LITMIR.BIZ

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affect to ridicule the idea of men who merely pass through the country, presuming to give opinions on things which it is alleged so cursory a view cannot qualify them fully to understand. Our cousins have, doubtless, had occasional provocations from the detested race in question; but their feeling on this point amounts to a national weakness. It is always worth knowing how we appear to the eyes of others, and what impression the first sight of us is apt to produce; and this knowledge none can communicate but the stranger, the tourist, the passer-by. What faults and failings soever we may have in England, and their "name is legion," by all means let them be unsparingly exposed by every foreign tourist that treads upon our soil. Let us be satirized, ridiculed, laughed at, caricatured, anything, so that we may be shamed out of all that is absurd and vicious in our habits and customs. In the present instance our Western kinsmen are described by one, if they will believe his own testimony, of the most candid and truthful of travellers—one who has viewed them and all their institutions, except one, with the most friendly eye, and who deeply regrets that so much of what is lovely and of good report should be marred and blotted by so much of what is disgraceful to a great and enlightened people.

      As to the performance in a literary point of view, the Author will say nothing. The public will form their own judgment. If they like it, they will read; if not, the most seductive preface would not tempt them.

      E. DAVIES.

      LONDON, January 1, 1849.

      LETTER I.

      Occasion of Visit to the United States—First Impressions of the

       Mississippi—Magnitude of that River—Impediment at its Entrance—The

       New Harbour—The "Great" and "Fat" Valley—High Pressure Steam-Tug

       Frolics—Slave-Auction Facetiae

      LETTER II.

      American Oysters—Becalmed in the Mississippi—Anchor raised—Ship

       ashore—Taken off by a Steam Tug—Slave-Sale Advertisements—Runaway

       Negroes—Return of Fever—Terrific Storm—Frightful Position—Ashore at

       New Orleans—A Ship-Chandler's Store—American Wheels—A

       Joltification—The St. Charles's Hotel

      LETTER III.

      New Orleans—The Story of Pauline—Adieu to the St. Charles's—Description of that Establishment—First Sight of Slaves for Sale—Texts for Southern Divines—Perilous Picture

      LETTER IV.

      A Sabbath in New Orleans—The First Presbyterian Church—Expectoration—A

       Negro Pew—The Sermon

      LETTER V.

      First Religious Service in America (continued)—A Collection "taken up"—Rush out—Evening Service—Sketch of the Sermon—Profanation of the Sabbath—The Monthly Concert for Prayer

      LETTER VI.

      "Jack Jones"—A Public Meeting for Ireland—Henry Clay—Other

       Speakers—American Feeling in reference to the Irish Famine—A

       Slave-Auction

      LETTER VII.

      The Slave-Auction (continued)—"A Fine Young Woman"—A Man and his

       Wife—Jim, the Blacksmith—A Family—A Ploughboy—Cornelia—Another

       Jim—Tom, the House Boy—Edmund—Tom, and "his reserved rights"—A

       Carriage Driver—Margaret and her Child

      LETTER VIII.

      St. Louis Exchange—Inspection of Human Chattels—Artizan

       Slaves—Scenes and Proceedings of the Auction—Sale of the Men

      LETTER IX.

      Sale of Women—Second Sabbath in New Orleans—Cricket in front of the

       Presbyterian "Church"—The Baptist "Church"—A Peep at an American

       Sabbath School—Proceedings in "Church"—A Sermon on "The New

       Birth"—Nut-cracking during Sermon—"Close Communion"

      LETTER X.

      Interview with a Baptist Minister—Conversation with a Young Man in the Baptist Church—The Presbyterian Church, and Dr. Scott again—A Peep at the House of Representatives of Louisiana—Contrast between the French and the Americans in the Treatment of their Slaves—Dinner Table in New Orleans—American Manners

      LETTER XI.

      Farewell to New Orleans—Revolting Bargain—"The Anglo Saxon"

       Steam-boat—Moderate Fare—Steam Navigation of the Mississippi

      —Steam-boat and Railway Literature—Parting View of the

       "Crescent City"—Slave Advertisements—Baton Rouge—A Sugar

       Estate—Fellow-Passengers—The Ladies' Cabin—A Baptist Minister—A

       Reverend Slave-holder

      LETTER XII.

      Voyage up the Mississippi (continued)—"Patriarchal" Establishments—The

       Red River—Elder Wright—Lynch Law administered by a Preacher—Natchez

      —Story of Mary Brown—The Flat Boats of the Mississippi

      LETTER XIII.

      Voyage up the Mississippi (continued)—Grand Gulph and Big Black

       River—Snags—"I belong to myself, Sir"—Vicksburg and Lynch Law—A Man

       Overboard—"Drove of Horses, Mules, and Niggers"—Character of

       Fellow-Passengers—The Sabbath—Disobedience to Conscience

      LETTER XIV.

      Voyage up the Mississippi (continued)—The Arkansas—Treatment of the

       Indians—M de Tocqueville—"Napoleon" and Lynch Law—Memphis, and its

       Advertisements—A Scene witnessed there—The Ohio—Nashville, and Amos

       Dresser

      LETTER XV.

      Voyage up the Ohio (continued)—Illinois—Evansville—Owensborough

      —Indiana—New Albany—Louisville, and its Cruel Histories—The Grave of

       President Harrison—Arrival in Cincinnati—First Impressions—The

       Congregational Minister—A Welsh Service

      LETTER XVI.

      Stay at Cincinnati (continued)—Close of the Welsh Service—The

       Governor of Ohio and his Relatives—The "Black Laws"—Governor Bebb's

       Hostility to them—Dr. Weed and American Versatility—Private

       Lodgings—Introduction to Dr. Beecher and others—A Peep at a

       Democratic Meeting

      LETTER XVII.

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