IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ORLEANS. NEW Orleans, with its beautiful crescentformed site, the shipping in the harbour, the ferry-boats, which are very differently constructed from any I ever saw, having the appearance of floating houses-running to and from either side of the river, made an impression on me, when viewed for the first time, more easy to be imagined than described. On the levée, which is an embankment fronting the Mississippi from one end of the town to the other, immense crowds are assembled to witness the arrival and departure of vessels. A more motley group I never beheld. It seemed composed of every nation under heaven. Many of them rushed on board the moment our ship touched the landing-place, and appeared to derive much amusement from staring at all strangers, and asking innumerable questions of any who were at all inclined to be communicative. Although much pleased with the novelty of the scene, the noise and confusion was so great that I was very glad when the friend whom I expected to meet me made his appearance, and conducted me to the carriage which was to convey me to the boarding-house selected by him for my reception. It being the latter end of November, and the weather during our passage up the river having been very cold, I had gone on shore enveloped in shawls, but was soon obliged to divest myself of all superfluous covering. As we drove through the streets many of the shops were filled with the most beautiful fruit and flowers, and ladies walking on the balconies in light dresses, enjoying the sunshine, made me, for the moment, think I had, like the dor mouse, remained torpid all the winter, and but just returned to consciousness amidst the freshness and life of a lovely spring morning. But the illusion soon vanished, the climate in the winter season being extremely variable; and although the trees are Q never leafless, and snow is unknown, there | some very cold days, which are very trying, owing to the construction of the houses, which are built to admit as much air as possible. On reaching my destination, which was in one of the principal streets in the French quarter of the town, I felt the necessity of devoting some hours to repose after my fatiguing voyage; but, before retiring, was told not to be alarmed if I heard cries of fire, as there was generally one every evening. "Forewarned, forearmed," they say, which was perfectly true in my case: I had not been asleep long when I was awoke by a fearful commotion, and heard cries of "Fire! fire!" shouted by a number of voices, mingled with the lumbering of engines over the side walks. Finding, however, they went past the house some distance, I did not disturb myself; whereas, had I not been cautioned, I should most assuredly have made my appearance en robe de nuit, no doubt to the infinite amusement of the other boarders, who were just commencing the evening. While on the subject of fires, I must mention a peculiarity of the New Orleans people, who, although conflagrations are of nightly occurrence, make a practice of going to see them wherever they may happen, or at whatever time. Night as well as day, they will dress and go in immense crowds, young and old, rich and poor, leaving their houses to take care of themselves; the consequence is, that the vagabonds or loafers," as they are called, with which the city abounds, and who are the only persons who do not visit the scene of action, reap a rich harvest by robbing the houses so left. keepers; the apartments above opening one into the other with balconies on the outside, in many cases all round the houses. In the suburbs they are generally built of wood, painted white, with green jalousies, most of them with pretty gardens leading to the house, filled with beautiful half tropical shrubs and flowers. One tree in particular attracted my attention at night, from having, as I thought then, some brilliant insect fluttering in its branches, the effect of which I found, on inquiry, was caused by some of the leaves which produce such an appearance at that time: its name is very appropriate, being called the Fire-fly tree. Two of the principal streets, which separate the municipalities, viz., Canalstreet and Esplanade, are wide, handsome avenues, lined with trees after the manner of Continental cities. The majority of the inhabitants being Catholic, the places of worship of that persuasion preponderate. There are some good institutions, amongst which I may mention the Orphan Asylums, where destitute children are supported and well educated, and situations or trades are provided for them on attaining a certain age. I visited also a Catholic Foundling Hospital on the principle adopted in France, where the offspring of unfortunate women or unnatural parents are received. I was much pleased with the arrangements, and more especially with the dormitories-scrupulously clean; the beds ranged side by side, according to size, with great neatness; between every four, in the rooms appropriated to the younger ones, was a larger bed for the sisters; there was also a nursery for the infants, in which the elder children assisted; they were all dressed in pink calico, and presented a strong contrast to the Sisters in their sombre black garments. There was a subdued melancholy about them very unnatural to childhood, which produced on me a most painful impression, and one I found difficult to shake off for some time after my visit. New Orleans is divided into three parts, called Municipalities. The