| Title: | John Houston, New Orleans to Matilda Houston, Larne. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1478 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Houston, J N/60 |
| Year | 1836 |
| Sender | Houston, John N. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Destination | Larne, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Houston, Matilda |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | T 2581/8: Copied by Permission of J. Robson Esq., 150 Gilnahirk Road, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007113 |
| Date | 03/04/1836 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 07:02:1994 |
| Word Count | 1206 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New Orleans 3rd April 1836 Dear Matilda The "VENTURE" being all ready for sea I cannot think of leaving this without writing more than a single business letter to Sam. I have taken my passage in a Steam Boat for "INDIANA" about 1300 miles up the MISSISIPI [Mississippi?] and will stop there till the 1st May or probably stay 8 days in "INDIANA" and go 3 or 400 miles further up & stop 4 or 5 days in "KENTUCKY" I then cross the State of OHIO and about the beginning of May; but not earlier STEAMBOATS commence plying on LAKE ERIE When on the LAKES a few days will take me down to Quebec, but I dont want to be there before the 18 to 20 May; by looking at the map you will see at once the long Route I am going. At this season of the year such a tour will be most delightful as Spring commences in "LOUISIANA" here, the 1st March, is 8 or 10 days later in every STATE going up the River & for the "TWO" months to come I anticipate just such weather and the season about as far advanced as June Weather in IRELAND being very like it here at the present moment, tho [though?] as cold as mid Winter now in Quebec. I have been away from home near 3 Months and though I have enquired often for Letters have received none nor can any find me now until I reach Quebec. I fear that you have written & some mistake about the adress [address?]; but I have still the comfort of the old PROVERB "NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS" Every one of my acquaintances tell me I am just leaving NEW ORLEANS in good time as in another Month the HEAT MOSQUITOES FLIES and VERMIN OF ALL KINDS would be truly insufferable, which I can well believe. The MOSQUITOES have not bit me except one day I was in the Woods & then not much, Captain Wilson cannot go up Town but he comes back with his hands tan, face all Blistered & I [-----ed?] with them. I dont think they would annoy me much even in Summer. I have been several times in the Country #PAGE 2 but from the swampy nature of the ground it is almost impossible to penetrate into the Woods very far. Many of the WILD FLOWERS here are the most choice and cultivated at home. The TREES are MAGNIFICENT; some of them more than 100 feet high & covered with foliage others looking as if they had stood for Centuries, their Trunks bare & only for the Wild Vines with Leaves & Fruit which cover their Tops would look more like Winter than Spring. Of Small Shrubs & Trees the variety is innumerable, among them are Wild Orange, Lemon, Bay, Myrtle, Laurel &c &c Many of the Large Trees fall every year & Thousands are lying on the ground; of some the Timber is good & sound others again so far gone & rotton [rotten?], that it is just apparent to the enquiring mind; they have been standing in Beauty & strength 4 or 500 years ago. I measd [measured?] some of the latter near 5 feet across I saw many beautiful Butterflies double the size of any in Ireland. also Birds of splendid Plumage in the Woods of the former I could not catch a single one but have shot & stuffed 3 or 4 kinds & will get more as I go up the Country & bring them home with me. The River Missisipi [Mississippi?] is about 3 feet higher just now than the City & will yet be 1 1/2 feet higher when the snows melt & spring Rains set in about its source NEW ORLEANS & the cultivated Country below it is only kept from being Inundated every spring by a raised Bank of Clay about 150 feet wide thrown up on each side of the River The Water from the River is let by sluices through the Bank & runs in streams down the sides of streets & out of the City into a Lake communicating with the SEA about 5 miles behind it. Only for this lucky circumstance by which they can keep the place clean & wash off all Nuisances "NEW ORLEANS" would be uninhabitable. Many of the Streets are Broad, indeed most of them & the Houses much better than in Belfast, several of the best streets have 3 or 4 Rows of Trees down the middles [middle?] of them giving an agreeable shade & from the upper windows on the one side, when in leaf; you can scarce see the Houses on the the other side of the street #PAGE 3 I have been at the BURYING GROUNDS HERE ; they are queer places enough & am sorry I have not room to describe them. so soon as you dig down "ONE FOOT" here or in vicinity of the City; from the River being as high as the ground the Water rises in the Grave to wi[torn] [within?] a few Inches of the surface. Other pl[torn] [places?] have to be resorted to & none are buried in the "EARTH" now about "NEW ORLEANS" Dear Matilda Though this Country has all the advantages of Commerce, Riches, Plenty & Peace still I dont see that any of the Inhabitants live more Comfortably than "WE" do at home in Larne. They may have more money & splendour but less REAL COMFORT & DOMESTIC OR RURAL PLEASURES they know nothing about. The House Servants are all Slaves, some of them Black but many Mulattoes & Creoles. I have seen Young Women Slaves sold like other Cattle in the Streets & the Owners sometime before they sell them take care not to overwork them, that they may look fresh & in good Condition & they put good good Clothes & Ribbons on them as a further offset. I wish to be remembred [remembered?] to all the McCullochs. The Miss Linns Mrs & Mr Leatham etc etc. I trust my Mother and Mary are well and have no doubt but that you & they often hope & talk of my return home again. "Oft in the Still Night" "Ere slumbers Chain has bound me" "Fond memory brings the light" "of other days around me" and I wish I could see you all and know what you were about. This Happiness I hope to Enjoy in September. until then believe me Dear Matilda Yours affectionately Jno [John?] Houston I send home a parcel of Newspapers & Play Bills to Sam. Also some to the McCambridges & 2 to Robert Nelson. John White was aboard here the other day. He has been so fortunate as to fall in with a Brother of Jack Ballantines of the Head Wood, A VERY WEALTHY MAN who had lately bought a cotton Factory at 16,000 Dollars & wanted a person to manage it. John White #PAGE 4 has got the situation. I am intimate with Mr B [Ballantine?] he is residing here at present & has been often on Board the VENTURE J:H: [John Houston?] with some Flowering Peas 1/2 to be sown this Season & 1/2 to remain till next [addressed to:] Miss Matilda Houston Larne Co Antrim Ireland |
