174 
VIEWS OP LOUISIANA. 
Of fruit-trees over-woody reach’d too far 
Their pamper’d boughs,” -8tc. 
The borders of the Mississippi in their natural state, are far 
from being agreeable to the eye; we. see only gloomy forests, 
close thickets of underwood and reeds, putrescent trunks of 
trees, and the ragged banks heaped up with the sweepings of 
the upper country, and the sides of the river filled with saw¬ 
yers and planters. In lieu of these deformities, we generally 
find clean, smooth banks, a stream unobstructed by these impe¬ 
diments, its encroachments restrained, and delightful plantations 
and dwellings every where appearing. The Coast may be said 
to begin at Pointe Coupee. From this to La Fourche, two-thirds 
of the banks are perfectly cleared and highly cultivated: from 
thence to N. Orleans, distance of near 100 miles, the settlements, 
continue without interruption on both sides, and present the ap¬ 
pearance of a continued village. I was enchanted with the magni¬ 
ficence of the scene, as I floated down the majestic river in Dec. 
1811. The continued succession of plantations laid off* with reg¬ 
ularity and taste; the various useful and ornamental trees, the fig, 
peccane, ever green oak, laurels, pine, weeping willow, See The 
delightful groves of Orange trees, bending under the weight of 
their golden fruit, to one, just from the dreary solitudes of the 
^Missouri, or the rude wilds of Upper Louisiana, were objects 
indescribably pleasing. I could have believed that l was wit¬ 
nessing those paradisiacal scenes of which I have sometimes 
dreamed; but one or two reflections which intruded themselves, 
Unwelcome and unbidden guests, soon caused me to view the 
fair profusion,” with other sensations. The earth which bears 
these ornaments has been moistened by the tears of hundreds 
who labor to support, 
“ A haughty lordling’s pride 
in the midst of these rich gifts which seem to invite to enjoy¬ 
ment and delight, there lurks poison, disease, and death! Alas, 
how wretched is the poor wanderer deceived, whose thoughts 
are bent on discovering on this earth, some spot, possessing jn 
