Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-07-08
Correspondence of the Natchcz Courier.
MEMPHIS, April, 1897.

has been unusually long and tedious. The
machinery and works of the beat are new, and
not having been properly made and fitted al
first, arc constantly getting out oi order. the
: river too is very high, and carries down great
quantity of driftwood, which often gets en-.
tangled in the wheels and breaks the paddles.
We have lost since leaving Natchez full six
hours in every twenty-four, in laying to the
bank making repairs. The pilot generally man
ages to select woodward for this purpose, so
that the hands are turned out pile the guards
with wood, while the engineers are tinkering
at the machinery. The landing of a steamboat,
even on the verge of an unlnhabited forest, af-
fords lively scene. The ladies don bonnet
and shawl, and hasten ashore for walk; the
bachelor looking passengers, who have no
claim to such companions, dispense through
the woods, cutting twisted canes, gathering
strange looking wild flowers, and amuse them
selves in a hundred ways. The deck passen-
gers, who do not assist in wooding, jump a.
shore by dozens, some with bottles If the lam
ding be near groggery or cotters' hut, to get
them replenishcd with milk or whiskey, the
women 10 let their dirty little children roll a.
bout after their long confinement on board, in
groups on the ground. Some Of the men Sc
lect level spot and display their skill at the
rifle or their activity III leaping-at one time
yesterday nearly hundred men had gathered
and formed long lane, through which the
leapers run before they made their final spring.
There was much sport, many rough jokes and
a plenty of coarse merrment. l saw one sup
| ple-onted Tennessean as agile and straight
as an lndi.n, jump twenty feet on a level.
The steward takes this time to go on shore to
buy provisions, and returns with his myrml-
doms in the shape Of halfa dozen cabin boys,
laden with sqealing pigs, philosophic COB
bler3 and patient hens, which are duly secu-
! red in coops On deck, to await their certain
doom: | remarked that thNe passengers who
had young families, had to purchase milk for
them on shore. 1t is not customary to have
milk on the table Of steamers, although it is
easily obtained. Passengers frequently pur-
chase it for their own use, and have seen on
the breakfast tables, halfa dozen private pitch
ers; and once was amused at seeing captain
very complacently accept the ironical offer OF
the pitcher of milk, rendered him by a passen-
ger. With regard to having milk upon the tea
and breakfast tables, in furnishing a greater
abundance of fresh meat for dinner, there is
in most of the boats abundant room for i'm
provement. | have dined on board steamer
which two hours before had stopped at a land
ing place, where tur1ies, ducks, chickens and
| pigs, were abundant about the premises ofthe
| woodman,---yet our tables, to which forty gen
temen and ladies sat down, was supplied
with only four dishes Of meat, viz: piece OF
salt pork at the lower end where the clerk did
the honors, a ham before the captain, piece
of boiled beef, few plates beyond the clerk,
and another piece of broiled beef, disguised
with butter and capers, a la mutton. Some
dried apple pies followed as desert. -Four
decanters, two Of Monongahela, one OF gin and
one of cogniac brandy, were placed at inter
walls on the table, but either from the badness
of the liquors or the temperance of the passen-
gers, these were scarcely touched Northern
! ers drink most at the table, the Western peo-
pie most at bars. Fifty dollars passage was
asked on this boat from New Orleans to Lou
Iisvillc, which is equivalent to six dollars per
day for board. Nuts and raisins, apples, and
cheese and bread, poorly compensate for tile
deficiency of "a good substantial dinner. The
/ Ohio boats, that is those which run between
Louisville and Pittsburg often keep better Ia
bles. The best dinner ever sat down TO on
any kind of boat or vessel was on a canal boat
near Pittsburg last fall 1t out did any thanks
giving dinner among the epcurean New Eng
landers. There were two roasted turkies, a
roasted duck, roasted birds and chickens, fri
casses, roast beef and lamb, ham, and roast
pig, pies Of several kinds, buildings with and
out plums, pyramids and pagodas of butter,
tarts and Syllabus, floating island, and GUS
tard, with almonds, raisns and fruit. more
snmptnous getting up of an entertainment ne
yer saw even at Mississippi wedding-supper.
Do not think, however, that wo Jared thus
sumptuously every day. We had been the
three previous days winding our slow way
from Philadelp hia, with rather mean fare. This
was our last meal on board, and was given no
doubt, with the aim that ii we had grumbled
the former part of the way at our ill fare, we
might leave the boat in good humor, our ana
,hemas turned into blessings. Nothing will
restore good humor SO readily as good din
ner. The canal proprietors show that they
understand human nature.
We arrived at Helena last evening, after
passing the mouth Of White river and the Ar
kansas. At the mouth of both of these rivers
are landing places. At the last place there Is
but one tavern, one store and warehouse.
This is place of some business. Government
stores destined for the Indian nations are stored
here by the Indian agent, captain Coiiihs. Az
the mouth Of White river, better known as
Montgomery's Point, there is wretcneo tav.
ern where they charge two dollars ana q MAJ.
a day for board, warehouse, store, grocery
and one or two other buildings; IL IS a POM
4 of considerable trade. These places, since the
general clearing out in Mississippi have ,N been
points of reunion for the gamblers. ihey are
not however, in as i'll odouf as formerly; ne
lena, about ten hours run below memphis 10
the longest town on the west bank Of the ny
er, from Donaldsonville to New Madrid, elgh-
ty miles below the mouth of the Ohio, "a dis
lance Of several hundred miles.) 1t is compo.
sed Of one street, intersected by two or three
short ones; its appearance from the river 1 !, :
) pleasant. In the rear Of the village are yisiDl'