Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-06-17
Corr soon,ie,ce o. Ire Maj her n-i-ie-.
STEAMER pERr. April. 1897

e-ccnquered.
CORRESPONDENCE o. Ire Maj hes nl-ie-
STEAMER Pear, April. 1887.
The plantations between Vicksburg and
Lake Washing on are nearly altogether new.
si,h rude dwellings, upon them; Indeed. there
S no planters house above Vicksbu.g of a /
better appearance than common farm-honses.
There are two OF three enc s,ory high. painted
white and one CT two with galleries; BIZ, from
The mouth of the Ohio TO Vicksbnrg there are
ao;. eaeep; al tie half dozen small towns /
on the river, ten comfortable or neat looking /
dwelling houses. Lake Providence which we
patsed to-day, is pleasant village, built on
one street running parallel with the river. The /
plantations in this neighbcfhood are valuable. |
ard the planters wealthy. Princeton, about
:h::.:J miles s5v7e Luxe Providence. and on
the same side Of the river. and two hund5e1
and twenty miles above hatcher, is village
sbou, the game size of Providence. consisting !
of single stree, laid out on the bank, the bull
d:ngs facing the .iver. Al this landing and
a. Lake Providence, ~e saw few fa;stais
fastened to The shore. hu, no s,eamboat. The
traveller seldom sess steamboats, on the Mis-
sissippi unless Under weigh. Atevery landing.
however insignificant. faibcais are aiways 10
be seen loading and unloading giving empsef- |
inert 10 one or two stores. and keeping bss'- !
ness at least. alive. Near Princefona ets.Es-
boat passed as, and although il was nofswn
1 thirds across the river. we were unsble 70 read
its name, painted IN large letters en the wheel
house. without spy-giass. This facs Viii
give ncEzheraer some idea Of the breadth Of
this prea; nver. Shortly Afterwards az ark
acated by. This vessel differs from the hat
boat, keeiboat zld broadhun, in its coassrac-
/ tion. A solid oblong raa of timber, twelve
feet wide and fifty or Sky long, IS the grcund-
i work. Un ore end Of il is erected Of rough
boards sort Of covered pen. for cattle and
fowls. On the other side is . rude enclosure
/ rooted like house, cften Containing caiGa-
neg, aad in which the family live. lfz farm
er from the neighborheod OF Pi,tsburg O. Gin
acinnaii sees piece Of land on the lower Mis-
sissippi. in Gee OF his boatiag expediiaoos.
which rieases him, be returns home sells out.
builds an ark. elnbarks with his family. and
committing himself 10 The waves. after ycy-
age Of fve or six weeks, arrives at his new
home, ties his arr TO 2 tree, removes his house,
stock, and family 10 dry land, C mmeoceschop-
| ping down the forest, ,Pens wood ysrd. be-
comes thrifty. buys negroes, grows rieh. and
is at las, planter Many Of The 6rss families
in the Southwestern country, afte. travelling
70 PisisbuFg from the Atlantic cities, have com
mitted themselves TO an ark ard SO come 10
this country. We have passed TWO Of these
floating houses to-day. Tn The las, che. was
IAN cid grey headed man and an equally an
cient female, comfortably clothed In coarse
materials, summing themselves ard Stacking
their pipes, in the low space left ca The bos.
tom of the ark between the d~ eslisy and tie
stock-pen. A middle aged sssn, yeonzn in
. long.sailed blue jeans coat and pantaiecns
was standing baYeheaded q, the loag paddle
which served az . helm, shading his eJss with
his hair as he stared at Cur passing boat Tvs
women in caps and csarse bat tidy rcsas1sre
seated near him en- .he :sS II tie dwsHsnv
(which was the upper deck Of the ark fai..
ung Half dozen whife-headed urhins
(Aem; all country urchins are whi,e-heaaea
4 were crowded in low door. strainine the;r
eyea at the grand steamboat. and three OF fnn,
large dogs, equally curious. were gazing a,
NJ from the OF the eow-pen. A FIRE burned on
the bottom Of the ark. between the two habit.
able divisions; the hearth was a rude pile o,
brick, with an old stove pine for chimney
The pot was bDilinD, and third female wa,
preparing the evening meal Two s.rappina
fellows in their shirt seevee, working me.
chemically but idly ~ an oar. two or three
chickens and proud cock strut,ing about. Z
lamb, which appeared licensed 10 strsy from
the pen, as pet, the head Of good.natgYed
looking COW protruding from window, cnm.
lpleted the whole. Il was altogether ~ pretty
picture Of domestic happiness than I could
not help looking upon i. without feelings .,
envy.
Tho Hatboat, is somewhat similar in its con.
structio1 10 the ark. which is the most prina.
tive mode of navigation. The fatboat is made
TO convey freight. Il Is a covered shed Eve o,
six feet high, with bottom sufficiently strong
70 sustain il, and impervidIs TO water. Thii
shed is covered 81 : double ;;.ver Of board,
laid 90 as TO DO water.tight, and Sept over a
rigde pole running through the centrs from
stem to stern, 30 az to form curve sufficieal
to shed rain. A portion of,hs boat at the bows,
which arc square, is SET of for cabooee and
sleeping place for the hands, Of which there
are usually from four to six. ThA remainde,
10 hllsd with freight. Some Of these boats will
carry from eight TO twelve hundred barrels q
-four: Ahsn light they draw but six o. ejph,
inrhss- but WHEN loaded two feet and q half
Rosne OF them zse laden altogether with. Anu,.
osisefs ntfh hsrses. others with sheep. OF pcrk
aIiss and IN bsszsiS. fowis. cattle, and prcdness
loI al KINDS, same are sren freigh,sd viii e 6
gfoes. psscinsed in Virginia, and embsfked
at Guyanaotie on the Ohio. When asthoa,s
are uuladcn Of rhesr freight they are sod e,
~ha. they viii bring. which is from twen.v
1 10 sixty, rnd the owners reiurn home 70, aen
dollars on steamboat Keelboais are cot e
commonly s~en nov ~ formerly. They are
In nnobef abouf as one 70 ten compared v;th
6asbasts. They are Of similar eonssrpctioo 70
the ffeighfiDg cana. and used for the aar,e
purposes. They are sometimes assisseA n
descending The river. BY square-sail. and al
tcsethsr cut better 6gurs than the ark Or fat.
boat. BEFORE tbs introduction Of Steamboats,
the kseibuai was the sole medium Of river
commerce: Leaving its fright In New Or.