Unpublished 1840 Southern Travel Journal
Not in Clark's Travels in the Old South
Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and up the Mississippi
"...negroes...looking more neat & well dressed, manifesting more intelligence..."
"The thieves are the whites. The slaves are noted for their honesty."
A compact but richly descriptive manuscript travel journal recording an extensive 1840 trip to the South by water and horseback. The journal belonged to a young man from Methuen, Massachusetts, Andrew Clark, Jr., who traveled south for health reasons. Clark seems to have been a religious fellow given his interest in churches and meeting houses during his travels. The trip, which lasted from January through May of 1840, began with a stage ride from Methuen to Boston, then to Mobile by schooner, to Tuscaloosa by river boat, and to Columbia and northward to Memphis, Nashville, and into Kentucky by horseback. From Kentucky, Clark journeyed from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh by steamboat and crossed Pennsylvania by rail and canal. Quite a trek for a sickly Massachusetts man who constantly complained about the rough Sabbath-breaking white people he met throughout the South.
Notably, Clark was favorably impressed by the enslaved African American people he encountered in the South, noting their neatness, intelligence, and honesty.
Upon arriving in Mobile, Clark was struck by the devastation of the recent 1839 fires. The journal includes an account of coastwise travel in the Gulf, including references to Florida, and records Clark's wide-eyed amazement over coral reefs. On his trip in the interior on horseback, he describes the landscape as he moves along, particularly assessing the healthfulness of the climate in various places. He comments on the lodgings (or lack thereof) in the villages and towns of Tennessee and the like.
Extracts from the journal here follow:
1840 Jan. 7: Left home early this morning on a tour to the South - Never before had much feelings & never before gave vent to them in tears, a good opportunity for doing whi. I had, as there was no other person in the stange. I left home for my heath & whether & should see it again or not was uncertain. I moreover was going among strangers, knowing no one & no one knowing me. I conformed myself as well as I could, & endeavoured to trust my self into the hand of God - Was lucky in getting my bills changed into special - had peculiar feeling in carrying my money in my shirt - Had rather cary it in my pocket. Found an opportunity of sailing out to Mobile the next day.
Jan 30. Thursday. 9 A.M. Last night the Capt finding that we were near Florida reef & had good anchorage & as there was not breeze enough to stem the current, set anchor & furled sails. In the morning we beheld to the W. the coast of Florida & [?] sight 5 or 6 vessels anchored during the night... The Capt. has thrown out the boat & now we are engaged in working, shaving & ... After if we do not have a good breeze, we shall take an excursion gunning. It would be delightfull to go ashore & view the new land but the Capt. says it is dangerous, as the Indians would take over [?] the instant they saw us. It is impossible to keep a lighthouse near here as the Indians will immediately burn it down & kill those who have the charge of it. Saw a monstrum horrendum - he encited an ink coloured substance where touched.
About 10 A.M. the Capt., Friend Clark & myself, with 2 to row on a boat excursion. We went 5 or 6 miles towards shore. We found a large number of sea-gulls upon some coral reefs of, we shot 2. We saw many specimens of coral of whi. we took several... We have met a boat load of men, called wreckers, who expected we had been cast upon the reefs & were wanting the opportunity of assisting us, not that they had much sympathy for us, but because they received a certain premium for aid, rendered to wrecked vessels.
Jan. 31. Friday. 8 P.M. Early this morning having a quiet breeze we weighed anchor & set sail - The first part of the day we did not much more than hold over ground. Afterwards we had a better beeze & made considerable headway. About 10 we passed a ship wh. during the night had run upon the reefs & we suppose much damaged, as there were around her 5 stoops of the wreckers to carry off her cargo. Vessels so frequently are cast upon those reefs that a large number of light vessels are ? constantly in employ in thus saving stranded vessels. They receive a fee according to the damage done to the vessel. There are very many of these wreckers. Yesterday we saw 5 or 6 vessels today as many more, & our Capt. says they are scatered all along Florida reef, several hundred miles in extent... I ascended aloft whence I could directly see the bottom as we moved slowly on... with dark & light coloured coral- The distant view rises beautiful. As far as the eye could reach the water was ... with a dark blue, light blue, crimson & dark orange colour. The deep water a dark blue, next in depth a light blue, where it is quite shallow a crimson... reefs formed by coral. They are several miles wide & hundred of miles long. Sometimes approaching to the surface of the earth at other places several fathoms under water. In the course of many years, it is not improbable but that these reefs will be islands similar to the clusters of islands wh. line the coast of Florida. Strange what wonders these insignificant animals are doing! animals so low an order in the scale of being, that by many, the idea of these being living animated creatures is laughed at. These animals...in no very long period to fill up many parts of the mighty ocean...How vast their work! What man or number of men would think of... such a task! We passed several islands laying between us and Florida. We have been sight of these islands all day. Not able to see main land. Saw during the day many sea turtles. The Capt. lowered the ? tried to take one but was unsuccessful.
... What luck we shall have in reaching Mobile I cannot tell.... We sailed along side of it looking for the Mobile light-house... No one can tell our feelings of joy at the prospect of soon being within Mobile bay, out of the reach of the terrible rough sea.
Feb. 7, 8 o'clock. Last night a little after 6 P.M. owing to the darkness & the shallow water & narrow channel in the bay, we run into the mud where we have remained till this morning. We can see the city distant by 2 or 3 miles from us. It looks like a low sunken place. It seems to be on a level with the water...
