Domestic Manners of the Americans

Domestic Manners of the Americans

Frances Milton Trollope

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This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Domestic Manners of the Americans Chapter 1 Entrance of the Mississippi - Balize

On the 4th of November, 1827, I sailed from London, accompanied by my son and two daughters; and after a favourable, though somewhat tedious voyage, arrived on Christmas-day at the mouth of the Mississippi.

The first indication of our approach to land was the appearance of this mighty river pouring forth its muddy mass of waters, and mingling with the deep blue of the Mexican Gulf. The shores of this river are so utterly flat, that no object upon them is perceptible at sea, and we gazed with pleasure on the muddy ocean that met us, for it told us we were arrived, and seven weeks of sailing had wearied us; yet it was not without a feeling like regret that we passed from the bright blue waves, whose varying aspect had so long furnished our chief amusement, into the murky stream which now received us.

Large flights of pelicans were seen standing upon the long masses of mud which rose above the surface of the waters, and a pilot came to guide us over the bar, long before any other indication of land was visible.

I never beheld a scene so utterly desolate as this entrance of the Mississippi. Had Dante seen it, he might have drawn images of another Bolgia from its horrors. One only object rears itself above the eddying waters; this is the mast of a vessel long since wrecked in attempting to cross the bar, and it still stands, a dismal witness of the destruction that has been, and a boding prophet of that which is to come.

By degrees bulrushes of enormous growth become visible, and a few more miles of mud brought us within sight of a cluster of huts called the Balize, by far the most miserable station that I ever saw made the dwelling of man, but I was told that many families of pilots and fishermen lived there.

For several miles above its mouth, the Mississippi presents no objects more interesting than mud banks, monstrous bulrushes, and now and then a huge crocodile luxuriating in the slime. Another circumstance that gives to this dreary scene an aspect of desolation, is the incessant appearance of vast quantities of drift wood, which is ever finding its way to the different mouths of the Mississippi. Trees of enormous length, sometimes still bearing their branches, and still oftener their uptorn roots entire, the victims of the frequent hurricane, come floating down the stream. Sometimes several of these, entangled together, collect among their boughs a quantity of floating rubbish, that gives the mass the appearance of a moving island, bearing a forest, with its roots mocking the heavens; while the dishonoured branches lash the tide in idle vengeance: this, as it approaches the vessel, and glides swiftly past, looks like the fragment of a world in ruins.

As we advanced, however, we were cheered, notwithstanding the season, by the bright tints of southern vegetation. The banks continue invariably flat, but a succession of planless villas, sometimes merely a residence, and sometimes surrounded by their sugar grounds and negro huts, varied the scene. At no one point was there an inch of what painters call a second distance; and for the length of one hundred and twenty miles, from the Balize to New Orleans, and one hundred miles above the town, the land is defended from the encroachments of the river by a high embankment which is called the Levee; without which the dwellings would speedily disappear, as the river is evidently higher than the banks would be without it. When we arrived, there had been constant rains, and of long continuance, and this appearance was, therefore, unusually striking, giving to "this great natural feature" the most unnatural appearance imaginable; and making evident, not only that man had been busy there, but that even the mightiest works of nature might be made to bear his impress; it recalled, literally, Swift's mock heroic,

"Nature must give way to art;"

yet, she was looking so mighty, and so unsubdued all the time, that I could not help fancying she would some day take the matter into her own hands again, and if so, farewell to New Orleans.

It is easy to imagine the total want of beauty in such a landscape; but yet the form and hue of the trees and plants, so new to us, added to the long privation we had endured of all sights and sounds of land, made even these swampy shores seem beautiful. We were, however, impatient to touch as well as see the land; but the navigation from the Balize to New Orleans is difficult and tedious, and the two days that it occupied appeared longer than any we had passed on board.

In truth, to those who have pleasure in contemplating the phenomena of nature, a sea voyage may endure many weeks without wearying. Perhaps some may think that the first glance of ocean and of sky shew all they have to offer; nay, even that that first glance may suggest more of dreariness than sublimity; but to me, their variety appeared endless, and their beauty unfailing. The attempt to describe scenery, even where the objects are prominent and tangible, is very rarely successful; but where the effect is so subtile and so varying, it must be vain. The impression, nevertheless, is perhaps deeper than any other; I think it possible I may forget the sensations with which I watched the long course of the gigantic Mississippi; the Ohio and the Potomac may mingle and be confounded with other streams in my memory, I may even recall with difficulty the blue outline of the Alleghany mountains, but never, while I remember any thing, can I forget the first and last hour of light on the Atlantic.

The ocean, however, and all its indescribable charm, no longer surrounded us; we began to feel that our walk on the quarter-deck was very like the exercise of an ass in a mill; that our books had lost half their pages, and that the other half were known by rote; that our beef was very salt, and our biscuits very hard; in short, that having studied the good ship, Edward, from stem to stern till we knew the name of every sail, and the use of every pulley, we had had enough of her, and as we laid down, head to head, in our tiny beds for the last time, I exclaimed with no small pleasure,

"Tomorrow to fresh fields and pastures new."

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Domestic Manners of the Americans Domestic Manners of the Americans Frances Milton Trollope Modern
“This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.”
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Chapter 1 Entrance of the Mississippi - Balize

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Chapter 2 New Orleans - Society - Creoles and Quadroons V

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Chapter 3 Company on board the Steam Boat - Scenery of the

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Chapter 4 Departure from Memphis - Ohio River Louisville -

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Chapter 5 Cincinnati - Forest Farm - Mr. Bullock

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Chapter 6 Servants - Society - Evening Parties

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Chapter 7 Market - Museum - Picture Gallery - Academy o

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Chapter 8 Absence of public and private Amusement - Churche

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Chapter 9 Schools - Climate - Water Melons - Fourth of

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Chapter 10 Removal to the country - Walk in the forest -

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Chapter 11 Religion

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Chapter 12 Peasantry, compared to that of England - Early m

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Chapter 13 Theatre - Fine Arts - Delicacy - Shaking Qua

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Chapter 14 American Spring - Controversy between Messrs. Ow

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Chapter 15 Camp-Meeting

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Chapter 16 Danger of rural excursions - Sickness

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Chapter 17 Departure from Cincinnati - Society on board the

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Chapter 18 Departure for the mountains in the Stage - Scene

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Chapter 19 Baltimore - Catholic Cathedral - St. Mary's -

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Chapter 20 Voyage to Washington - Capitol - City of Washi

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Chapter 21 Stonington - Great Falls of the Potomac

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Chapter 22 Small Landed Proprietors - Slavery

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Chapter 23 Fruits and Flowers of Maryland and Virginia - Co

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Chapter 24 Journey to Philadelphia - Chesapeak and Delaware

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Chapter 25 Washington Square - American Beauty - Gallery

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Chapter 26 Quakers - Presbyterians - Itinerant Methodist

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Chapter 27 Return to Stonington - Thunderstorm - Emigrant

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Chapter 28 American Cooking - Evening Parties - Dress -

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Chapter 29 Literature - Extracts - Fine Arts - Educatio

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Chapter 30 Journey to New York

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Chapter 31 Reception of Captain Basil Hall's Book in the Un

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Chapter 32 Journey to Niagara - Hudson

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Chapter 33 Niagara - Arrival at Forsythes

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Chapter 34 Return to New York - Conclusion

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