling green hills, gradually ascending from the verge of the river: the people are a remnant of the ancient Alabama nation, who inhabited the East arm of the great Mobile river, which bears their name to this day, now possessed by the Creeks or Muscogulges, who conquered the former.
My friend having purchased some baskets and earthen-ware, the manufactures of the people, we left the village, and proceeded twelve miles higher up the river, landed again at a very large and well cultivated plantation, where we lodged all night. Observed growing in a spacious garden adjacent to the house, many useful as well as curious exotics, particularly the delicate and sweet Tube-rose (Polyanthus tuberosa): it grows here in the open garden, the flowers were very large and abundant on the stems, which were five, six or seven feet high, but I saw none here having double flowers. In one corner of the garden was a pond or marsh, round about which grew luxuriantly the Scotch grass (Panicum hirtellum, gramen panicum maximum, spica divisa, aristis armatum, Sloan, Jam. Cat. p. 30): the people introduced this valuable grass from the West India islands: they mow or reap it at any time, and feed it green to cows or horses; it is nourishing food for all cattle. The Humble plant (Mimosa pudica) grows here five or six feet high, rambling like Brier vines over the fences and shrubs, all about the garden. The people here say it is an indigenous plant, but this I doubt, as it is not seen growing wild in the forests and fields, and it differs in no respect from that which we protect in green houses and stoves, except in the extent and luxuriancy of its branches, which may be owing to the productive virgin mould and temperature of the climate. They however pay no attention to its culture, but rather condemn it as a noxious troublesome weed, for wherever it gets footing, it spreads itself by its seed in so great abundance as to oppress and even extirpate more useful vegetables.
Next day we likewise visited several delightful and spacious plantations on the banks of the river, during our progress upwards: in the evening arrived at my friend’s habitation, a very delightful villa, with extensive plantations of Corn (Zea), Indigo, Cotton and some Rice.
A day or two after our arrival we agreed upon a visit to Point Coupè, a flourishing French settlement on the Spanish shore of the Mississippi.
Early next morning we set off in a neat Cypress boat with three oars, proceeding up the river; and by night got to a large plantation near the White cliffs, now called Brown’s cliffs, in honour of the late governor of West Florida, now of the Bahama Islands, who is proprietor of a large district of country, lying on and adjacent to the Cliffs. At the time of my residence with Mr. Rumsey at Pearl island, governor Brown, then on his passage to his government of the Bahamas, paid Mr. Rumsey a visit, who politely introduced me to his excellency, acquainting him with my character and pursuits: he desired me to explore his territory, and give him my opinion of the quality of the White plains.
August 27th, 1777, having in readiness horses well equipt, early in the morning we set off for the plains. About a mile from the river we crossed a deep gully and small rivulet, then immediately entered the Cane forests, following a straight avenue cut through them, off from the river, which continued about eight miles, the ground gradually but imperceptibly rising before us: when at once opened to view expansive plains, which are a range of native grassy fields of many miles extent, lying parallel with the river, surrounded and intersected with Cane brakes and high forests of stately trees; the soil black, extremely rich and productive, but the virgin mould becomes thinner and less fertile as it verges on to the plains, which are so barren as scarcely to produce a bush or even grass, in the middle or highest parts. The upper stratum or surface of the earth is a whitish clay or chalk, with veins of sea shells, chiefly of those little clams called les coquilles, or interspersed with the white earth or clay, so tenacious and hard as to render it quite sterile, scarcely any vegetable growth to be seen, except short grass, crustaceous mosses, and some places quite bare, where it is on the surface, but where it lies from eighteen inches to two or three feet below, it has the virtue of fertilizing the virgin mould above, rendering it black, humid, soapy, and incredibly productive.
I observed two or three scrubby Pine trees or rather dwarf bushes, upon the highest ridge of these plains, which are viewed here as a curiosity, there being no Pine forests within several leagues distance from the banks of this great river, but, on the contrary, seemingly an endless wilderness of Canes, and the most magnificent forests of the trees already noted, but particularly Platanus occidentalis, Liriodendron, Magnolia grandiflora, Liquidambar styraciflua, Juglans nigra, Juglans exaltata, Telea, Morus rubra, Gleditsia triacanthus, Laurus Borbonia, and Laurus sassafras; this last grows here to a vast tree, forty or fifty feet straight trunk; its timber is found to be very useful, sawn into boards and scantling, or hewn into posts for building and fencing.
