Upon my inquiring what could be the cause of a certain
abominable smell which pervaded the cabin, he apprized me that, in a
small closet adjoining, he had secured a dozen of runaway negroes, for
the apprehension of whom he would be well rewarded.
"Well, the next morning we went on pretty snugly, and I had nothing to
complain of, except the fleas and the 'gals,' who bothered me not a
little. Three days afterwards we entered the Ohio, and the current being
very strong, I began to think myself fortunate, as I should reach New
Orleans in less than forty days, passage free. We went on till night,
when we stopped, three or four miles from the junction with the
Mississippi. The cabin being very warm, and the deck in possession of
the pigs, I thought I would sleep ashore, under a tree. The general said
it was a capital plan, and, after having drained half a dozen cups of
'stiff, true, downright Yankee No. 1,' we all of us took our blankets (I
mean the white-skinned party), and having lighted a great fire, the
general, the colonel, the major, and the judge lay down,--an example
which I followed as soon as I had neatly folded up my coat and fixed it
upon a bush, with my hat and boots, for I was now getting particular,
and wished to cut a figure in New Orleans; my thoughts running upon
plump and rich widows, which you know are the only provision for us
preachers.
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