88 
an hour'; as soon as we were in motion again, we were obliged 
to stop for several hours, as one of the two pipes fell, and drew 
the other with it. The steward standing near, was wounded. We 
pursued our journey about midday, and laid by again towards 
sunset to take in wood, and remain for the night, as the water 
in the river had fallen, and the sand banks were numerous in 
this vicinity. 
We went on shore to look about, and found ourselves near to 
a plantation with extensive cotton fields, a cotton gin, and a large 
cotton press. There is a vast quantity of cotton seed left, more 
than is required for the next year’s planting, and the overplus is 
used for manure. I am well convinced, that with a small trouble 
and little expense, a very good oil could be expressed from this 
seed. It was thrown out in great heaps, which contained so 
much heat, that it was impossible to keep my hand in it a mo¬ 
ment. The breadth of the river is here said to be three hundred 
yards, but I cannot believe it to be so much. The right bank 
may be about sixty feet high, it rests partly on sandstone, and 
consists of many layers of soil; the left bank is lower. Both 
are grown up with wood, close to the water’s edge with willows, 
and farther back with different sorts of trees; lofty oaks, live 
oaks, and white oaks, which only flourish in the south, with 
plane trees, hickories, and other nut-bearing trees, here and there 
with beech, ash, and alder, and also with tall green cane. If it 
were not so warm and unhealthy during the summer, a residence 
here would be delightful. We saw upon the river many flocks 
of wild geese and ducks, and upon the shore several buzzards. 
The river makes a number of turns, and contains several islands; 
yet the most of them are merely sand banks. Upon them lie 
fallen trees, of which passing vessels must take great care. On 
the banks were canoes, which, in the Indian fashion, were hewed 
out of a single tree. 
On the 6th of January, the boat was under way before daybreak; 
she stopt at Cahawba till ten o’clock, to take in wood. This 
place has its name from a small river, which here flows into the 
Alabama. It lies upon the right hand bank of the river, here 
rather high. It was founded about five years ago, and it is 
already the capital of the state. With all this advantage, it 
contains only three hundred inhabitants of all sorts, and it is to 
be feared that its population will not increase, as the present le¬ 
gislature of Alabama, has resolved to change the seat of govern¬ 
ment to Tuscaloosa. 
A fatiguing and bad road goes from the landing to this village. 
It has two very broad streets, which cut each other at right an¬ 
gles. Only four or five houses are of brick, the others all built 
of wood; they stand at a distance from one another. In the 
Vol. II. 5 