first and older portion of the town is almost entirely inhabited by French; their language is spoken, and one mght almost fancy himself in one of the sea-port cities of the South of France; the second, chiefly by English and Americans; the third, by Spaniards. Lafayette, The public schools, both male and female, which has since been united to New Orleans, are very excellent, and have been greatly and now forms the fourth Municipality, is improved of late by the introduction of chiefly inhabited by Germans, mostly from teachers from the Northern States, who are the South. These last are also very nume- more energetic in their system of education rous in the other municipalities; they, how-than the Southern people. There is plenty ever, conform to the habits, and speak the of hotel accommodation in the city, for language, of each. The houses in the city which, however, the stranger has to pay an are constructed of red brick, many of them exorbitant price. handsome and substantial, with large court- The system of boarding-houses which here, yards in the French style. Except in the as well as in all other parts of America, is so hotels and larger boarding-houses, they general, has its advantages, particularly to seldom have more than two stories over the young housekeepers and new-comers. The basements, which are occupied by shop-commissariat department to them is a serious business. When a servant or help is hired, who is pretty sure to be a sister of the Emerald Isle, she makes a stipulation with the mistress that she shall not be sent to market; what the reason is I do not know, but it is a rare thing to get one who can or will do it. The markets are opened very early in the morning, and are thronged with purchasers and spectators from day-break until between nine and ten-the heat commencing about that time, when all is cleared away until the next day. There are no butchers' shops in New Orleans: the meat becoming decomposed a very few hours after it is killed, so that it requires a little judgment and care on the part of the purchaser, which can only be acquired by experience. The markets are well worth a visit, particularly the French one: Sunday is the time to see it in full perfection. Every known nation on the face of the earth seems to congregate there. Here you see English, Irish, German, French, Mexicans, Spaniards, Negroes, buying and selling with great eagerness and vivacity. The stalls filled with splendid tropical fruits and flowers; the coffee booths laden with all kinds of cakes and confectionery, round which merry little groups stand laughing and talking over their early breakfast; the abundance of game and all good things, present a picturesque and novel scene, which will amply repay a disciple of Morpheus who will leave his downy nest a little earlier than he is wont. It has often surprised me to see the ease with which the mistress of a boarding-house will go to the market at six in the morning, cater for her large family, which in New Orleans is no easy matter (the dishes at the three meals, breakfast, dinner, and supper, which is taken at six in the evening-being numerous and varied), see that all is in due order on her return, and take her seat at table by eight o'clock! One of the advantages of boarding is a cheerful, though, I must admit, a very mixed, society; one feature of which especially attracted my attention: there is little or no distinction of persons, and throughout the whole community there is a spirit of independence which cannot fail to please a person of liberal mind. The employer and the employed meet in public on equal terms; and I have frequently met in those houses young men of gentlemanly appearance and manners, who, I afterwards learned, were compositors, printers, and such like; but it was impossible to detect the slightest difference between them and their wealthier and more aristocratic associates. I could not avoid making a comparison in my own mind between them and men of the same class in England, who, however they may be dressed, or in whatever society you find them, are still workmen; and no change of circumstances can make them otherwise. I tried both housekeeping and boarding, and much prefer the latter, particularly in the summer months, when it is a great advantage to have nothing to do; the extreme heat rendering even the natives, much more Europeans, languid and unfit for any greater exertion than sitting in a rocking chair, with a little negress, if you possess one, by your side, to fan you, and keep of the mosquitoes, which are very numerous. With the first shades of evening these troublesome little creatures enter your doors and windows in immense swarms, and with their arrival disappear all the anticipations you may have formed of spending a pleasant evening on the balcony when the heat of the day is over. This is an indulgence which, Creoles* seldom or ever think of taking, as they know it to be exceedingly dangerous to inhale the night air; the vapours which arise from the river, and the swamps by which the city is surrounded, being very unwholesome, and frequently causing disease to unacclimated persons who may expose themselves incautiously to these influences. The Creoles retire to rest very early, and are up and out almost with the dawn, which is the only time you really can enjoy a walk in the hot season. The air is then beautifully soft, with a fresh breeze from the river, which seems to invigorate everything vegetable, and animal. The streets then