210 ORDINARY AT JACKSON. [CHAP. XXXII. 



fossil marine shells and zoophytes. When we parted, 

 my excellent guide agreed to accompany me, early 

 the next morning, many miles in another direction. 



On entering my hotel, after dark, I was informed 

 that supper was ready, and was conducted to a large 

 ordinary, crowded chiefly by lawyers, who were at 

 tending the courts here. The landlord, General 



A , formerly of the Tennessee militia, played 



the part of master of the ceremonies, much to my 

 amusement. He first obtained silence by exclaiming, 

 with the loud voice of a herald, &quot; Gentlemen, we are 

 a great people,&quot; and then called out the names of all 

 the viands on his long table and sideboard, beginning 

 with &amp;lt;c Beef-steak, with or without onions, roast 

 turkey, pork, hominy, fish, eggs,&quot; &c., and ending 

 with a list of various drinkables, the last of which 

 was &quot; tea, foreign and domestic.&quot; Curiosity led me 

 to order the last-mentioned beverage ; but I soon 

 repented, finding it to be a liquid of a pink colour, 

 made of the root of the sassafras tree, and having a 

 very medicinal taste. I was told that many here 

 drink it for their health ; but the General, seeing 

 that I did not relish it, supplied me with some good 

 &quot; foreign &quot; tea. My host then introduced me to 

 several of the lawyers who sat near me, which gave 

 me an opportunity of asking whether there was any 

 truth in the story told me by some of the Whigs at 

 New Orleans, of the manner in which the seat of 

 Legislature had been transferred from Natchez to 

 Jackson. I related the story, which was as follows : 

 -&quot;Natchez was the metropolis of the State, and 

 the chief town of Adams county, which was so 



