April 28 Friday – At 8 AM, the Charles Morgan arrived at New Orleans. Sam stayed at the St. Charles Hotel [MTNJ 2: 458n84]. While in the city, he met up with George W. Cable. From Sam’s notebook:

Took a carriage after breakfast and drove about the old French part of the city. Visited the old “St. Louis Hotel.” Reminds one of a vast privy. Place where the legislature has met. Hasn’t been swept for 40 years. Saw old ornamental iron railings on balconies & before windows; much of it quite pretty and unique. Great deal of this iron work.

Old cemetery surrounded by high wall just over the top of which could see the roofs of the quadrangular tombs.

Evening 28th Drove to the “West End”. Cable with us. All round N. Orleans there seems to be a line of forest but one never reaches it. Cemetary on the way. Monument to Stonewall Jackson [2: 550].

April 28 to May 6 Saturday – Sam described his stay in New Orleans to Livy as a “whirlpool of hospitality” [Kaplan 245]. He met up again with George Washington Cable and met Joel Chandler Harris for the first time. Sam’s days began early and ended late. He enjoyed the city’s cuisine and good fellowship so much that he’d scarcely talked to more than a few steamboatmen, and then for a few minutes (see May 6 entry).