22 
several miles behind. The day was very clear, and towards 
midday moderately warm, in the evening there was again a 
strong frost. I was pleased with the dark blue of the sky, such 
as we hardly have in Germany in a midsummer’s day. We 
met with several families, emigrating with their property to 
Macon and the State of Alabama. One of these families, who 
had paid their wagoners beforehand, had been left by them under 
frivolous pretext in the middle of the woods, two miles from 
Milledgeville: we found these unfortunate persons, who had 
made a bivouac, after they had waited several days in vain for 
their runaway wagoner and his horses. Several lonely houses 
which we passed were grog-shops, in which the neighbours 
were celebrating the third day of the Christmas holy-day s. Every 
thing as at home, thought I, and fancied that I was in a European 
country. We noticed a gentleman and lady on horseback, the 
horses were not loaded completely, a barefooted negro wench 
was obliged to run with a heavy sack of corn on her shoulders 
to feed the horses! Then I was convinced, and with pleasure, 
that I was not in Europe! The road was sandy, uneven, and 
passed through pine woods. This wood was here and there 
cleared, and a patch of cotton and Indian corn planted. Close 
by Macon we crossed the Oakmulgee river in a ferry-boat, 
and reached the town after sunset. We found tolerable accom¬ 
modation in a new tavern. 
The country in which Macon is situated, was first purchased 
from the Creek Indians, in the year 1822 , and the town began 
about two years ago. In the last war, the Indians had collected 
a number of their people here, and the United States built Fort 
Hawkins, on the left bank of the river, at present deserted. 
In Macon we received a visit from a Colonel Danah, who for¬ 
merly served in the army, and was now settled here. He intro¬ 
duced to me several of the distinguished people of the place, who 
had come to see me. The town has only three streets, which 
crossed at right angles. At the point of intersection is a large 
square, there are houses only on three sides of it ; on the fourth 
side it is contemplated to erect the capitol, if, as it has been pro¬ 
posed, the government should be removed here from Milledge¬ 
ville. One street runs perpendicular to the line of the river, 
over which a bridge is intended to be built: the mason work for 
its support has been completed on both sides. The streets are about 
one hundred feet wide, the roots of the felled trees are visible in 
them, of which trees the houses are constructed throughout. 
The place contains about sixteen hundred inhabitants, white and 
black. The population are partly young people from Georgia, 
partly emigrants from the two Carolinas and the northern 
states, who have fixed themselves here from motives of specu- 
