Part 20

It is not through ignorance either that they continue in these simple and rude habits of life. Most of these planters visit the Northern States periodically, as well as New Orleans; their wealth, and the necessity the merchant feels to conciliate their good-will, makes them the ready guests at tables where every luxury and refinement abounds: but they view these without evincing the least desire to imitate them, prefer generally the most ordinary liquids to the finest-flavoured wines, and, as guests, are much easier to please than to catch; for not only do they appear indifferent to these luxuries, but they seek to avoid them, contemn their use, and return to their log-houses and the cane-brake to seek in labour for enjoyment.

There must, however, be a great charm in the unrestrained freedom of this sort of life; since I have frequently met women, who were bred in the North, well educated, and accustomed for years to all the agremens of good society, who yet assured me that they were happiest when living in the solitude of their plantation, and only felt dull whilst wandering about the country or recruiting at some public watering-place.

The great drawback to these frontiers, and one which will, I fear, exist for some time, unless the citizens of the towns take the law into their own hands, and execute it in a summary manner, is to be found in the presence of certain idle ruffians who exist here. The only matter of surprise to me is, that there are so few of the description, and that in such a country crime is so rare, where the facility afforded for escape is great, and where the laws view with such reverence the liberty of the subject.

One or two anecdotes of recent occurrence will, however, do more to put the reader in possession of the true state of the case than a volume of unsupported reasoning.

During the last night I acted in Mobile, whilst on the stage, I heard a slight noise in the upper boxes; a rush was made to a particular point; then a moment's scuffle, and all was silent. The ladies in the dress-boxes had not moved, and very little sensation was communicated to the crowded pit: the whole thing, in fact, was over in as short a time as I have occupied in the telling of it.

After the play I accompanied a party of ladies to the house of Mr. M----e to sup, and here, for the first time, learned, through an inquiry casually made, that during that slight scuffle a citizen had been killed by the blow of a knife, given by an intemperate ruffian named M'Crew, who had quietly descended the stairs afterwards, accompanied by his brother. These men were from the country, were known disturbers of the peace, and rarely made their appearance without bloodshed following.

The next morning I inquired as to the result, when it appeared the homicide was adjudged manslaughter in a chance-medley; and the ruffian, who had voluntarily appeared before the magistrate, was admitted to bail. Now here was a case where Lynch law might have been most beneficially employed: the citizens should have caught both these ruffians, and hung them at their gates in terrorem.

I may add here, that, within a month of this time, these fiends atrociously murdered the child of a planter, out of revenge for some real or fancied affront; and, finding the exploit likely to prove serious, fled to Texas.

My next illustration is of a kind so little in keeping with the year 1835, that it would be a better story if dated from the debateable land, anno Dom. 1535. The hero of the fight I am about to narrate is as fine a specimen of an old Irishman as ever I met with, and I have seen him frequently: his name is Robert Singleton, and his residence is Baldwin county, in this State.

It appears that Mr. Singleton had lent to a Mr. English four or five negroes, whom at a certain time he claimed, according to agreement, and took back to his own place: hence arose a dispute as to the right of possession; which dispute the sons of Mr. English decided upon settling in a right border fashion.

Accompanied by three of their white neighbours, and three of their father's slaves, the two Englishes repaired to the plantation of Mr. Singleton. He was absent; but they surrounded the house, and, after a resistance on the part of the slaves, which cost one of them his life, the number claimed were made prisoners, and marched off for the country of their captors.

Meantime, a lad who had escaped from the house on the first attack, found, and communicated the surprisal and the result to his master, Mr. Singleton, who, accompanied by his eldest son, without a moment's hesitation put spurs to horse, and took the line of country likely to cut off the retreat of the enemy.

Early on the next morning, July 4th, the Singletons came upon a bridge they knew the Englishes must cross; and, not discovering new tracks, decided to halt here: they had not waited half an hour, when the other party came in sight.

A parley was called. Singleton, senior, declared himself and son resolute to maintain the bridge against all comers, unless his slaves were restored.

