Unluckily for me, my port-folio also remained behind among my other baggage. I suffered therefore, the whole forenoon of the next day the most excessive tedium, and was obliged to remain in noble idleness. I went to walk in the woods, gaped about at the pretty flowers, and the amazing variety of butterflies; came back, seated myself in Mr. Dunn’s store, and viewed the steam-boats going down the river. At length in the afternoon, Böttner arrived, with my baggage in a one-horse cart, splashed all over with mud, as he had been obliged to lead the restive horse all the way by the bridle. The poor fellow bivouacked in the woods yesterday, from one o’clock in the morning till four in the evening, when by chance the shepherds of New Harmony passed by, and gave Mr. Owen an account of Böttner’s situation, upon which old Dr. M‘Namee had come out with his one-horse vehicle, and brought back the baggage and its guard. By Mr. Owen’s kindness, the cart was on this day sent on, with my effects.
Now my earnest desire was to get away as quickly as possible. To be sure, the splendid view of the Ohio and its banks by the light of the moon, regaled me in the evening; but the residence in this place was too inhospitable and uninteresting; besides I suffered the whole afternoon and evening with tooth-ache, and symptoms of fever. But how were we to get away? During the night a steam-boat passed, going up the river, but she kept to the left bank where the deepest water was, and took no notice of Mount Vernon. About nine o’clock on the 23d of April, another steam-boat, the General Wayne, came up, bound in the same direction. A flag was hoisted, to give notice that passengers wished to come on board, we waved our handkerchiefs, but the vessel did not regard us, and passed on. To kill time, I went with Mr. Riley to Major Dunn’s store, where we told stories about steam-boats to keep off ennui as well as we could, but in vain. In the evening I heard much concerning Rapp’s society, from a German mechanic, who had belonged to it, and who had left it as he said, because Rapp refused to let him have the inheritance of his father-in-law. We heard psalmody in the court-house, for the religious inhabitants of the place, mostly methodists, hold Sunday evening prayer meetings without a clergyman. The day was upon the whole quite warm, and towards evening we had to contend with numbers of mosquetoes. To prevent in some measure their coming from the woods, where they harboured, fires were kindled about the place, and likewise before the houses. The situation here must be an unhealthy one, for not only was I annoyed during the night with head-ache and fever, but Messrs. Huygens, Riley, and Johnson, complained of being unwell. With the exception of some miserable, filthy lodgings in Canada, I do not recollect in any part of the United States, even among the Creek Indians, to have found myself so wretchedly situated in every respect, as here. The food, furnished in small quantity as it was, was hardly fit to be eaten; the only beverage was water, which it was necessary to mix with ordinary whiskey; the beds very bad; and the whole house in a state of the most revolting filthiness.
On the morning of the 24th of April, came the hour of our deliverance. The steam-boat General Neville came up the river after seven o’clock. We dispatched a boat to tell them that several cabin passengers waited for them in Mount Vernon. Immediately the vessel steered for our shore, and took us in.
We were extremely rejoiced at our escape from this disagreeable place. The boat had come from St. Louis, and was bound for Louisville. She was but small, containing sixteen births in her cabin, and had a high-pressure engine. Luckily, however, we found but three cabin passengers on board. We started immediately, and the banks of the river here and there low and subject to inundation, gratified us very much by the fresh green of the trees. We passed by some considerable islands. One of them, Diamond Island, is about three miles and a half long and above a mile broad, and must contain several thousand acres of excellent land. Afterwards we saw upon the left bank, here pretty high, the little town of Henderson, in Kentucky. Eleven miles and a half higher, we saw Evansville upon an eminence on the right shore, still an inconsiderable place, but busy; it being the principal place in the county of Vandeburg, in the state of Indiana, lying in the neighbourhood of a body of fertile land, and is a convenient landing place for emigrants, who go to the Wabash country. Upon the same shore are seen several dwellings upon the fresh turf, shaded by high green trees. Close below Evansville, a small river called Big Pigeon creek falls into the Ohio. In its mouth we saw several flat boats, with apparatus similar to pile-driving machines. These vessels belong to a contractor, who has entered into an engagement with the government, to make the Ohio free and clear of the snags and sawyers lying in its current. This work was discharged in a negligent manner, and the officer to whom the superintendence was committed, is censured for having suffered himself to be imposed upon. I remembered having seen models in the patent-office at Washington, of machines which were intended to effect this purpose. Seven miles and a half higher up, Green river unites itself to the Ohio on the left bank. Of this the Western Navigator says: “that it is a considerable river in Kentucky, navigable about two hundred miles, and rises in Lincoln county.” On board our boat we did not find ourselves comfortable, either in respect to lodging, or the table. All was small and confined, and in the evening we were much annoyed by the mosquetoes. My mosqueto bar, purchased in New Orleans, assisted me very much as a defence during the night.
