James Hervey Otey Papers

commences opposite here and is to go to Little Rock, Arkansas. No stores from here to the mouth. One side of the river or the other below this is inundated for 40 miles in the interior. Scarcely any landing place in Arkansas: but Helena below this - have the necessity of making this road which is to be raised above all inundations - at the expense of $10,000.00 per mile - and hence the importance of this place. Vicksburg is the next location on this side 400 miles below. Cotton plantations all about here - people do not raise their own food - which, of every description is brot here in arks, boats, etc., from the Ohio. Some of these boats have blacksmith shops on board - others have superior furniture. All steam boats going up and down stop here for provisions d & c from these arks. Last year 1,300 steam boats stopped here - year before 800 - year before that 400. Major Bowman ascertained that on his National Road now making, and where he has 500 hands about 100 of whom are Negroes, there passed going to the West 1,200 persons, 100 heavily laden wagons with cattle, all in month of September. Memphis is 10 miles north of Mississippi - all of the northern part of state belonged until very lately to the Chickasaws. All the country west and south of the Tennessee River is level. Bayou is a channel leading from one river to another - this is common here -thus, there is a bayou from the Mississippi to the Yazoo. At Memphis there are 2,000 inhabitants rapidly increasing. Here or near here, the Episcopalians of the place say, Bishop should reside - and the college should be here, for which provisions could be obtained cheaper from the river, than in any part of the states. In the evening Major Bowman and Mr. S and Mrs. H being present a warm discussion concerning our Church - it want of zeal -and the slowness of her movements. President Mason of Newark College lately called here - and declined. Here as at New Orleans will have a star or no one - this one cause of the difficulty of putting a clergyman in the South-West. They have offered $1,600 and can offer more, and will build a church.

20. Had a good room. Some hours with Mr. Skipwith who has lately brot his wife here, an Episcopalian from western Virginia. Her borther, Colonel Cary and her two sisters - now living on a plantation in the late Chickasaw Country. Dinner Gumbo soup with oyesters and chickens - fresh oysters - roast beef, cranberries, cider - excellent coffee. Mr. Skipwith considered the great majority in his country treat their slaves well - and the greater part of the slaves are attached to their masters. On his return to his plantation he is greeted in the warmest and loudest manner. He often hears them signing and dancing til midnight. He pays them for extra work. Each family has a house - supplied by him with cooking utensils etc. -and days allotted to repair their houes, etc. Each family has chickens. He never sells unless they wish to be sold. When one of his marries the slave of another master, he busy or sells, if he can, that the couple may remain together. The Major showed me teeth of an aligator -two of the finest ivory which he got from one 22 feet long. His workmen

constant fire to myself, I spent my time pretty confortably. Yesterday however I learnt to my great sorry by means of two letters that Bishop O. was taken very ill at Nashville on the 14th inst. - that tho better his physician had prohibited from traveling - and that he wished me to make the whole visitation alone. These letters were too informal for me to act decidedly upon; I am inclined, therefore, to adopt the following plan: to go tomorrow to Natchez and wait there until I receive an official communication from him. If he advises me to attempt the whole and so orders me on his authority I will attempt it, the Lord being my helper - but if otherwise I will just run down from Natchez to N. Orleans, see how cousins do - and then return to St. Louis.

I am now in the commencement of the cotton country; and so eager are the people to raise it and so profitable is it, that they have to buy all the necessaries of life. The bank of the river opposite the town is lined with flat boats and arks filled with goods and provisions of every description, generall from Ohio. One has a tin-man's shop, another a blacksmiths -one is filled with gowns and another with furniture, etc. A great many of the inhabitants of this region are from VA. and there is a considerable number of church people among them.

From this neighborhood to the mouth of the river the banks are so low that one side or the other is subject to an annual overflow to the distance of forty miles into the interior. Were it not that there occurs occasionally a bluff or hillock there would scarcely be a town or landing place on the river. Arkansas now having such, or scarcely any, the General Government is making a road opposite to Memphis across the low, marshy, overflownland for more than 40 miles. This work on which 500 men are employed Major Bowman superintends. When finished it will be the only wagon road from the Mississippi River into the interior of Arkansas.

God bless you, precious child. You can contine to write to New Orleans until further advised. Best love to all. Your affectionate father, Jackson Kemper