7

-5-

at Donaldsonville and runs off west and south into the
gulph. It is what the name implies " a fork" and is a
fork of the Miss. river branching off at Donaldsonville and
down to Thibadeauxville 40 or 50 miles it is a continuous
village of small French farmers with occasionally an American
planter among them. The bayou is about as wide as an ordin-
ary street in one of our cities and is navigable for large
steam boats, which ply on it regularly and seem to pass just
by the door. There are also boats of other kinds and I had
well nigh said of all kinds also on the Bayou, sail, oars,
flats and boats drawn by horses which go on the bank like
those on the canals. Indeed it is a canal. Shrubbery
grows finely, and the orange is in perfection. You may say to
George, that we are at Mr. James{underlined} Porter's,{underlined}an acquaintance of
his. He lives very comfortably and has a fine estate. Mr.
Porter has made very particular enquiries for him. I hope
myself to see more of him.

We shall be here some time yet and shall then go up
to Vicksburg and by way of Mr. Madison's plantation home.
I am as you may suppose extremely anxious to get to my own
habitation and more I am fatigued mind and body. And I
have promised myself and my wife too that this is the last time
I shall be so long away from her. I am told that all my
chickens are turning finely. Kate is talking rapidly and
Sally a perfect rosebud. Not dont you envy me the treat I
am to have in that said library, "riding gemnan ", "running
way wid stage" &c. I become sometimes so impatient I can