Natchez

Chapter eight.

Nothing occurred worthy of note until they arrived at Natchez; but here Roque was much amazed to see Moroni's trunk being put on the wharf-boat.

He knew it was the custom of the managers of the wharf-boats to allow baggage to be left on the wharf, and to collect a small sum for storage, so he took his satchel and placed it near Moroni's trunk.

He left the boat just in time to see Moroni take the only carriage that happened to be at the river when the steamer arrived, and drive rapidly up the hill.

Beautiful as was the country, it had no charms for Maroney.

His mind was occupied with other thoughts, and he paced up and down the deck as if anxious to get to the end of the journey.

All went quietly until they reached Natchez, under the hill, when Roque was again astonished to see Maroney's trunk being placed on the wharf boat.

He could not understand this move, but had nothing to do but to follow.

For those of

you who have not heard of Natchez, it came out in January of 2026.

It was getting best documentary feature all over the festival circuit.

It was released through the PBS Independent Lens broadcast, which is how I saw it under the subheading, The Myth of Southern Charm.

There is only there's only one vocalization by the filmmaker at one point in time in response to a direct question.

And it is just people talking.

What are they talking about? Natchez, Mississippi.

It is a tourism town with antebellum history, and it is wild.

It's getting worse and worse.

Let's go to Southwest Mississippi, Cathedral High School, Natchez, Mississippi.

Let's talk about it.

All of it happened in one night.

And the queens, the maids, are sitting in the cars.

There are pages, you know, the little kids that bring the flowers and stuff, pages in the cars driving around the grass field.

We did not have a track at Cathedral High School, 1A school in Natchez, Mississippi.

We're driving around the track.

To behold five or six tables in a steamboat's cabin, with half a dozen men playing at cards, and money, pistols, bowie-knives, all in confusion on the tables, is what may be seen at almost any time on the Mississippi River.

On the fourth day, while at Natchez, taking in freight and passengers, Walker, who had been on shore to see some of his old customers, returned, accompanied by a tall, thin-faced man, dressed in black, with a white neck-cloth, which immediately proclaimed him to be a clergyman.

I want a good trusty woman for house service, said the stranger, as they entered the cabin where Walker's slaves were kept.

Here she is, and no mistake, replied the trader.

End of chapter 2

CHAPTER III.

THE NEGRO CHASE We shall now return to Natchez, where we left cover in the hands of the Methodist parson.

for many years natchez has enjoyed a notoriety for the inhumanity and barbarity of its inhabitants and the cruel deeds perpetrated there which have not been equalled in any other city in the southern states the following advertisements which we take from a newspaper published in the vicinity will show how they catch their negroes who believe in the doctrine that all men are created free negro dogs the undersigned having bought the entire pack of negro dogs of the hay and allen stock HE NOW PROPOSES TO CATCH RUNAWAY NECROS.

You're like, I can't.

Yeah, I was technically doing a road trip from Laurel, Mississippi to Natchez, Mississippi to all the beautiful antebellum homes.

Always wanted to go there.

I'm camping on the Mississippi River just outside of Natchez, Mississippi.

I wake up, open the curtain, and it's

snowing.