26 
LETTERS FROM ALABAMA. 
a little removed from the more commercial part of 
the city. Perhaps it was owing to the absence of 
foot-pavements, and to the occurrence of large 
patches of what looked at a little distance like 
grass, but consisted only of short weeds very thinly 
scattered ; to the strange trees and plants which 
shaded the sides, such as the pride of China {Melia 
azedarach)^ the honey locust [GleditscJda triacan- 
tJios)^ the fan-palm [Chamcerops palmetto)^ Adam’s 
needle [Yucca aloifoUa)^ &c. ; to the almost uni- 
versality of open verandas, beneath which the 
inhabitants were sitting to enjoy the cool breath of 
evening ; or to all these combined^ and other 
causes which escaped my detection. 
I was surprised to observe dead horses and 
cows suffered to lie exposed on the shore, scarce 
out of the town, a neglect which I should suppose 
hy no means likely in this hot climate to contribute 
to the health of the inhabitants. The exhalations 
arising from the extensive muddy flats, which are 
left uncovered at low water, must likewise be very 
prejudicial, and probably materially tend to give 
this town the unhealthy reputation which it pos- 
sesses. Placed at the mouth of two large rivers, 
which may be said to drain the whole of the State, 
and protected by a deep and capacious bay. Mobile 
may be considered as well situated for commerce ; 
and a flourishing trade exists in cotton, the staple 
of the State, with Liverpool, London, Havre, and 
the ports of the northern United States. The 
shallowness of the water in the bay is, however, a 
drawback, as vessels above a hundred tons burden 
cannot come to the town, but are compelled to lie 
at fifteen or twenty miles’ distance, causing great 
delay in unloading and shipping goods. 