The elder brother, W. English, begged the Singletons not to fire, as they would surrender the negroes: at the same time, the party alighted; but as Singleton turned his head to desire his son to stand fast, he received a shot in the left shoulder; and, on a second, saw his son fall dead across his feet. Clapping his gun to his shoulder, he shot David English through the brain; a barrel was at the same moment levelled against him by Wm. English, but snapped: again he called on Singleton not to shoot; but he this time called in vain. Taking up his son's loaded piece, he shot his adversary whilst in the act of stooping to lift his dead brother's rifle.

One more shot was discharged from the English party, and Singleton received a second ball in his side. The assailants then fled, leaving the resolute old planter master of the field, with his eldest son, a young man of the best habits, dead at his feet.

His wounds did not prevent his collecting his negroes after the flight of his enemies; he then walked back half a mile to where he had left his horse, mounted, and rode home, although upwards of fifty years of age. Mortification was for some time apprehended; but he at last recovered perfectly, and was, when I left Mobile, in robust health.

The detail of this affair, as it stands in the journal, is concluded by a regular list with the names of killed and wounded; but not one word of comment. It is now in my possession, and the account may be relied upon as authentic in every particular.

The streets of Mobile are covered over with a kind of shell that abounds in the neighbourhood: this binds with the fine sand, and makes the cleanest, best road possible, and is besides, I believe, very durable. Since the swampy ways have been replaced by good roads of this material, the health of the city has never been attacked by fever, which was frequent before. The cholera is unknown here, although its ravages in the south-western country were, and in fact are, terrible.

The market is abundantly supplied with provisions, fish, and game of every variety. Here is one of the best-ordered hotels in the States, and altogether as many inducements to the visitor or settler as any place I saw. The summer I had no means of proving; but from all hands learn that the heat, although continuous, is by no means excessive; whilst, within five miles, on the heights of Springhill, the nights are, at the hottest season, absolutely cold.

A ball, given in honour of the birth-day of Washington, by the volunteer corps of the city, afforded me an admirable occasion of seeing the people, since the committee was kind enough to send me a ticket.

Here, to the number of six hundred, was assembled all of the democracy of Mobile having a claim to the term respectable, properly applied to habit and character, not to calling or wealth. I have seldom seen a better dressed, and never a better conducted assembly, whilst nothing could be more perfectly democratic.

Here you might see the merchant's lady, whose French ball-dress cost one hundred and fifty dollars, dancing in the same set with the modiste who made it up; whilst the merchant changed hands with the wife of his master-drayman, and the wealthy planter's daughter footed to her brother's schneider, himself tricked out in some nondescript uniform of his own making. Yet were all perfectly well conducted, and equally happy: nor is it found that any ill consequence or undue familiarity continues after these public occasions restore each to his, or her, own sphere, or pursuit.

The supper was laid out most tastefully upon the galleries surrounding the inner court of the hotel, enclosed for the occasion with canvass, and the pillars wreathed with shrubs and flowers. At the upper end was an ugly, ill-dressed picture, which, I was informed, represented Liberty; a proof how the imagination can deify its own object of veneration, for a less inviting gentlewoman it would be difficult to conceive.

On the 7th of March I returned to New Orleans, via Portersville; and, on halting at the house midway the forest, was advised by my countryman the landlord to dine, by all means, if I was hungry; for he had "an illegant turkey, a wild one, and a Tennessee ham, with a lump of roast beef, rare and tinder." I followed his counsel, and made a most excellent meal on the wild turkey, a bird of which I should never tire. I set it down as the foremost of all winged things yet appropriated to the use of the kitchen.

I arrived at New Orleans, and again passed three weeks amidst attentions that never wearied, and the most flattering professional success. I will here, as I have before done, drop my Journal, and put my Impressions together in a less desultory form.

FOOTNOTE:

Since this sheet has been in the course of printing, I have received an account of the capture of the murderers, from a correspondent at Mobile. The State had offered a large reward, and taken active measures for the M'Crews' detection. The retreat of one was traced out in the Mexican territory; and the details of his surprisal and capture, whilst resident amongst the Comanche Indians, are absolutely romantic, and highly creditable to the courage and patience of the captor, a private individual. I have to regret that these details are too long to be inserted by way of note. The murderers (or one of them at least) are now at Mobile awaiting trial.