During the night, we stopped several times to take in wood, and once to repair the engine. An overhanging tree, which we approached too nearly, gave us a powerful blow, and did much damage to the upper part of the vessel. I had no state room, and therefore obtained no sleep during the constant uproar. The banks became constantly higher, and more picturesque in their appearance. They were frequently rocky: in several rocks we observed cavities, which with the houses built in front of them, produced a pleasing effect. Upon the right bank, was a little place called Troy; several settlements, composed of frame houses, instead of logs. Towards evening we saw upon the left bank, the mouth of a little stream, Sinking creek. Upon the right shore of this creek, is a group of houses called Rome, and on the left a little place, named Stevensport; both places are united by a wooden bridge, resting upon one high pier. I spent nearly the whole day on deck, to regale myself with the beautiful landscapes surrounding us. Between several turns of the river the country is so shut in, that one would suppose himself sailing on a lake. The agreeable sensations caused by the beautiful country, and the mild spring temperature which surrounded me, upon the whole compensated for many of our privations. We indeed were in want of every thing but absolute necessaries. I met an acquaintance indeed; one of our fellow travellers who had formerly been a clerk of the English North West Company, and had remained three years at the posts of the company in the Rocky Mountains, and on the Columbia river; but this person had acquired so many of the habits of the savages, that his company was in no wise an acquisition. I was also, as well as all the other gentlemen who had been in that unlucky Mount Vernon, tormented with constant pains in the limbs, and our coarse food was so bad, that it was hardly possible to consume it. There was neither wine nor beer on board, nor any acids, so that water and whiskey, were the beverages to which we were reduced. For many years I had never undergone such gastronomic privations, as in the western parts of America. The Ohio appears to contain many good and well tasted fish, but it seems that the people here prefer the eternal hog meat, and that mostly salted, to every thing else, for until now I had seen no fish in these regions, at least none procured for eating. In the night, we advanced on our voyage without stop or accident.
On the morning of the 26th of April, we saw the mouth of Salt river, which, as the Western Navigator says, is a considerable river of Kentucky, about one hundred and thirty yards wide at its mouth, and navigable one hundred and fifty miles. Twenty miles above this, the little town of New Albany lies on the right bank, which promises to be a flourishing place. It has a factory of steam-engines, which finds good employment here. On the bank, a newly-built steam-boat was lying, waiting for her engine. These engines must be built very strong, proportionably too powerful for the tonnage of the vessel, on account of the stiffness of the current. They of consequence suffer a violent shock from it, and can only be used about three years. An island in the river divides it into two narrow channels, in which there are rapid currents. Above the island is the foot of the Falls of Ohio. At the present high stage of water, the descent does not strike the eye, and vessels are able to pass up or down the river over the falls. Ours, which went no farther up, stopped on the left bank at Shippingport, opposite New Albany, two miles below Louisville.
