Down the Mississippi (1791)

BY JOHN POPE

MARCH 4th. 1791. Proceeded down the Ohio in Company with a Frenchman, who was taking his American Wife and Children along with him to Langue la graisse, or, the Greasy Bent; now called by the Spaniards Neuvo Madrid, on the Western Side of the Missisippi. . . .

March 12th. 1791. Breakfasted and dined with Signior pedro Foucher, Commandant at Neuvo Madrid. The Garrison consist of about Ninety Men, who are well supplied with Food and Raiment; they have an excellent Train of Artillery, which appears to be their chief Defence—Two Regular Companies of Musqueteers with charged Bayonets might take this Place. Of this Opinion is the Commandant himself, who complains that he is not sufficiently supported—He is a Creole of French Extraction, of patagonian Size, polite in his Manners, and of a most noble Presence. On the Evening of this Day embarked in a Boat called the Smoke-House, bound to New Orleans, and anchored on the Georgian Shore, about Thirty Miles below Madrid. . . .

14th. The Trees on the Margin of the River in Verdue. . . . 8 o’Clock at Night one of Mr. Craig’s Tobacco Boats, with Forty Hogs-heads of Tobacco, and a large Quantity of Flour and Plank passed us whilst we lay in Harbour, she had lost her Rudder and sprung a Leak. In this Situation, with only three Hands on Board, they implored our Aid, which through prudential Motives was denied.

15th. At Sunrise espied the Frenchman’s Boat in good Harbour and uninjured; but different was the Fate of Mr. Craigs, which had sprung a Leak in her Bow and appeared to be stranded opposite to the second Chickasaw Bluff, where the River is about Four Hundred Yards wide. At 9 o’Clock we viewed the third Chickesaw Bluff, opposite to the Bayon[u]e St. John, where the River is not quite Four Hundred Yards wide, The Colours of this Bluff are white, red, yellow, blue, grey, black, brown, purple, &c. Here the Chickasaws once had a small

Pottery—Upon this Bluff is the most eligible Situation for a Town which I have as yet seen on the Banks of the Missisippi. — Just under this Bluff, within six Feet of the Shore, a first Rate Man of War might ride in Safety, unassailed by Winds, &c. . . . From the lower End of this Bluff, the River suddenly opens to the amazing width of four, five and sixth Miles. Upon Examination, I find our Crew consist of one Irishman, one Anspacher, one Kentuckean, one Person born on Sea, one Virginian, and one Welchman; six Total. At 12 o’Clock came on a violent Storm, which with Difficulty we evited, by exerting every Nerve to gain the Shore.

March 17th. 1791. The Irishman in Honour of St. Patrick, purloined all our Brandy, Sugar and Eggs to make a Tub of Egg-Nog, of which he drank so copiously, that whilst at the Helm, he insensibly run the Vessel into a strong Eddy, to get her out of which, employed all Hands in hard Labour the Balance of the Day.

March 18th. At Sunrise came on a slight Snow, which formed a curious Contrast to the Verdure of the Trees—All the Afternoon of this Day we run due North.

19th. At 8 o’Clock we run due South—All this Day the Weather was intensely cold, the Wind blowing from North. . . . At 1 o’Clock we were hailed by a Pennsylvanian and a Lad in a Peroch, laden with Bear and Buffaloe Meat, taken on the St. Francis River, and bound up the Osarque River, where there is a Settlement of Thirty Families about Thirty Miles from its Mouth. At 3 o’Clock overtaken by two Boats laden with Flour and Tobacco.

20th. At Sunrise drew up a Kitten of about Twenty lbs. Weight, which with the Help of GOD and an Irish Cook, we made into most excellent Broth. At 9 o’Clock came up with two large Pittsburg Boats at Anchor laden with Flour, on the Shore, opposite to which, was a Concourse of Osarque Indians. . . .

21st. At 8 o’Clock descried a Keel bottom’d Boat with a square Sail, bound to New Madrid — Her Progress under a fair Wind was at the Rate of two and a half Miles per Hour, which might have been accelerated by the Addition of Oars. . . . At Sunset, three of Mr. Craig’s Tobacco Boats came up with us whilst we lay in Harbour, the fourth being still under the Command of the Rear Admiral, whose Intrepidity hath often endangered his Vessel by opposing the poor Planters and Sawyers, who have taken up their Residence in this spacious River. . . .

22d. At Sunrise, espied a Vessel of General Wilkinson’s, under the

Command of Captain Swaine, bound to New Orleans — At 8 o’Clock we had in View six Sail of the Line. . . .

24th. At Break of Day espied the Walnut Hills about ten Miles below the Yasous River, which his Catholic Majesty limits as his Boundary, and below which, his Vicegerents say, that Citizens of the United States shall not inhabit, unless they throw themselves under the Laws, Banners and Protection of the King of Spain. . . .