... While passing the breakers peculiar sensations are produced... the white foam & hear a wild tumultuous roar
Feb. 10. Monday. I have been about in the city [Mobile] considerably to day. What terrible havoc fire has made. It seems as if half the city had been burnt. I felt in pain as I saw the piles of bricks, the remains of the desolating fires. I am disappointed in seeing a less number of negroes than I expected & in seeing them looking more neat & well dressed, manifesting more intelegence [sic] & activity & appearing more contented & happy than I had any idea. This is my honest impression from what I have seen. The whites appear active & civil to others, but as I learn, are vicious, gambling & intemperance are very prevalent there are many thieves. The thieves are the whites. The slaves are noted for their honesty. Cents are not passed in Mobile. The smallest piece of money is pickayaune 5 cts. & bits 10 cts. or 12 1/2. To close this part of my journal a word or two about seamen. I have altogether a different idea of them than formerly.... The principal faults are profanity & neglect of the Sabbath. They commit these violations without even thinking. If anything bothers them, it occasions another...The owner of the Sch. is now on board & making a thorough examination of every part of the vessel - the pumps, boat rigging et cetera, that everything may be safe. How much anxiety property produces...Juding from their conversation I expect that Capts. generally are rather low characters.
Feb. 15. Arrived at Demopolis at 12 ock. Cannot describe my feelings on leaving the boat - in a strange land, surrounded by strange objects and a stranger to every individual. Had a pleasant ride in the steamer Avalanch, slow on account of the rapid current. The Capt. was a very fine man who attended faithfully to his appropriate business. Demopolis is a small place of only several hundred inhabitants - Streets laid out parallel and crossing at right angles.
Feb. 17. ... Put up at the Publick house... Greensboro is some larger than Demopolis on elevated red, sandy soil... Strange kind of roads - No walls or fence except Zig Zag fence to enclose cultivated spots of land...Trees very large mostly oak, white and red. Six miles from Greensburo put up at a publick house. The gentleman B.L. Mayfield's of a generous social make. Several gentlemen put up here the same night most of them from Tenn, one from East 2 from West. They each speak highly of their country.
...Mr. Lovel the keeper of the house says he can purchase a tolerably good horse for 15 or 20 dollars. If he can I shall go to Columbus et cetera...
...Violation of the Sabbath is very common here, and in other towns of the South. Gambling and lewdness are very common vices. I went to the Baptist meeting-house this after-noon but found none but negros. It is customary for the whites to attend in the forenoon - the blacks in the afternoon. I listened to the prayer of one negro, very intelligent and feeling. I did not go in for fear of disturbing, though I had a desire of witnesses their reveries.
...Now for myself; my life is almost a dream. I do not feel myself. I fail in the discharge of religious duties...
March 2nd. Reached Columbus Sat. It is about the size of Tuscaloosa, not more than 3000 inhabitants. It is finely laid out for a city. Streets run N. and S. and W. Money matters are in a bad fix in Miss. They will hardly take their own money. In traveling from Tuscaloosa to Col. I passed an abundance of hills, and bottom land overflowed sometimes for 1 or 2 miles up to the horses belly and side. Lodged during one night where the man and his wife 4 children another traveler and myself all slept in one room - this the only one they had. In Columbus there are many meeting houses in proportion to the population, but few supplied with preaching.
March 15. ... I went to meeting in a log-house - loose oak board floor. We all rode on horseback.
March 18. Reached Memphis. Saw the Mississippi
March 20. Passed through Summerville. Land between Memphis and Summerville low and unhealthy.
March 26. Passed Lexington where was a trial of a man for shooting his cousin and brother-in-law.
April 1st. Passed thro Nashville a very pretty place high and healthy. Land fertile around.
April 2nd. Passed Geletin [Gallatin] a small but pretty place. People in this section of country appear more civilized than in other parts of Tennessee.
6th. Crossed the gap of ridge where there is an unknown poison. Milk sick supposed to be occasioned by some undiscovered mineral. Traveled on ridges and in vallies. Land poor. People poor.
16th Traveled in vallies by side of Creeks. Am now stopping at a house where the mountains are on each side 1 1/2 miles high. He has an abundance of Deer, Bear and Coon-skins. Bears, wild-cats, Panthers &c. are numerous here. People do not fear them.
24th Reached the Ohio, a noble riber.
25th. At noon took steam-boat Dolphin for Pittsburg. The Ohio very soily and full of drift.
27th. Reached Wheeling, considerable of a place.
28th. At 2 A.M. being in all 2 1/2 days reached Pittsburg. Found an opportunity of starting for Philadelphia by railroad and canal at 4 P.M.
May 1st. After waiting till 8 A.M. to day we started on the rail road. 4 P.M. Reached the top of the Alleganies having been drawn by steam power up 5 inclined planes to [der?] immediately and 82 locks and on inclined plane besides, before we reach Philadelphia... Have just descended into a coal mine 75 feet perpendicular down to the strata of coal 4 1/2 in depth there horizontal hundred of feet in every direction. I thought of Hades.
May 4th. 8 A.M. Crossed the Susquehannah now the water being high is a grand looking river.
6th. 7 A.M. started for New York. 3 P.M. reached the Imperial City. 5 P.M. took steam for Boston by way of Norwich Conn. & Worcester, Mass. Met with Deacon Moses Merrill Heard from home - of the death of my sister - cannot describe my feelings for a moment.
May 7th 10 A.M. arrived at Boston - 7 P.M. at home.