Certainly in no country is there such universal and exclusive homage extended to the softer sex: no matter at what expense of his convenience, or circumscription of privilege, man must give way on all occasions where the ladies may have a caprice to indulge in, or any curiosity to gratify.
Dined with Colonel D——k, and sat next to a fine old Irishman, General M'L——n, who had passed some of sixty years in Louisiana, yet preserved his brogue and his ruddy complexion as freshly as though the time had been spent on the hills of Wicklow; he had arrived here under the Spanish government when a young man, and spoke of all the changes since as events of yesterday.
Tuesday, 3rd.—A curious scene began this morning at the State House. Mr. Grimes, one of the late candidates for the Senate of the United States, encountering Mons. La Branche, the Speaker of the Louisianian legislature, in the hall of the Senate, according to report, struck him with his whip on account of some unsettled dispute, and in return received a bullet from the Speaker's pistol, which took effect in the breast of the great-coat he wore, but failed to penetrate it. Mr. Grimes, upon this, fired his pistol, loaded with ball and buck-shot, at Mons. La Branche, wounding him slightly in the hand, and leaving one or two of the conscript fathers, standing near, in doubt whether they were shot or no, so disgustingly close was the whiz of the passing lead.
Dined with Messrs. T——n, where the affray of the morning was duly discussed; some of the parties present alleging that the quarrel arose from political, others from personal motives. It appeared, however, that Mons. La Branche, after retiring until his hand was dressed, immediately returned to the hall, and resumed his duties as the presiding judge of the highest deliberative assembly of this great State; whilst, within an hour, Mr. Grimes, who is an able advocate in great practice, was pleading a cause on which he was retained in one of the civil courts.
The duel is here a matter of such frequent recurrence, that any event of the kind hardly excites an hour's notice; the question is merely "which of them got off?" and with that inquiry the affair usually ends. A Court of Honour, having for its end and aim the amelioration of this system, if not its suppression, has been instituted this very year, and pretty generally subscribed to amongst the young Creoles; but I believe its regulations have not proved very efficacious.
At nine o'clock P.M. left Mr. T——s; and walking to the near Levee, got on board the Superior, bound for Cincinnati, but chartered to stop at Natchez. The night was clear, but by far the coldest we have yet had here: the crown of the Levee, thronged with its busy crews, was lighted up by numerous fires, reflecting the hundred great steam-boats loading and unloading here, whilst the air resounded with the cheer of the negro gangs, given in unison to a few low simple notes, but full of wild animation, and, to my thinking, exceeding musical.
As we cast off into the midst of the wide stream, the whole bank of the Levee, with the warehouses bordering upon it, looked as though illuminated.
Wednesday,4th.—Up early in my little stateroom, where I have a small French bed, a table, a chair, with a sash-window that opens on to the gallery going round the boat. I find my quarters exceedingly comfortable; but the vibration, owing to the power of the engines, renders it difficult to read, and puts all writing quite out of the question.
The river banks are well cleared and very thickly populated, exclusively by French. Passing Donaldsonville, where the bayou la Fourche quits the main river to fall into the Mexican Gulf farther to the southward, we saw the capitol designed for the use of the legislature of Louisiana, but which, after being tenanted for a single session, was left for New Orleans, and is now falling to ruin.