We frequently drew alongside the forest for a supply of wood, which the proprietors keep ready prepared in piles for the use of boats, being paid for it by the cord. The consumption is of course enormous, and in any other region would remind one that a scarcity must speedily ensue; here, however, the supply appears exhaustless. I always landed at these places; and above Baton Rouge, where the French population is less general, I commonly found the labouring woodcutters to be North-country men, or from the western part of Michigan. They informed me that they can clear fifty dollars a month for the seven months they can work in this region, and that four or five seasons are sufficient to enable a saving man to buy a farm in the West. These men uniformly agreed that, on returning home, they sorely missed the water of the Mississippi. "I'll tell you, sir," said one very intelligent fellow, within whose hut I walked to light my cigar; "there's no pith in any other water after one's bin' used to drink o' this; it seems as though a man couldn't work on water alone anywhere else." Whether this is fancy, or whether it arises from the regular and abstemious habits they generally observe whilst working here, I cannot tell; but the notion I found was universal throughout Louisiana. I had frequent applications for a charge of fine powder for priming; game, as they informed me, (that is, deer,) being in abundance. I was greatly pleased with many of these men; they are hardy, industrious fellows, and suffer much during the season of their stay from bad quarters and bad diet: they said, nevertheless, it was a good place to come down to, but spoke with infinite dislike of the dirk and rifle practice of the neighbourhood. Whilst passing Fort Adams after dark, our boat was hailed, signal fires lighted, and at length rifles fired to bring us to; but all in vain, our pilot held on his way, unheeding these pressing invitations. On my observing to him that I conceived it a little hard not to touch for passengers when apparently so near to them, he informed me that the river was in rapid rise, and a current setting on that shore that might ground the boat. _Friday, 6th._--My servant awoke me with the tidings that our voyage was complete, and we at Natchy-under-hill, where all things destined for the upper region are landed. It was about six o'clock A.M., the rain coming down merrily, when I took leave of the Superior and her captain, much pleased with both, and landed ankle-deep in choice mud. Three or four negroes followed with my baggage to the nearest store, where I got a two-horse car, or dray, just put upon duty for the day. In common with one or two other persons, I engaged the machine; and packing my trunks and myself upon it, was dragged up the steep bluff, and so made my first entrance into Natchez in a right Thespian conveyance, but which assuredly required all the authority of antiquity to make it respectable.