23d. . . . At 2 o’Clock I went on Board the Governor of Natchez’ Barge, his Name is Gayoso. here I was regaled with delicious Nuts and excellent Wines. This Gentleman has a majestic Deportment, softened by Manners the most engaging and polite. Having been brought up at the Court of London, he is well acquainted with the Etiquette of Mortals who move in the more exalted and splendid Scenes of Life. He had in Company with him two Victualling Boats and an armed Schooner, laden with military Stores. I could not ascertain their Destination, tho’ it was probably to the Walnut Hills. His Soldiery including Manners and Mechanics, did not exceed one Hundred Men. . . .

24th. At Sunrise, we shot the Grand Gulph, opposite to which, on either Side, the Cane grows to the enormous Height of Forty and sometimes Forty-five Feet. At 8 o’Clock an impervious Fog arose, so as to prevent a Discovery of Sawyers and other Obstacles not more than ten Feet from us. It might with Propriety have been called "Darkness visible." At 9 o’Clock passed the Bayon[u]e Pierre, on the Banks of which are three small Houses and about Thirty Acres of Ground under Cultivation—About ten Miles higher up the Country it is pretty thickly inhabited by Virginians, Carolineans, Georgians, and some few Stragglers from the Eastern States.

26th. At Sunrise came in Sight of the Town of Natchez, situate on the Eastern Bank of the River. It contains about an Hundred Houses, and is the Metropolis of the District and Residence of Don Gayoso, the Governor last mentioned. In this Town and its Vicinage we continued about a Week.

27th. On Sunday I took a View of the Governor’s Palace, as also of the Fort; which from its elevated Situation has a fine Command of the River for about a Mile up, and double that Distance down it: though I think it might be assailed with Success by a single Regiment, or taken by Surprize with a less Number. The lying of the back Ground, and the Paucity and Insignificance of the Garrison would favour either Plan.

They have a good Train of Artillery, though very injudiciously arranged; the back Part of the Fort being pregnable to a Dozen Men.

28th. Paid a Visit to Don Granfrey, Commandant of the Regular Forces throughout the Natchez District: he lives about Two Miles from Town. Here I was regaled with different Kinds of Fruits, Wines and Parmesan Cheese, which were succeedent to a very good substantial Dinner. . . .

29th. At the Natchez I observed an Advertisement relating to a stray Horse, for the Setting up of which, the Owner was obliged to get the previous Sanction of a Magistrate. An Inhabitant under the Jurisdiction of Spain may be said to be,

"Homo sine Spe, sine Sede, sine Re."

The Soil of this District is better adapted to the Growing of Corn, Rice and Indigo, than of Tobacco, the Cultivation of which, is gradually falling into Disuse; as an Admittance of it into the King’s Store is now positively refused, from some political Motives, which the Governor thinks himself under no Obligation to communicate; though the present Crop was raised under a Confidence reposed in his Promise, to receive and allow eight Dollars per Hundred for it.

3oth. At 10 o’Clock discovered the Wreck of one of Mr. Craig’s Tobacco Boats, which he had directed to be got under Way. Into this Boat, exclusive of Tobacco, he had stowed a considerable Quantity of Bacon, Butter, Flour and Plank—He lost almost the whole. His Boatsmen (for whom he now no longer had Occasion) appeared to bear his Loss with great Composure and Christian Fortitude. . . .

31st. . . . At 3 o’Clock hailed by a Row Galley from New Orleans, bound to New Madrid. At 4 o’Clock espied the Long Reach, where the Eye may take in an uninterrupted Water Prospect of Twenty-three Miles. At our Entrance into the Long Reach we viewed the Red River, about a Quarter of a Mile wide, on the Western Side of the Missisippi; and three Miles below it the Bayoue Chappaliere, which taking its Leave of this River, disembogues its gentle Stream into the Gulph of Mexico, several Leagues from the Mouths of the Missisippi. . . .

[April] 2d. Hailed by two Perochs, one bound to the Natchez, the other to the Bayoue Pierre. For two Days past we have been much harrassed by Musquettoes — The poor Indians who go almost naked, construct an elevated Bed of Reeds, which they Snffumigate, so as to banish Insects of every Description from their Lodgements. Slight whitewashed airy Buildings become more common on the Eastern Side of the River, and are, in general, occupied by People from the United States. Here are the most delightful Prospects that ever caught my View . . .

3d. At 10 o’Clock viewed Point Coupee, a Village Twenty-one Miles in Length, though narrow, consisting of inferiour Buildings, interspersed now and then with dwelling Houses, and Chapels of tolerable Elegance. At 4 o’Clock saw eight Country Seats on the Eastern Bank, and at the lower End of some high Bluffs, a large Building of extraordinary Workmanship, and a Dock-yard about Half a Mile below it. At 6 o’Clock viewed the Alexandrian Bluffs, from which on both Sides of the River there is a Continuation of beauteous Farms and elegant Buildings for the Distance of Sixty-one Miles. The general Width of the River all this Day is about three Quarters of a Mile, or rather less.

4th. About Noon espied the Suburbs of New Orleans, and at 2 o’Clock came abreast of the City on the Eastern Side of the River, in an Island formed by the Missisippi and the Bayoue St. John. . . .

John Pope, (Richmond, 1792; reprinted for Charles L. Woodward, New York, 1888), 21–37 passim.