Shippingport, is an insignificant place, which is supported by the lading and unlading of vessels. We found several hackney coaches, which carried us and our baggage by land to Louisville, where we took up our abode in a large and respectable inn, called Washington Hall, kept by a Mr. Allen. The Western Navigator has the following remarks upon this neighbourhood: “The rapids of the Ohio are, in a natural as well as a political regard, a point well deserving of attention. In low states of the water, they are the termination of navigation by steam-boats, and the last place in the descent of the Ohio, where any considerable impediment occurs in its course. A number of infant towns have already sprung up on both shores of the Ohio, in the neighbourhood of this point, Jefferson, Clarksburg, and New Albany, in Indiana; Louisville, Shippingport, and Portland, in Kentucky. Among these is Louisville, the principal, with a population of three thousand souls; while new Albany contains about one thousand, Shippingport six hundred, and Jeffersonville five hundred inhabitants; all these are thriving situations. Inclusive of the towns and neighbourhood, there is a population of ten thousand people in this vicinity. In the year 1810, Louisville contained only thirteen hundred and fifty-seven inhabitants; it exceeds beyond a doubt its present estimate of five thousand, and will still increase. It is the seat of justice for Jefferson county, Kentucky, contains a prison, court-house, and the other essential buildings, besides a theatre, three banks, of which one is a branch of the United States Bank, a market, several places of worship, and three printing-offices. Louisville lies in 38° 18’ north latitude, and 5° 42’ west longitude from Washington.”
Louisville, at least the main street of it, running parallel with the Ohio, has a good appearance. This street is rather broad, paved, and provided with foot-walks; it contains brick buildings and several considerable stores. In our hotel, I renewed my acquaintance with Major Davenport, of the sixth regiment of infantry, whom, together with his lady, I had known in Washington, at General Brown’s, and who is here on recruiting duty. It fell out luckily enough, that the post-master here, Mr. Gray, had just married his daughter, and in compliment to her gave a splendid party, to which I received an invitation. I repaired to it with Major Davenport, and found an extremely numerous, and, contrary to my expectations, even an elegant society. It was a real English rout, so full that many of the guests were obliged to remain on the steps. I was introduced to most of the ladies and gentlemen, was forced to talk a good deal, and found myself very much annoyed by the heat prevailing in the rooms. About eleven o’clock, I reached home heartily fatigued.
In former years, when the state of Kentucky was an integral part of Virginia, Louisville consisted of a stockade, built as a protection against the hostile Indian tribes, who then still inhabited the banks of the Ohio. It received its name as a mark of respect for the unfortunate King, Louis XVI. This is attributable to the Canadian traders, who established this post to secure their trade. By degrees white settlers joined them, and thus the town commenced, which at first suffered much from the Indians. It is five hundred and eighty miles distant from Pittsburgh, one hundred and thirty-one from Cincinnati, and thirteen hundred and forty-nine from New Orleans. I took a walk with Major Davenport through the town, and to the new canal. It consists of three streets running parallel with the Ohio, of which only the first or front one is built out completely and paved; and of several cross streets which cut the former at right angles. It has several churches, tolerably well built; a new one was began, but on rather too large a scale. The pious funds were exhausted; therefore a lodge of freemasons undertook the finishing of this grand house, and kept it for their own use. The canal is destined to light vessels over the Ohio, when they cannot pass the falls on account of low water, and are obliged to discharge their cargo. It is apprehended however, that the money invested in the canal will not yield a great interest, as the time of service, for which the canal is required does not extend beyond three months. During six months of the year the Ohio is so low, that not a solitary boat can navigate it, and when it rises, it becomes so high, that the rocks which produce the rapids are covered, so that vessels can go up and down without danger. The labour on the canal has been commenced about six weeks. The banks in the neighbourhood of the canal are high, and present a beautiful prospect over the rapids, and the adjacent region, which is well cultivated and bounded by woody hills.
A second walk with Major Davenport, was directed to the north side of the town, where several respectable country houses are situated, all built of brick; and then to a handsome wood, through which a causeway runs, which is used by the inhabitants as a pleasure walk. The wood contains very handsome beech trees, sugar maples, sycamores and locust trees, also different species of nut-bearing trees.