present a more lively appearance than at any other time of the day. The negro women, in their gay head-dresses, which are formed of bright-hued Madras handkerchiefs, which they tastefully, and the younger ones especially, coquettishly arrange, following their employers from market laden with baskets of beautiful flowers, fruit, and fresh-smelling vegetables, and the numbers of delicately beautiful and gaily-dressed children, attended by their nurses, who are generally Mulatto-many of them pretty, with very graceful figures--have a very pleasing effect, and cannot fail to interest a stranger. In reference to the treatment of slaves by their owners, as far as my experience went, they were much better treated than I had Many Europeans are under the impression that a Creo'e must of necessity be a coloured jerson. Creole is anything native of the place; thus, there are New Orleans Creole Negroes, Creole mules, Creole eggs, &c., and being naturally acclin atized, they are more valuable. A Creole negro or a mule can do more work, fowls thrive better, and butter and eggs produced there keep longer than those brought from other parts. been led to expect; a few cases of cruelty | thought; they felt they were labouring for came under my notice-one in particular, liberty and new life. Some attained their the perpetrator of which, I regret to say, was freedom quicker than others; but in time a lady a little delicate woman, whom you all the negroes on his plantation were emanwould never have suspected of such be- cipated, they having in that time repaid haviour. She owned an aged female slave, their purchase-money. His parsimonious whom she was in the habit of beating most habits contrasted strangely with his genecruelly till the blood streamed from her; rous and deeply-thinking mind, for such a then coolly sending for a coach to take her to one he must have possessed to have conthe Coloured Hospital, from which, when ceived and accomplished so noble an undercured, she was again sent back to her inhu- taking. Much more he would have done, man mistress to endure the same punishment no doubt, had he not been cut off in the the next time she had the misfortune to midst of his plans. His property, which offend. This was the only case of extreme amounted to some millions of dollars, he left cruelty I witnessed while there. No doubt, to public charities in Louisiana. on the plantations, they have to endure much The worst slave holders are the free hard work, and sometimes great brutality negroes. Instead of sympathising with from the overseers, who, with few exceptions, their unfortunate brethren, they_tyrannise are much more tyrannical and cruel than over them to a great extent. The Irish, also, the owners, who never know half the enor- make very bad masters; indeed, between mities committed by these monsters. In them and the black part of the population point of labour, I did not consider them generally there is a very bad feeling existworse off than many of our labouring men ing-they seldom come in contact without in England, who voluntarily adopt the most quarrelling. The Irish labourers are mostly laborious and unwholesome occupations. employed on the levée in rolling bales of Many of the slave owners in New Orleans cotton to the ships loading in the harbourare immensely wealthy, deriving large in- a most laborious, and, in the hot season, comes from the sums paid them by their hazardous occupation. Being of necessity negroes; the men at different trades, and much exposed to the heat of the sun, they the women getting plenty of employment as suffer greatly from its effects, and are someladies' maids, nurses, house servants, laun- times struck dead by its rays. Spirits and dress and stewardesses on the river steam- fruit being very cheap-a half-a-pint of boats. They have each to pay their owners whiskey only costing twopence halfpennya certain sum every month according to the they indulge very freely in those things, lucrativeness of their employment, or their their wages being liberal; and, as a matter capabilities, feed and clothe themselves, and of course, in an unhealthy climate, disease the surplus is in most instances carefully and frequently death ensues. I noticed, hoarded to purchase, after many years, the however, in the Irish female character one long-desired freedom, very good trait; after they had been in New Orleans some little time, and were earning money, they deprived themselves of necessaries to be enabled to send means to their relations in Ireland to join them in the land of plenty. While residing in New Orleans, I met a gentleman named Macdonald, a most eccentric character; although possessing immense property, he was miserly in the extreme, denying himself every necessary and leaving his near relatives to almost perish for want; yet he conceived the noble idea of emancipating his slaves, but in such a manner that they should gain and he be no loser by the transaction. They worked for him five days in the week for food, clothing, and houseroom; on the sixth day he paid them wages for work done, and credited them with the money thus earned; this was the first year. The second he paid them two days' wages in the week, provided they conducted themselves well the third year, three, and so on until he had reimbursed himself, when he granted their freedom together with a little money to begin life in Liberia, where he sent them. His plan was a wise and estimable one; it gave his slaves energy and At the corner of every street in