After all were on board, the brig dropped down two or three miles, where the passengers went ashore, and laid in provisions enough, the captain said, to have carried us to London after our arrival in Philadelphia. I may mention something about distances as computed in those days. From Natchez to New Orleans was called three hundred miles by water, and only one hundred and fifty by land. From New Orleans to the Balize, at the mouth of the Mississippi, was reckoned one hundred and five miles. It was said that such was the immense volume of the Mississippi river that it kept its course and muddy appearance for a league out at sea.
There were no ladies among the passengers. We entered into an arrangement that each passenger should, in rotation, act as caterer for the party for each day. It fell to my lot to lead off in this friendly service. We got along very nicely, and with a good deal of mirthful pleasure, for a couple of weeks, enjoying our viands and wine as comfortably as if at a regular boarding house. The captain’s wife, however, was something of a drawback to our enjoyment. She was a vinegary looking creature, and as cross and saucy as her looks betokened, was low-bred, ill-tempered, and succeeded in making herself particularly disagreeable. During the pleasant weather portion of our voyage, she managed, without cause, to raise a quarrel with every passenger; and what added to her naturally embittered feeling, was that we only laughed at her folly.
When we arrived in sight of Cuba, the wind arose, and blew almost a hurricane, causing a heavy sea. We were in such danger of being cast away on the Florida reefs that the captain summoned all hands on deck for counsel. But, providentially, we escaped. For near two weeks no cooking could be done, and each one was thankful to take whatever he could obtain in one hand, and hold fast to something with the other, such was the rolling and pitching of our frail vessel. Most of the passengers were sea-sick; I was among the few who escaped from that sickening nausea. One night the rain was so heavy, the lightning so vivid, and thunder so tremendous, that the vessel trembled at every clap; when I went to my friend Wyckoff, as well as others who were asleep, informing them that it was a moment of no little danger and excitement.
Captain McFadden was a most profane man. But during the hours of our distress and danger he became very mild and humble, but it lasted no longer than the storm. The vinegary Mrs. McFadden, too, was very sensibly affected during this trying period; for, standing in the companion-way, leading to the cabin, she very humbly and demurely said that she would go below and make her peace. We all thought she could not be too quick about it. She was a veritable Katharine, but he was not a Petruchio.
Before we arrived at the capes of the Delaware, an American sailor, who had made his escape from a British man-of-war at the mouth of the Mississippi, sickened and died on board our craft. When we got into the Delaware, the sailors took his remains on shore and gave them a decent sepulture. At length we reached Philadelphia in safety.
GENERAL INDEX.
| Prefatory note | [3] |
| Memoir of Major S. S. Forman | [5] |
| Forman’s narrative | [5] |
| Tunis Forman captures two Tories | [6] |
| Major Lee’s strategy | [6] |
| British foray at Middletown Point | [6], [7] |
| Major Burrows’s loss and captivity | [7] |
| Denise Forman’s services | [7] |
| General David Forman | [7] |
| German town battle | [7] |
| Capture of a British sloop | [8] |
| A British and Tory scout | [9] |
| Services of Major Burrows | [9] |
| Major Burrows’s narrow escape | [9], [10] |
| Denise Forman and Philip Freneau | [10] |
| Sufferings in British prison ships | [10], [11] |
| Captain Freneau’s after-life | [11], [12] |
| Monmouth battle | [12] |
| Fugitives return to New York | [12] |
| British evacuate New York | [13-15] |
| Lieutenant-Colonel J. N. Cumming | [14] |
| Anthony Glean noticed | [14] |
| Washington parting with his officers | [15] |
| Washington and Franklin in Federal Convention | [15] |
| Washington’s second inauguration | [16] |
| Major Forman settles at Cazenovia, N. Y. | [17] |
| His subsequent career | [17], [18] |
| His narrative—departure for the Ohio | [19] |
| Detention at Lancaster | [20] |
| Meeting Charley Morgan | [22] |
| Scant of funds for traveling | [22] |
| Arrival at Pittsburg | [23] |
| Flat-bottomed boats for the journey | [23] |
| Colonel Turnbull’s entertainment | [24] |
| Departure down the river | [25] |
| Difficulties of navigation | [25], [26] |
| Arrival at Wheeling | [26] |
| Flocks of wild turkeys | [26] |
| Arrival at Marietta | [27] |
| Limestone and Columbia | [27] |
| Arrival at Cincinnati | [27] |
| General Harmar’s hospitality | [27], [28] |
| Captain Kirby vs. Captain Kersey | [28], [29] |
| General Jonathan Forman noticed | [29] |
| General Harmar’s defeat | [30] |
| Indian rendezvous at Scioto | [30] |
| Gallipolis settlement | [30], [31] |
| Anecdote of Captain Osmun | [31] |
| Arrival at Louisville | [32] |
| Fort Jefferson; Fort Steuben | [32] |
| Ensign Luce and North Bend | [32], [33] |
| Lacassangue and his station | [33], [34] |
| Early dancing parties at Louisville | [35], [36] |
| Generals Wilkinson and St. Clair | [35] |
| Dr. John F. Carmichael | [36] |
| Ezekiel Forman starts for Natchez | [36] |
| Effort to lure ashore and destroy Forman’s party | [37] |
| Louisville incidents; Ashby and family; Mr. Smith; moccasins at balls | [38], [39] |
| An egg-nog frolic | [39], [40] |
| The Sabbath kept by S. S. Forman | [40] |
| A billiard-table at Louisville | [40], [41] |
| A fleet of tobacco boats | [41] |
| Mr. Buckner purchases Mr. Forman’s goods | [42] |
| Mr. Forman’s mishap | [42] |
| Departure from Louisville | [42], [43] |
| Incident at Fort Massac | [43] |
| Planters and sawyers | [44] |
| Mouth of the Ohio | [44], [45] |
| An Indian alarm | [45] |
| Indian visit; dinner | [46] |
| Visit Indian village | [46], [47] |
| Arrival at L’Anse a la Graisse | [47] |
| Lieutenant Foucher’s hospitality | [48-50] |
| Lieutenant Foucher noticed | [47], [48-50] |
| Colonel Pope’s tour cited | [50] |
| Colonel P. B. Bruin noticed | [51], [52] |
| A cub bear | [52] |
| Arrival at Natchez | [52] |
| Walnut Hills settlement project | [52], [53] |
| Dr. O’Fallon; General Clark; Colonel Holder | [52], [53] |
| Natchez and surroundings | [53] |
| Sir Wm. Dunbar noticed | [54] |
| S. S. Forman’s land grant | [55], [58], [59] |
| Fine society at Natchez | [56] |
| Mons. and Madam Mansanteo | [56] |
| Major Stephen Minor noticed | [56], [57] |
| Colonel Anthony Hutchins noticed | [56] |
| Sickly at Natchez in 1790 | [56], [57] |
| A round of visits | [57], [58] |
| Bad treatment of servants | [59] |
| Colonel Osmun noticed | [59], [60] |
| Departure for New Orleans | [60] |
| A genial priest | [60], [61] |
| Voyage and incidents to Philadelphia | [61-63] |
ROBERT CLARKE & CO., CINCINNATI, O.