American Scenes, and Christian Slavery | Page 5

monster seemed to be carrying them
away arm-in-arm, like two prisoners, to destruction. At all events, it
was a position of familiarity and friendship with the "Sprite of Steam"
of which I did not at all like the idea; and yet we ourselves were
by-and-by to be placed in its perilous embrace!
The dreaded monster gone by, I resumed the perusal of my New
Orleans papers. Now (thought I) I am in a slave country! I wonder
whether these papers will give any indication of the fact. In a little
while my eye, surveying the Bee of January 21, caught sight of an
advertisement signed "N. St. Martin, Sheriff, Parish of St. Charles," and
containing a list of 112 human beings offered for sale! The miserable
catalogue was full of instruction. In drawing it up the humane sheriff
became quite facetious, telling the public that "Frank, 35 years old,
American negro, [was] _good for everything_;" while "Stephen, 46
years old, [was] _fit for nothing at all_;" that "Salinette, 60 years old,
hospital-nurse, [was] _a good subject, subject to rheumatisms_;" and
that "Peter, American negro-man, 38 years old, [was] _a good cook,
having had two fits of madness_." I will back this against the Dublin
Hue and Cry.

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.
The evening closed upon us, sailing pleasantly up the Mississippi.
Having a beautiful moonlight night, we kept on our way. About seven
o'clock we overtook a small fishing-boat laden with oysters. In
consideration of our allowing them--not the oysters, but the
boatmen--to fasten a rope to our vessel, to help them on, they gave us a
generous and refreshing supply. But such oysters! In neither size nor
shape did they resemble those of the Old World. As to size, they were
gigantic,--as to shape, not unlike the human foot. They abound not far
from the mouth of the river, and many men obtain a livelihood by
carrying them up to the New Orleans market. The mode of cooking
adopted in this instance was that of putting them on the fire till the
shells opened. To our taste, they were not in flavour to be compared to
the London oysters; but we did not venture to tell our American captain
so. We had yet, however, to taste the deliciously-cooked oysters of the
northern cities.
About 10 p.m., the breeze having in a great measure died away, our
captain thought it imprudent to attempt to "go a-head" further that night,
and the anchor was cast. We were now fifty miles above the entrance of
the river.
Early next day the anchor was raised, the sails were unfurled, and we
again moved along. About 8 a.m., through the narrowness of the river,
the rapidity of the stream, and other causes, our "smart" captain, who
had chuckled vastly on passing all other ships in the river,--and
especially British ships,--ran his own vessel right ashore! There we
were in a complete "fix," till one of the grunting monsters (coming up
with two vessels--one on each arm, as usual,--and letting them go for a
few minutes,) came to our rescue. Forbidding as was his aspect, we
were very glad to feel a little of his giant power. Of this one I had, of
course, a better view than I had had of any other of the species. It had,
like the rest, two chimneys in front, like perpendicular tusks, with a
ladder between them. The ladder was for the purpose of ascent,--the
ascent for the purpose of elevation,--and the elevation for the purpose
of "look out." The top of the ladder, in short, rendered the same service
as the top of a ship's mast at sea. This "tug" had also, a little further aft,
a funnel-like sort of chimney, for the emission of steam. The whole

structure was--like a forge below, and a palace above. In the lower
story were the boiler, engine, fuel, &c., all exposed to view; while, the
upper contained splendid apartments for the captain, the engineer, and
other officers. The engineer of that vessel, I understood, had a salary of
250 dollars (50 guineas) per month!
Released from our stranded position, we found ourselves in a few
minutes lashed to the monster's side, and completely in his power. Here
we were, in the same dread position in which the day before we felt
horrified to see others! From some of the officers, our captain obtained
another newspaper. It was the New Orleans Daily Picayune for January
26. Getting hold of it, I found whole columns of slave-sale
advertisements. A few specimens will illustrate better than any
description the state of things in this "land of liberty!"
"NEGROES