I found no beauty in the scenery round Nashoba, nor can I conceive that it would possess any even in summer.  The trees were so close to each other as not to permit the growth of underwood, the great ornament of the forest at New Orleans, and still less of our seeing any openings, where the varying effects of light and shade might atone for the absence of other objects.  The clearing round the settlement appeared to me inconsiderable and imperfect; but I was told that they had grown good crops of cotton and Indian corn.  The weather was dry and agreeable, and the aspects of the heavens by night surprisingly beautiful.  I never saw moonlight so clear, so pure, so powerful.

We returned to Memphis on the 26th January, 1828, and found ourselves obliged to pass five days there, awaiting a steam-boat for Cincinnati, to which metropolis of the west, I was now determined to proceed with my family to await the arrival of Mr. Trollope.  We were told by everyone we spoke to at Memphis, that it was in all respects the finest situation west of the Alleghanies.  We found many lovely walks among the broken forest glades around Memphis, which, together with a morning and evening enjoyment of the effects of a glowing horizon on the river, enabled us to wait patiently for the boat that was to bear us away.

CHAPTER 4

Departure from Memphis—­Ohio River Louisville—­Cincinnati

On the 1st of February, 1828, we embarked on board the Criterion, and once more began to float on the “father of waters,” as the poor banished Indians were wont to call the Mississippi.  The company on board was wonderfully like what we had met in coming from New Orleans; I think they must have all been first cousins; and what was singular, they too had all arrived at high rank in the army.  For many a wearisome mile above the Wolf River the only scenery was still forest—­forest—­forest; the only variety was produced by the receding of the river at some points, and its encroaching on the opposite shore.  These changes are continually going on, but from what cause none could satisfactorily explain to me.  Where the river is encroaching, the trees are seen growing in the water many feet deep; after some time, the water undermines their roots, and they become the easy victims of the first hurricane that blows.  This is one source of the immense quantities of drift wood that float into the gulf of Mexico.  Where the river has receded, a young growth of cane-brake is soon seen starting up with the rapid vegetation of the climate; these two circumstances in some degree relieve the sameness of the thousand miles of vegetable wall.  But we were now approaching the river which is emphatically called “the beautiful,” La Belle Riveriere of the New Orleans French; and a few days took us, I trust for ever, out of that murky stream which is as emphatically called “the deadly;” and well does it seem to merit the title;