The fever having left me, I ventured on deck. At this moment one of these infernal machines came in sight, towing down three large ships. Instead of having them behind, as on the Thames and Mersey, she (like the "Phoenix") had one on either side, closely lashed to herself, and the other only behind. This terrific monster seemed to be carrying them away arm-in-arm, like two prisoners, to destruction. At all events, it was a position of familiarity and friendship with the "Sprite of Steam" of which I did not at all like the idea; and yet we ourselves were by-and-by to be placed in its perilous embrace! The dreaded monster gone by, I resumed the perusal of my New Orleans papers. Now (thought I) I am in a slave country! I wonder whether these papers will give any indication of the fact. In a little while my eye, surveying the _Bee_ of January 21, caught sight of an advertisement signed "N. St. Martin, Sheriff, Parish of St. Charles," and containing a list of 112 human beings offered for sale! The miserable catalogue was full of instruction. In drawing it up the humane sheriff became quite facetious, telling the public that "Frank, 35 years old, American negro, [was] _good for everything_;" while "Stephen, 46 years old, [was] _fit for nothing at all_;" that "Salinette, 60 years old, hospital-nurse, [was] _a good subject, subject to rheumatisms_;" and that "Peter, American negro-man, 38 years old, [was] _a good cook, having had two fits of madness_." I will back this against the Dublin _Hue and Cry_. LETTER II. American Oysters--Becalmed in the Mississippi--Anchor raised--Ship ashore--Taken off by a Steam-Tug--Slave-Sale Advertisements--Runaway Negroes--Return of Fever--Terrific Storm--Frightful Position--Ashore at New Orleans--A Ship-Chandler's Store--American Wheels--A Joltification--The St. Charles's Hotel. The evening closed upon us, sailing pleasantly up the Mississippi. Having a beautiful moonlight night, we kept on our way. About seven o'clock we overtook a small fishing-boat laden with oysters. In consideration of our allowing them--not the oysters, but the boatmen--to fasten a rope to our vessel, to help them on, they gave us a generous and refreshing supply. But such oysters! In neither size nor shape did they resemble those of the Old World. As to size, they were gigantic,--as to shape, not unlike the human foot. They abound not far from the mouth of the river, and many men obtain a livelihood by carrying them up to the New Orleans market. The mode of cooking adopted in this instance was that of putting them on the fire till the shells opened. To our taste, they were not in flavour to be compared to the London oysters; but we did not venture to tell our American captain so. We had yet, however, to taste the deliciously-cooked oysters of the northern cities.