CHAPTER V. 



CINCINNATI A FARMER'S LIFE IN THE WOODS. 



Scenery around New Orleans — AiTangeraents of American steamers 



— Cincinnati and its reputation — Number of German inhabitants 



— Situation of tlie town — Religious absurdities ; the girl " pos- 

 sessed with a devil " — Dangers of American steam navigation — 

 The "Mississippi" — Rambles in the woods — Crawfish — Mos- 

 quitoes—Picnic in the woods — Poisonous plants — Residence 



with a backwoodsman, and farming operations — Wild honey 



Cattle keeping— Turkeys' eggs — A Methodist meeting— Attack 

 of ague — Our farming operations. 



I FOUND letters and money awaiting me here, which 

 came very opportunely, as I had expended nearly all I 

 had gained. I now looked out for a passage to Cin- 

 cinnati ; the steamer " Chillicothe " was to start for 

 that place at ten the next day. I paid five dollars for 

 1,500 miles. A cheaper voyage is almost impossible. 

 "We did not start till evening. 



On ascending the river from New Orleans, the 

 scenery is quite enchanting. There is a succession of 

 plantations, with country-houses embosomed in orange 

 and pomegranate trees, &c., while the regular rows of 

 negro cottages give a peculiar character to the whole. 



The Mississippi steamers are light and sharp, built 

 to make their passages as quick as possible, and to 

 enrich their owners in five or six years, — then they 

 may burst or sink. The boilers are in the forepart of 



(117) 



