NEW ORLEANS. 387 



tails alon"^ the sliorcs, give the whole an animated 

 aspect. At present, however, it did not' look every- 

 where so agreeable ; the river had risen considerably, 

 and in many places broken through the levee, laying 

 a number of cotton fields and sugar plantations under 

 water, and giving the landscape a wild and desolate 

 look. 



On the following morning, about nine o'clock, we 

 approached the emporium of the south, and a multitude 

 of boats, barges, schooners, brigs, and even ships lying 

 above the town, gave evidence of the busy turmoil of 

 an immense commercial place. We had about forty 

 head of oxen on board, which had been brought from 

 St. Louis, to be landed at Lafayette, a suburb of New 

 Orleans. The steamer was stopped near the shore, and 

 the oxen and cows bundled overboard to swim to land. 

 This done, the engine was set going, and passing 

 shipping of all sorts and nations, we landed about ten 

 o'clock, among about sixty other steamers, on the levee 

 of New Orleans. 



I found Kean immediately, and accompanied him to 

 the hotel where he lodged, left my things there, and 

 lounged about the town with him, talking of bygone 

 times. The heat was oppressive, and we were soon 

 obliged to take shelter in the house to escape the scorch- 

 ing rays of the sun. In the evening we drove to 

 Lafayette, where several Bremen vessels were lying, to 

 have a look at them, and inquire their times of depar- 

 ture. We found two bound for Bremen, but the time 

 of departure uncertain, and I saw that I should have 

 to remain some time in New Orleans. 



The town had increased very much since my foniier 



