| Title: | Henry Tyler, New Orleans, to Alexander Tyler, Newtownlimavady. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3140 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Tyler, Henry/69 |
| Year | 1836 |
| Sender | Tyler, Henry |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | on a trip |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Destination | Newtown Limavady, Co. Derry, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Tyler, Alexander |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D/322/4/38: Deposited by the Late Lady Tyler on Behalf of the Other Trustees of the Will of Sir Henry MacDonald Tyler. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9808494 |
| Date | 07/07/1836 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 19:08:98. |
| Word Count | 1218 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New Orleans July 7th 1836 My deat Alick [Alex?] In my last letter from Charleston, I think I mentioned that we were bound for this place, but I imagined we would be here long before this, We were for some time undecided whether to come by sea or land, But as we had a statutory dread of jolting 500 miles over American roads in American coaches we finally determined on the sea particulary as we should have had to have passed through the country of the Creek Indians, who were in a disturbed state, and who have since broken out into open hostilities and stopped the coaches and murdered all the whites they could lay their hands on so finding a vessel starting for Havana we determined to take it in our [___?] set sail on the 12th arrived there on the 20th May at Havana we were detained waiting for a passage to this place till the 17th June and after a tedious passage of 15 days arrived here on the 22nd July. From this we will start in a few days for Louisville in Kentucky about 1300 miles up the river which will take us about ten days by steam boat. From thence I will continue up the river to B----- [Beaver?] cross there to Lake Erie and then to Toronto & [Mr Shedden?], where I shall end my travels for the present. I should have liked to have then to regulate my motions by the state of my pocket, and I have determined not to exeed the sum to which I have restricted myself. However I think I have done pretty well in the travelling way, by the time I get to Canada I shall have passed over more than 8000 miles and nearly made the circuit of the United States I suppose before this reaches you, W [William?] Ross will have got home again, he will be able to tell you all my adventures crossing to Havana, which is a most extraordinary looking place, the Houses and buildings struck me as being so old that I bought a sketch book and took uproads of 30 sketches of different views in the city which will give you a better idea of the place when you see them than I can by describing it. The ship which brought us over here was principally loaded with fruit, oranges, pine apples and mangos so as you may suppose we had great catering on the way. at Havana I went to see a Bull fight, and I have taken some sketches of it. Coming up the river to this place I have great shooting at Alligators, we saw members of the logo I struck several with the rifle but as we were towed up by a steamer I had no time to enquire if they were much hurt. we find the weather here quite cool, after Havana the Thermometer seldom rises above 90ø. The town However is very dull, as most of the respectable people leave it during the Hot weather out of his letters of introduction, we have only found two persons in town, so we shall make a start of it tomorrow or next day and get up the river. On the 4th of this month (the anniversary of independence) they had great days here their [there?] was a large quantity of gunpowder expended, and several accidents occurred firing salutes. New Orleans is a much better looking town than I expected it is built with more attention to regularity than the generality of American Cities, The population at present is about 60,000, but in the winter it increases to 140,000. The quanties of steamers on the river and their size struck me more than anything else they look like floating houses, generally with two rows of cabins above the deck. Their fares I think are reasonable from this to Louisville, you pay about ten pounds for which you are found in every thing coming up here from the mouth of the river we were nearly devoured by misquitoes, in number & size they exceeded any thing I ever saw before They fairly drove me out of my cabin sleeping was out of the question so I had to parade the deck all night they came in droves from the swamps, with which the river is lined, are were about as big as [___ ___?] We have not had any letters from home yet But I suppose there are some waiting us at New York We will write to have them forwarded to Louisville I suppose when you get this, you and Walter will have opened the campaign against the partridge dont spare them on my account. I hope I will be able to tell you in my next something about Canada wild turkeys & deer &c. I am anxious to hear from home, I hope I will get letters by the end of the month, telling me that you are all well if any thing has been done in Lodges business & how Mr Gary Forset is getting on Tell George Cather he must not shoot all the game in the country this year Did you & Master [___?] catch many trout we caught more than 20 dolphins on out way from Havana By the by Thomas Cather has a touch of the yellow fever at [torn] I doctored him, & cured him in 4 days. I first boiled him [torn] hot bath then [___?] him under blankets gave him plenty of castor oil and nothing to eat, and on the 4th day he was up a good deal reduced to be sure, but free from fever it was a fortunate thing he would not let me call in the doctors, or they would have made a six weeks business of it he has now regained flesh, and is as strong as when he left home, I have been fortunate in escaping sickness of all kinds, except sea sickness, and I have not had a great deal of that. I hope you have been all equally well at home, but you are at the [___?] now, and of course you are well. I dont think I will write again till I get to Canada which I fancy will be by the beginning of next month. remember me to Mr & Mrs Dallas the Burnsides & the Raphoe people, Tell Mrs Betty I will endeavour to visit her [prognostications?], but I have not been able to find a widow to my taste yet. How does Mr Dacy Miss Ellen get on but you can fill up my list of loves & remembrances at your own will & pleasure as I have no room for them Here so Goodbye And believe me ever yr [your?] afft [affectionate?] brother H [henry?] Tyler 8th July Before closing I will add a few lines we start today at 3 o clock up the river and shall get to Louisville by the 20th if there are any letters for us at New York we ought to have them by the 25th, I have written Walter from this, I suppose he is still at B[___?]ham any more marriages in Newtown. I expect to hear of Edward Boyles next tell Matilda Brown to look sharp, I shall expect a pair of gloves |
