Southern telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1834-1838, 1837-08-29

less current, and all the evidence you have
Of The immense power exerled is brought
home to your sense by the everlasting and
majestic burst of exertion from her escape
ment pipe, and the ceaseless stroke of her
paddle wheels. In the dead of night
when, amid the swamps on either side, your
noble vessel winds her upward way-when
not a soul is seen on board but the officer
on deck--when nought is heard but the
clang Of the fire doors amid the hoarse
coughingo Of the engine--imagination yields
to the vastness of the ideas thus excited in
your mind, and if you have soul tina
makes you man, you cannot help feeling
strongly alive to the mightness of art in
Opposition to the mightiness Of nature
Such scene, and hundreds such have
realized with an intensity that cannot be
described, always made me a better man
than before. ! never could tire Of the
steamboat navigation of the Mississippi.
On Tuesday evening, the 9th of May,
1887, the steamer Prairie, on her way to
st. Louis, bore hard upon the Ben Sherrod.
1t was necessary for the latter to stop at
Fort Adams, during which the Prairie pass
ed her. Great vexation was manifested by
some of the passengers that the Prairie
should get to Natchez first. This subject
formed the theme of conversation for two
or three hours, the Captain assuring them
that he would beat her any ko,e The
Prairie is fast boat, and under equal
chances could have beaten the Sherrod So
soon as the business was transacted at Fort
Adams for which she stopped, orders were
given To the men to keep up their fires TO
the extent. 1t was now a little after ii
p. NJ. The Captain retired to his berth,
with his clothes on, and left the deck in
charge of an officer, During the evening
a barrel of whiskcy had been turned out,
and permission given 10 the hands to do as
they pleased. As may be supposed, they
drew upon the barrel quite literally. Its
the custom on all boats to furnish the fire.
mon with liquor, though difference exists
as to the mode. But it is due to the many
worthy Captains now on the Mississippi IA
state that the practice Of furnishing spirits
| is gradually dying away, and where it is
given,it is only done in moderation.
As the Sherrod passed on above For
Adams, towards the mouth of the Homo
chitta, the wood piled up in front of the fur
naccs several times caught fire, and wa.
once or twice impericctIy eXtinguishcd BY
the drunken hands. 1t must be understooc
by those of my readers who have never
seen Western steamboat, that the boilers
fare entirely above the first deck, ard Inn
when the fires arc kept up for any length
Of time, the heat is almost insuppor;ab!e,
We're itnot for the draft occasionCd by the
speed of:he boat, it would be very difficult
to attend the fires As the boat was boom
ing along through the water close TO shore
for, in ascending boats 60 as close as they
can TO avoid the Current,-a negro from the
beach called out TO the firemen that the boat
was on fire. The reply wos--'Go to hell
and mind your own business from some
half intoxicated hand ooh, Massa,' an
swered the negro, 'if you don't take care
YOU be in hell before WILL On-On--on,
went the boat, at tremendous rate, qulv-
ering and trembling in all her length at ev
cry revolution of the wheels The steam
was created so fast that it continued to es-
cape through the safety valve, and by its
sharp singing told a tale that every prudent
Captain would have understood. As the
vessel rounded the bar that makes off from
the IIomochilia, being compelled to stand
out in the middle of the river in consequence,
the fire was discovered. 1t was about one
o'clock in the morning. A passenger had
got up previously, and was standing on the
boiler deck, when to his establishment the
fro hrpl mt fhrA 10 IF II A
tie presence of mind, and set of men I'M
intoxicated, could have saved the boat
The passenger seized bucket, and was
about to plunge it overheard for water when
he found it locked. An instant more, and
the fire increased in volumes. The Cap
tain was now awaked. lie saw that the
fire had seized the deck He ran aft and
announced the ill-tidngs. No sooner were
| the words out Of his mouth than the shrieks
of mothers, sisters, and babes, resounded
through the hitherto silent cabin in the
widest confusion. Men were aroused from
their dreaming cots to experience the hot
air of approaching fire. The pilot being
elevated on the hurricane deck. at the in
slant of percciving the flames, put the bend
ofthe boat shoreward. She had scarcely
got under way in that direction than thetil
Ter ropes were burnt asunGer. Two miles
at least from the land, aud tho vessel took a
sheer and borne upon by the current, made
several revolutions, until she struck oil
across the river A bar brought her up Cor
the moment.
The flames had now extended fore and
aft. Atthe first alarm several deck passen-
gers had got into the yawI that hung sus.
peaded by the Davi5s. A cabin passenger
endowed with some degree of courage an,
presence of mind, expostulated with them
and did all he could to save the boat lCr tlI,
ladies. Twas useless. One took out hi
knife, and cut away the forward tackle
The next instant, and they were all, to- In,
number Of twenty or more, launched int,
the angry walters. They were seen n,
more.
The boat being lowered from tho othe