On the more fertile borders of the plains, adjoining the surrounding forests, are Sideroxylon, Pyrus coronaria, and Strawberry vines (Fragaria) but no fruit on them; the inhabitants assured me they bore fruit in their season, very large, of a fine red colour, delicious and fragrant.
Having made our tour and observations on the White plains, we returned to the river at the close of the day, and next morning sat off for Point Coupè: passed under the high painted cliffs, and then set our course across the Mississippi, which is here near two miles over: touched at a large island near the middle of the river, being led there, a little out of our way, in pursuit of a bear crossing from the main, but he out-swam us, reached the island and made a safe retreat in the forests entangled with vines; we however pursued him on shore, but to no purpose. After resting a while we re-embarked and continued our voyage, coasting the East shore of the island to the upper end; here we landed again, on an extended projecting point of clean sand and pebbles, where were to be seen pieces of coal sticking in the gravel and sand, together with other fragments of the fossil kingdom, brought down by inundations and lodged there. We observed a large kind of muscle in the sand; the shell of an oval form, having horns or protuberances near half an inch in length and as thick as a crow quill, which I suppose serve the purpose of grapnels to hold their ground against the violence of the current. Here were great numbers of wild fowl wading in the shoal water that covers the sandy points, to a vast distance from the shores: they were geese, brant, gannet, and the great and beautiful whooping crane (grus alber). Embarked again, doubled the point of the island and arrived at Point Coupè in the evening.
We made our visit to a French gentleman, an ancient man and wealthy planter, who, according to the history he favoured us with of his own life and adventures, must have been very aged; his hair was of a silky white, yet his complexion was florid and constitution athletic. He said that soon after he came to America, with many families of his countrymen, they ascended the river to the Cliffs of the Natches, where they sat down, being entertained by the natives; and under cover of a strong fortress and garrison, established a settlement, and by cultivating the land and forming plantations, in league and friendship with the Indians, in a few years they became a populous, rich and growing colony; when through the imprudent and tyrannical conduct of the commandant towards the Natches, the ancients of the country, a very powerful and civilized nation of red men, who were sovereigns of the soil, and possessed the country round about them, they became tired of these comers, and exasperated at their cruelty and licentiousness, at length determined to revenge themselves of such inhumanity and ingratitude, secretly conspired their destruction, and their measures were so well concerted with other Indian tribes, that if it had not been for the treachery of one of their princesses, with whom the commander was in favour (for by her influence her nation attempted the destruction of the settlement, before their auxilaries joined them, which afforded an opportunity for some few of the settlers to escape), they would have fully accomplished their purpose. However the settlement was entirely broken up, most of the inhabitants being slaughtered in one night, and the few who escaped betook themselves to their canoes, descending the river until they arrived at this place, where they established themselves again; and this gentleman had only time and opportunity to take into his boat one heifer calf, which he assured us was the mother of the numerous herds he now possesses, consisting of many hundred head. Here is now a very respectable village, defended by a strong fortress and garrison of Spaniards, the commander being governor of the district.
The French here are able, ingenious and industrious planters: they live easy and plentifully, and are far more regular and commendable in the enjoyment of their earnings than their neighbours the English: their dress of their own manufactures, well wrought and neatly made up, yet not extravagant or foppish; manners and conversation easy, moral and entertaining.
Next morning we sat off again on our return home, and called by the way of the Cliffs, which is a perpendicular bank or bluff, rising up out of the river near one hundred feet above the present surface of the water, whose active current sweeps along by it. From eight or nine feet below the loamy vegetative mould at top, to within four or five feet of the water, these cliffs present to view strata of clay, marle and chalk, of all colours, as brown, red, yellow, white, blue and purple; there are separate strata of these various colours, as well as mixed or particoloured: the lowest stratum next the water is exactly of the same black mud or rich soil of the adjacent low Cypress swamps, above and below the bluff; and here in the cliffs we see vast stumps of Cypress and other trees, which at this day grow in these low, wet swamps, and which range on a level with them. These stumps are sound, stand upright, and seem to be rotted off about two or three feet above the spread of their roots; their trunks, limbs, &c. lie in all directions about them. But when these swampy forests were growing, and by what cause they were cut off and overwhelmed by the various strata of earth, which now rise near one hundred feet above, at the brink of the cliffs, and two or three times that height but a few hundred yards back, are enquiries perhaps not easily answered. The swelling heights rising gradually over and beyond this precipice are now adorned with high forests of stately Magnolia, Liquidambar, Fagus, Quercus, Laurus, Morus, Juglans, Telea, Halesia, Æsculus, Callicarpa, Liriodendron, &c. Arrived in the evening at the plantation below the Cliffs, and next day got safe back to my friend’s habitation.
