Chap. II. A NORTHER. 443 
might have easily enlarged the holes with his fingers, and 
filled his pockets. I had to be very watchful, and keep 
my eye on the bags : and I felt no little anxiety in thinking 
how the money was to reach in safety its destination at 
New Orleans. I afterwards heard that not a dollar was 
missing : a fact which will interest those who, in matters of 
property, consider American morals worse than European. 
No person would have been answerable for losses caused 
by bad packing. The violent wind also kept me in con- 
stant fear for the money ; for the boat rocked about so, that 
I was afraid the money-bags standing on the deck might 
slide into the sea. The deck had no railing, but the boat- 
men thought my fears unfounded. At the same time the 
violence and cold of the norther were so great, that, with 
the little protection afforded by the boat, I should not have 
lived through the night on the water. On landing, I was 
so frozen as hardly to be able to walk. I went to a Ger- 
man inn, warmed myself with some tea, and went to bed. 
But scarcely had I fallen asleep, when I was awakened 
by a bright glare, and saw just before my windows a 
whole group of houses in flames. I was quickly in the 
road, where the norther blew so violently that my back was 
icy cold, whilst the skin of my face was scorched by the 
fire of the burning houses. 
On the 10th, the first attempt was made to put to our 
animals, — a task which occupied the whole day, without 
even stirring the waggons. The following day the caravan 
was at last put into motion ; but how this was effected will 
be seen from the following extract from my Diary, which 
I subjoin, to give an idea of the toils of such a journey. I 
beg the reader not to consider this unworthy his perusal, 
though it leads him into the low details of a waggoner's 
life ; and if, whilst reading it, he should be enjoying the 