the city are coffee-houses; why they are called so I never could make out, as I believe every beverage but coffee is to be obtained there. On entering one of these you see a long counter filled with glasses and bottles, containing every kind of spirits, wines, and cordials. You fill your glass with whatever you please, for which you pay a dime, value fivepence, in the first-class houses; and in the second, a picayune, equal to twopencehalfpenny. At all these places there is spread every morning a luncheon, consisting of all kinds of refreshment, hot and cold; people take this à la fourchette, for which nothing is charged-each person paying for his glass of spirits or wine only. In some of these houses there is a second "spread," as it is called, in the evening; and in such places as the St. Charles, or the St. Louis hotels, where a dime is charged, the display of provisions is much greater and of better quality. All day long these houses are filled with men gambling, playing cards, drinking, and smoking; particularly in those of the second class, where scenes of violence, and sometimes murder, have occurred; maddened by the excitement of play and drink, quarrels frequently arise, and as they do not fight only, but resort to knives and pistols, it is scarely matter of surprise if there is hardly a day passes without something dreadful taking place. Another great source of crime are the nightly balls, which are attended by the lower orders of all nations. Jealousies and disagreements are sure to arise, and the evening's amusements winds up with a fight, if not something worse. There are several theatres; but, throughout the whole city there is a great dearth of intellectual amusement. It is to be found, however, in many private families; but here I noticed a very marked distinction of society. In hotels and boarding-houses-all are on an equality; but in their domestic circles they are very exclusive, and their acquaintance limited. But, on the other hand, there was one trait in their character which pleased me very much. Persons of respectability once admitted to their friendship, afterwards suffering a reverse of fortune, were shown even greater courtesy and attention by those who were more favoured by the fickle goddess. How very different is the case in England, where, I am sorry to say, people are too much estimated by their wealth, frequently to the sacrifice of all moral feeling and integrity. There are no regular soldiers in New Orleans; but the citizens form themselves into companies with the sanction of the State, each company electing its own officers. The uniforms and dresses are very varied; the individual taste of the leaders being the only standard. On looking at the river from any of the streets leading to it, you are struck with the appearance of its being higher than the land, which is the case, the centre of the town being below the level of the river. There are no sewers, it being impossible to dig two feet without coming to water; the drainage, as a matter of course, is very bad, the gutters which run down each side of the streets emitting at times a most disagreeable effluvia, and would no doubt be much worse if it were not for the heavy rains which happen almost daily during the hot weather, and, although they seldom last an hour, nearly inundate the place. One of the annoyances to which the stranger is subjected, in the hot season, is the prickly heat, a small rash which comes out all over the body, of the most irritating description; it is considered a sign of good health, but one, I think, every one would most willingly dispense with. Rats, which to me were the greatest nuisance of all, mosquitoes included, literally swarm; whole troops of them visit the apartments at night, especially the eating-rooms, and penetrate even to the bed-rooms. They are of immense size, and I have often seen, walking up the street of an evening, what I at first took to be a kitten or a puppy, which, to my great horror, on examining more closely, I found to be an enormous rat. Still, I believe they are very useful in such a place, eating up the refuse, and materially lessening the scavengers' duties. The people of New Orleans have a saying that the waters of the Mississippi possesses certain charms; that persons taking it will never wish to return to their native land: but whatever effect it may have produced on others, the enchantment failed in my case, for, although I had met with much kindness from the inhabitants, and had passed many happy hours, I felt no regret when the time arrived for my departure: but, on the contrary, anticipated with much pleasure the prospect of seeing dear Old England again. Still, with all its dissipation and disagreeables, any one in search of novelty and amusement, with plenty of means at command, may pass a pleasant winter in New Orleans; and the anticipations of the writer will be more than realised should the foregoing sketch prove useful and interesting to those who in future may be attracted to the great cotton mart of the New World. LITTLE PRESENTS. LIFE is made up of little things; every now and then-and every now and then only is it that we are startled from the usual routine of small events by some great thing happening to us. Small grains make great mountains, and there is a value in little things to which many large ones can never attain. How cheering to the downcast mind is even the bright smile, or the passing sunbeam, and just such cheerful visitants are little presents. We have a |