CHAPTER XXV. 



Voyage from Mobile to Tuscaloosa. Visit to the Coal-Field of Alabama. 

 Its Agreement in Age with the ancient Coal of Europe. Absenteeism 

 in Southern States. Progress of Negroes. Unthriftiness of Slave-Labor. 

 University of Tuscaloosa. Churches. Bankruptcies. Judges and 

 Law Courts. Geology on the Tombeckbee River. Artesian Wells. 

 Limestone Bluff of St. Stephen s. Negro shot by Overseer. Involuntary 

 Efforts of the Whites to civilize the Negroes. New Statute in Georgia 

 against Black Mechanics. The Effects of speedy Emancipation and the 

 free Competition of White and Black Laborers considered. 



Feb. 8, 1846. THE Tuscaloosa steamer was just ready to 

 sail the next morning for Mobile, up the great western tributary 

 of the Alabama, called the Tombeckbee (or more familiarly &quot;the 

 Bigby&quot;) ; I determined, therefore, to embark in her for the capi 

 tal of the state, about 400 miles distant by water to the north, 

 where I wished to explore the coal-field in which the coal used 

 for gas and fuel at Mobile is procured, and to ascertain its geo 

 logical age. Our steamer was 170 feet long, and made about 

 ten miles an hour against the stream. She carried stores of all 

 kinds to the upper country, but was not heavily laden ; and, on 

 her return, is to bring down a large freight of cotton. By means 

 of the high-pressure principle and the horizontal movement of the 

 piston, she draws only a few feet of water, notwithstanding her 

 great length. These steamers never appear to such advantage 

 as when stemming an adverse current, for the boat can then be 

 steered with more precision, and less time is lost at the landings ; 

 at each of these they can go up direct to the bank, whereas, in 

 descending, they have to turn round and re-ascend the stream 

 before they can stop. There were also rafts laden with hugo 

 piles of wood ready to be taken in tow at different points, the 

 logs being thrown on board by our negroes, while the steamer 

 was going on at full speed. The empty raft is then turned 

 adrift, and is easily piloted down the stream by two men, a ma- 



