1803. | 
though a promifeuous intercourfe may in- 
duce many men to relax a litile from this 
line of conduét, yet even in this cafe, it 
will be a long time before they form a ge- 
neral character under which the whole com- 
munity may be clafied. The refidents here 
are a mixture of Englifh, Ivith, Scotch, 
American, French, and Spanith ; and 
though the four former may be ranked un- 
der one head, and conttitute by tar the 
greateft body of the people, yet the two 
Jatter will forma diftinét divifion, of which 
the Spanifh are the leaft confiderable.— 
The charatteriftic traits in each of thefe 
nations are nearly the fame as in the mo- 
ther-country, though fomewhat altered by 
that natural progrcss of affimilation alrea- 
dy hinted at. The climate tco may have 
fome influence, and induce them to com- 
ply with fome little deviattons from accuf- 
tomed uiage for the fake of ea'e and com- 
fort ; amongft the moft baneful effects of 
which we may reckon that unconquerable 
difpofition towards idlenefs fo prevalent 
in warm countries. Neverthelefs they are 
neat and cleanly in their houfes and their 
furniture, which however is a virtue arif- 
ing from neceffity rather than from incli- 
nation, 
There is but one printing-prefs in this 
town, and that is for the ufe of the Govern- 
ment only. The Spaniards are too jea- 
lous to fuffer the inhabitants to have the 
free exercife of it ; and however ftrange 
it may appear, it 1s neverthelefs true, that 
you cannot ftick a paper againit the wall 
(either to recover any thing loft, or to ad- 
vertife any thing for fale) unlefs it has the 
fignature of the Governor or his Secretary 
attached to it. 
As to the diverfions of the place, they 
confift principally of billiards, of which 
there are feveral tables inthe town. They 
have a play-houfe, which is rather {mall : 
it confilts of one row of boxes only, with 
a pit and gallery. The plays are perform- 
ed in French, and they have a tolerable 
» fet of actors. The inhabitants are like- 
wife mulical; and the gentlemen of the 
place oiten pertorm in the orcheftra at the 
theatre: in taét, they have no mulic, pub- 
lic or private, but {uch as is obtained in 
this voluntary way. 
It is not in young colonies that we are 
to look for much improvement in the arts 
or {ciences, nor for any progrefs in the 
refinements of ‘fociety 5 1t will be fuffici- 
ent if they preferve thofe which they pring 
from the mother-country, and do not de- 
generate tco rapidly. Emigrants to fuch 
places are generally men of a {peculative 
and enterprizing turn; the connections 
Defeription of Louifiana. 
329 
which they form amongfi each other are 
moftly for the fake of intereft or imme- 
diate pleafure, and lofe much of their re- 
lifh for want of that tye which is found to 
be the only true bond of fociety. 
The climate of this country during the 
fummer feafon is intolerably hot : fora 
few days whillt I was there in the month 
of June, the thermometer ftood at 117% 
in the fhade! It is reckoned a very un- 
healthy place, which may probably be 
owing to its low fituation ; for there is 
fearcely a hill to be iecn for many miles 
together: befides, the interior of the 
country is ina itate ot nature, full of 
fwamps and woods; all the cultivated 
parts are in the immediate vicinity of the 
rivers, 
The obfervance of the Sabbath at this 
place, I found, was as loofe and as irre- 
ligious as in any other Roman Catholic 
country. Ihe early part of the day is 
kept in the performance’ of a few forms 
and ceremonies which are carried on under 
the roof of the church. This being end- 
ed, and with it the duty of the day, you 
every where obferve the marks of hilarity 
end cheerfulnefs: fearcely has the priett 
pronounced his benediétion, ’ere the fiddle 
or the fife {trikes up at the door, and the 
lower claffes of the people indulge them- 
felves in all the gaiety and mirth of juve- 
nile diverfions: finging, dancing, and all 
kinds of {ports, are {cen in every ftreet ; 
and in the evening, to crown this fcene of 
difftpation, the play-houfe and affembly- 
room are thrown open. I obferved that 
this unbending of the mind from all 
worldly concerns, and fuffering the gay 
dilpofitions of the heart to fuperfede thofe 
of a more reflecting nature, took very 
much with the lower fort of people : and 
the fuccefs of the Roman Catholic reli- 
gion is, no doubt, in a great meafure ow- 
ing to thefe and fuch like indulgencies. 
The trade of New Orleans contits prin- 
cipally in the exportation of deer-fkins, 
bear-ikins, beaver-furs, cotton, lumber, 
rice, and various other articles that are 
produced on thé plantations up the river. 
The fkins and furs are obtained fiom the 
Indians, who are continually bringing 
them down to this place, where they bar: 
ter them for rifle-zuns, powder, blankets, 
&ce. The articles of importation are 
chiefly Welt India produce, and fuch Eu-. 
ropean manufactures as are mot in de- 
mand amongit ibe inhabitants, or intends 
ed for the traders amonegit the Indians. — 
This latter is a very profiiable employ- 
ment. ‘There was a gentleman at this 
time at New Orvleans who had followed it 
for 
