CHAP. XXIV.] INCONVENIENCES IN BACKWOODS. 71 



New Orleans the charge for making a gown is equally 

 high. 



I often rejoiced, in this excursion, that we had 

 brought no servants with us from England, so strong 

 is the prejudice here against what they term a white 

 body-servant. Besides, it would be unreasonable to 

 expect any one, who is not riding his own hobby, 

 to rough it in the backwoods. In many houses I 

 hesitated to ask for water or towels, for fear of giving 

 offence, although the yeoman with whom I lodged 

 for the night allowed me to pay a moderate charge 

 for my accommodation. Nor could I venture to 

 beg any one to rub a thick coat of mud off my boots 

 or trousers, lest I should be thought to reflect on 

 the members of the family, who had no idea of in 

 dulging in such refinements themselves. I could 

 have dispensed cheerfully with milk, butter, and 

 other such luxuries ; but I felt much the want of 

 a private bed-room. Very soon, however, I came to 

 regard it as no small privilege to be allowed to have 

 even a bed to myself. On one occasion, when my 

 host had humoured my whims so far in regard to 

 privacy, I felt almost ashamed to see, in consequence, 

 a similar sized bed in the same room, occupied by my 

 companion and two others. When I related these in 

 conveniences afterwards to an Episcopal clergyman, he 

 told me that the bishop and some of his clergy, when 

 they travel through these woods in summer, and the 

 lawyers, when on the circuit or canvassing for votes 

 at elections, have, in addition to these privations, to 

 endure the bites of countless musquitos, fleas, and 

 bugs, so that I had great reason to congratulate 



