LIFE OF WILSON. 
cxliii 
ney, I am obliged to omit much that would amuse and interest 
you; but my present situation, a noisy tavern, crowded in eve- 
ry corner, even in the room where I write, with the sons of 
riot and dissipation, prevents me from enlarging on particulars. 
I could also have wished to give you some account of this place, 
and of the celebrated Mississippi, of which you have heard so 
much. On these subjects, however, I can at present only of- 
fer you the following slight sketch, taken the morning after my 
arrival here. 
“ The best view of this place and surrounding scenery, is 
from the old Spanish fort on the south side of the town, about 
a quarter of a mile distant. From this high point, looking up 
the river, Natchez lies on your right, a mingled group of green 
trees, and white and red houses, occupying an uneven plain, 
much washed into ravines, rising as it recedes from the bluff 
or high precipitous bank of the river. There is, however, 
neither steeple, cupola, nor distinguished object to add interest 
to its appearance. The country beyond it to the right is thrown 
up into the same irregular knolls; and at the distance of a mile, 
in the same direction, you have a peep of some cultivated farms, 
bounded by the general forest. On your left you look down, 
at a depth of two or three hundred feet, on the river, winding 
majestically to the south; the intermediate space exhibiting wild 
perpendicular precipices of brown earth. This part of the ri- 
ver and shore is the general rendezvous of all the arks or Ken- 
tucky boats, several hundreds of which are at present lying 
moored there, loaded with the produce of the thousand shores 
of this noble river. The busy multitudes below present a per- 
petually varying picture of industry; and the noise and uproar, 
softened by the distance, with the continual crowing of the 
poultry with which many of these arks are filled, produce 
cheerful and exhilarating ideas. The majestic Mississippi, 
swelled by his ten thousand tributary streams, of a pale brown 
colour, half a mile wide, and spotted with trunks of trees, that 
show the different threads of the current and its numerous ed- 
dies, bears his depth of water past in silent grandeur. Seven 