Observed few vegetable productions different from what grow in Carolina and Georgia; perhaps in the spring and early summer season, here may be some new plants, particularly in the high forests and ridges, at some distance from the river: there is however growing in the rich high lands, near on the banks of the river, which I observed in the settlement of Baton Rouge, an arborescent aromatic vine, which mounts to the tops of the highest trees, by twisting or writhing spirally round them; some of these vines are as thick as a man’s leg, of a soft spungy texture, and flexible, covered with a Cinnamon coloured bark, which is highly aromatic or spicy. The large oblong leaves sit opposite on the branches, and are of a full deep green colour; but its season of flowering being past, and the seed was scattered, I am entirely ignorant to what genus it belongs; perhaps it is a non-descript or new genus. Here is likewise a new and beautiful species of Verbena, with decumbent branches and lacerated deep green leaves; the branches terminate with corymbi of violet blue flowers: this pretty plant grows in old fields where there is a good soil.
The severe disorder in my eyes subverted the plan of my peregrinations, and contracted the span of my pilgrimage south-westward. This disappointment affected me very sensibly, but resignation and reason resuming their empire over my mind, I submitted and determined to return to Carolina.
Receiving information that the company’s schooner was ready to sail for Mobile, I embarked on board a trading boat for Manchac, where arriving in the evening, I took leave next morning of Messrs. Swanson and Co. and set off for the forks of the Amite, and next day sat sail, descending the tardy current of the Amite. Observing two bears crossing the river ahead, though our pieces were ready charged, and the yawl along side to receive us, we pursued them in vain, they swam swiftly across and escaped in the forests on the island of Orleans. The breeze dying away at evening, we came to anchor, and had variety of amusements at fishing and fowling.
Next day, November 13th 1777, with a steady leading breeze, entered and sailed over the lake Maurepas, and through the streights into the Pontchartrain, and continued under sail; but at midnight by keeping too near the west shore, we ran aground on a sand-bar, where we lay beating the hard sandy bottom until morning, and our yawl parting from us in the night, which we never recovered, we were left to the mercy of the winds and floods, but before noon the wind coming briskly from North-East, drove the sea into the lake, we got off, made sail again, and before night passed through the Regullets, entering the ocean through the bay of Pearls, sailing through the sound betwixt Cat island and the strand of the continent; passing by the beautiful bay St. Louis, into which descend many delightful rivers, which flow from the lower or maritime settlements of the Chactaws or Flat-heads. Continuing through the sound between the oyster banks and shoals of Ship and Horn islands, and the high and bold coast of Biloxi on the main, got through the narrow pass Aux Christians, and soon came up abreast of Isle Dauphin, betwixt whose shoals and the West Cape of Mobile Bay we got aground on some sunken oyster banks; but next day a brisk Southerly wind raised the sea on the coast, which lifted us off again, and setting sail, shot through the Pass au Oleron, and entering the bay, by night came to anchor safe again at the city of Mobile.
After having made up my collections of growing roots, seeds and curious specimens, left them to the care of Messrs. Swanson and M’Gillavry, to be forwarded to Dr. Fothergill of London. I prepared to set off again to Augusta in Georgia, through the Creek Nation, the only practicable way of returning by land, being frustrated of pursuing my intended route which I had meditated, through the territories of the Siminoles or Lower Creeks, they being a treacherous people, lying so far from the eye and controul of the nation with whom they are confederate, that there had lately been depredations and murders committed by them at the bay of Apalache, on some families of white people who were migrating from Georgia, with an intention of settling on the Mobile. Having to pass the distance of near two hundred miles to the first town of the nation, through a solitary, uninhabited wilderness, the bloody field of Schambe, where those contending bands of American bravos, Creeks and Chactaws, often meet in dire conflict; for the better convenience and security, I joined company with a caravan of traders, now about setting off for the nation.
Observed growing in a garden in Mobile, two large trees of the Juglans pecan, and the Dioscorea bulbifera: this last curious plant bears a large kidney shaped root, one, two or three at the bosom of the leaves, several feet from the ground, as they climb up poles or supports set by their roots; these roots when boiled or roasted are esteemed a pleasant wholesome food, and taste like the ordinary Yam.
[54] Which is the meaning of the word Mississippi.