Saturday, May 11. The ride down the river is quiet and smooth. Very thick foliage of the trees comes right down the rivers edge. You can't see through the trees most of the time. We saw a few birds but not very many and no animals, little or big, on the shore. We saw a cooling tower sticking out above the trees, tow boats and barges, ships as we got further south.  Our cabin had two twin beds, adequate closet and storage space, a large window looking out on the river, and a little balcony. The barge had a library, places you could sit and just look out the windows while having a drink or a conversation. The large dining room had open seating and we met most of the passengers dining with them at one meal or another. We routinely had breakfast around 7:30 a.m. Breakfast was buffet style, but you could have eggs and omelets made to order. There was lots of fresh fruit and typical steam table offerings, bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, French toast, etc. Our cabin had two twin beds, adequate closet and storage space, a large window looking out on the river, and a little balcony. The barge had a library, places you could sit and just look out the windows while having a drink or a conversation. The large dining room had open seating and we met most of the passengers dining with them at one meal or another. We routinely had breakfast around 7:30 a.m. Breakfast was buffet style, but you could have eggs and omelets made to order. There was lots of fresh fruit and typical steam table offerings, bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, French toast, etc. We had a very interesting talk by Marion Smith, Carolyn Vance Smith's husband, giving us the history of Natchez, a small city (19,460) with a big history and a substantial number of beautiful, and historic homes. He told us of the vast fortunes that were made here on cotton before the Civil War. "Cotton built the antebellum houses of Natchez," he said, "the discovery of oil has kept them in repair."

As we floated into Natchez, our first sight was a beautiful house up on a hill. As we sailed along, we saw where they are shoring up the earthworks to hold up other beautiful houses, which otherwise might wind up in the river. Natchez-Under-the-Hill has just about been destroyed. There are no houses down there where there used to be quite a community. The antebellum house, which we saw with its columns and red roof overlooking the river, was a delightful introduction to the city. We docked next to the casino boat, very close to the bridge at Natchez. We were in the red group. The passengers were divided into four different groups. There were different leaders for each group. This enabled us to be in a smaller, more manageable group when we went off touring. There was a question and answer session called "Stump the Crew." Kurt asked about a nuclear power plant, which we had passed, and they did not acknowledge that it was a nuclear power plant. Later we found out that it in fact was. People who said they were interested in participating in a musicale have begun practicing for the performance at the end of the week.

	We arrived at Natchez after lunch and took a shuttle into town. We had the opportunity to wander around Natchez as we did in Vicksburg, and we also had a tour, which enabled us to visit two of the mansions. The first place at which we stopped on our own self-guided tour of Natchez was the House at Ellicott Hill. "Popcorn was the first corn Indian children ate," was one of the illuminating statements by the guide showing us the house. "They had it with milk and honey." The house had a moat around it and drawbridges could be pulled up. The ceilings were curved and probably came from boat timber. The early American looking glass was polished tin. On display was quite a bit of Baccarat and Waterford crystal and Sheridan furniture. A sign on the house states, "Andrew Ellicott, commissioned by President Washington to survey the 31-degree N. Latitude as the southern boundary of the United States by Treaty of San Lorenzo of Spain, arrived in Natchez on February 24, 1797, and at this house on this hill, he raised the flag of the United States for the first time." The Natchez Association for the Preservation of Afro-American Culture was the next stop on our tour. We saw a slide presentation of cultural and historical contributions of Afro-Americans in the growth of Natchez and the nation. They had Portraits of Black Natchez, some really poignant photographs of Natchez inhabitants in the 1880-1920. It was a small collection but they have plans to increase the exhibits. We waited outside of the Trinity Episcopal Church for a wedding party to leave, after which our group was to was scheduled to hear a concert of flute, violin and organ music. The church was built in 1822 with additions to it made in 1883. The first services were held in 1823. We heard a very nice classical music program that included several Bach pieces, a Hayden, and a very nice one for flute and piano by Taktakishvili. After the concert we were taken back to the barge on a motor trolley bus. Immediately after getting back on the barge, we went up to the sky deck to hear a great program of country music by Billy Ray Reynolds. He just sang his heart out. This trip has just been outstanding, considering the music they are providing for us-sometimes three or four programs a day. That night we heard the gospel choir from the Holy Family Catholic Church, which is a black choir. Meanwhile we inquired about being able to buy a CD by Billy Ray Reynolds.

In  the evening the Holy Family Catholic Church Gospel Choir sang for us. At one point they invited people from the audience to get up and sing with them. The barber shop quartet and about twenty others pranced up on the stage. The choir was noticeably impressed with the enthusiastic response. The choir was dressed in Invery colorful outfits of African motif.

	Sunday, May 12. We visited Stanton Hall, built in 1857, which occupies an entire block. It is one of America's largest antebellum mansions and is an example of Greek Revival Architecture. The doorknobs and hinges were plated Sheffield silver. The main hallway on the main floor is 70 feet long and 17 feet high. We were not allowed to take any pictures inside the building. We left Stanton Hall before seeing the whole house because we wanted to get to B'nai Israel Temple for a tour at 10:30. The first reliable records show Benjamin and Clara Monsanto built a plantation on St Catherine Creek (1782-1798). In the 1840's immigrant families settled in Natchez. Early Jewish arrivals opened modest retail stores, selling dry goods, "Under-the-Hill." At one time there was a large Jewish community in Natchez. Now there are only 13 people in 9 families. The building was completed and dedicated in 1872 and the congregation joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1873, making it a charter member. Its stained glass windows and ark of Italian marble make this synagogue one of the loveliest and most historic in the South. We were told when the number of Jews in the community gets down to 3, the building will be turned into a museum.   In the afternoon we were taken on a tour of Natchez and visited two more antebellum houses, Routhlyn and Rosalie. Rosalie was a large brick mansion built around 1820 near the former Fort Rosalie. The house served as the local headquarters for the Union Army during the Civil War. Music was played at both homes and the Ratcliffe family at Routhland had refreshments for us.

At 4 p.m. we were dropped off at B'nai Israel to hear an hour of classical songs of Joseph Beer, sung by his daughter Beatrice Beer (For a German language article click here.) Joseph Beer composed operas before World War II and had his work performed on forty stages and translated into eight languages. The Nazi government in Austria banned his works from being performed and he fled to Nice. Depressed and disillusioned at learning that the Nazis killed his parents and sister in the Holocaust, he stubbornly resisted offers from major houses and refused to do business with many of his former colleagues in the music business, feeling that they had collaborated with the Nazi regime. Beatrice Beer sang arias from his operas with a concurrent slide show depicting some aspects of his life.

Back at the barge we sat down in the auditorium and listened to Richard Raichelson play. He was just so wonderful. He can play anything and he plays it so well. After dinner Billy Ray Reynolds played gospel music, old time gospel songs and some music which he had written.

Continue to Part V.

Our Travel Page Index Part I. St. Louis & Oxford Part II. Memphis, the Barge, Jug Band Part III. Vicksburg Part IV. Natchez Part V. Baton Rouge and Onward Part VI. New Orleans