though bushy hair, with all the broadness and flatness of the African features, scarcely diminished. The next remove, formed by a white father and mulatto mother, and called brown, or yellow, as either shade predominates, begins to be good-looking, with olive complexions, like the darkest of the European Spaniards-black eyes and hair, and prominent features, small limbs, delicate hands and feet, and graceful figures. The third remove, or meztisoes, approaches still nearer to the European or American stock, in all these particulars. And the fourth remove, or the quadroons, as they are called, furnish some of the most beautiful women that can be seen, resembling, in many respects, the higher order of women among the Hindoos, with lovely countenances, full dark liquid eyes, lips of coral and teeth of pearl, long raven locks of soft and glossy hair, sylph-like figures, and such beautifully-rounded limbs, and exquisite gait and manner, that they might furnish models for a Venus or a Hebe to the chisel of the sculptor. One of the most beautiful specimens of this feminine beauty, is exhibited as a sign, in a large full-length picture in oils, over the door of a milliner's establishment at the corner of Rue de Toulouse and Rue Royale ; the one view representing the lady in her "costume de promenade," the other in her "costume du bal;" and inscribed, after the manner of similar signs in Paris, "A la belle Créole." I remember a very similar one, indeed, in one of the streets of the French capital, "A la belle Circassienne," under a figure of exquisite beauty, embodying the beauideal of female loveliness in the Oriental form.

CHAP. XXIV.

Public undertakings and improvements-Works of utility, instruction, and benevolence-Lands reclaimed from the river-Railroads and canals-Colleges, schools, interesting Female Academy-Asylum for male and female orphans-Literary institutions-Historical Society of Louisiana-Commercial Library Society-Medical board-Climate and health of New Orleans and its vicinity-Season of epidemics-Liability of strangers to disease-Superiority of New Orleans to most cities of the

Union.

I HAVE said that the permanent residents of New Orleans are not inferior to those of any other part of the United States, in the promotion and encouragement (according to their means, and in proportion to the recent date of their annexation to the Union, and the small number of their fixed population) of works of utility, instruction, and benevolence; and this will best be proved by a brief enumeration of a few of such undertakings of each class.

For the promotion of works of utility, there was established in 1833, a Public Board of Works, authorized by a law of the State, making them a corporate body. Their funds are supplied by grants from the State, legacies and donations from individuals, and 20,000 dollars from sales of auctionlicenses. They had received, up to the end of 1838, nearly 400,000 dollars, and have a property on hand, amounting to about 200,000 dollars. By judicious management and expenditure, they have opened

several rivers, canals, and water-courses, made and improved many roads, and reclaimed from the river's banks for cultivation, nearly 1,000,000 of acres of land, from the sale of which, future funds for improvement will be supplied.

Of improvements effected by other companies, the following may be named. The Pontchartrain railroad was the second in point of date, completed within the United States, going to and from the city and the lake; and from the date of this, to the present time, at least twenty other railroads and branches have been constructed or are in progress. One of these, the New Orleans and Nashville railroad, will be 564 miles long, and cost 10,000,000 dollars. Of canals there are also several of great utility, connecting various branches of rivers, and adding much to the facility of transporting the products of the soil to market. A large portion of the city has been also lighted with gas, though in some parts of the French quarter, they adhere to the old Parisian practice of hanging large glass lamps on a rope, suspended from pole to pole, and overhanging the centre of the street, fed with oil, and giving out a miserably dim and faint glimmer of "darkness visible" on all sides round.

In provision for education, Louisiana cannot be expected to compete with the older, more populous, and more opulent States of Massachusetts and New York; but it is advanced beyond many States older than itself, and is still advancing. In 1833, by a law of the local legislature, the Secretary of State was made "Superintendent of Education throughout the State," and the same act provided for the

COLLEGES FOR EDUCATION.

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appropriation of funds to the support of public schools in each parish, according to the number of their inhabitants. In addition to this provision for the Common Schools of the parishes, the following institutions of education already exist, and are in full operation.

The College of Louisiana, at Jackson, in East Feliciana, incorporated in 1825, with an appropriation of 5,000 dollars annually from the State, on condition that fifteen students, to be nominated by the governor, shall be educated gratis annually; and the rest on moderate terms. Jefferson College, near the coast, in the parish of St. James's, incorporated in 1831, with a noble edifice on the banks of the Mississippi, endowed also by the State, and having many students. Franklin College, at Opelousas, incorporated in 1831, and endowed by the State, with ample appropriation. Centre and Primary Schools exist also in the city of New Orleans, which have an annual appropriation of 10,000 dollars for their support.

In addition to these institutions, which are all under the patronage of the State, there are several private establishments for education. The Ursuline Nuns, in their convent, now removed a few miles below the city-as their valuable property within the city was recently sold at a greatly increased value, for the benefit of their funds-have a boarding and day school for young ladies, which is accounted one of the best in the State. The Sisters of Charity have also a large establishment for young ladies, in the parish of St. James's, where everything required is taught with great ability. In the convent of Opelousas is another excellent Female School; and the

Jesuits have an extensive establishment at the same place for the education of boys, which is conducted by ten professors and teachers from France. These are of course all Catholic schools, though many Protestants have their children taught at them, from the great attention bestowed on the pupils, and their advancement in every branch of learning.

There is, however, one Protestant Female Academy recently established in New Orleans, the history of which is peculiarly interesting. A young American gentleman, of religious disposition, married the daughter of a Scotch merchant here; and after their marriage, which was one of pure affection, the father bestowed on his daughter a handsome fortune. Soon after their marriage-union, the young lady died; and as the husband had not married her for her wealth, he signified to the father that it was not his intention to use it, but caused it to be transferred back to her parents. This the father refused to accept, saying it was the husband's, by right of marriage, and should remain in his possession. The contest, at length was ended by this honourable compromise. Neither would consent to accept the sum, which was considerable, amounting to 50,000 dollars. The young widower, therefore, purchased with it a piece of ground, built a Female Academy for the education of Protestant Young Ladies, endowed it with an annual income, and called it, after the maiden name of his beloved and departed wife, "The M'Ghee Female Academy." I confess that I looked on this building with feelings of peculiar pleasure, and with great veneration for its amiable and pious founder.

Among the works of benevolence, besides those