The native American., 1838-07-14
From he Dsid,ed,e Register.
FLYING SEAVES FROM A TRAVEL
LERS NOTE BOOK.
BY f. JOY MORRIS.


BY f. JOY MORRIS.
Scenes IA the Wesf-Atn noon, in the month of
July, after passage of eight days from Pitsburg,
we entered the Mississippi from the Ohio We
had been on tploe all the morning, eagerly
Watching the moment that our boat should reach
the junction Of la belle ririere and the Father of
waters Several of our guide-tooks contained
graphic accounts Of the violent concussion and
shock steamboats, were wont to receive, as thev
passed out of the Ohio into the Mississippi. AS
soon, therefore, as we reached the mouth of the
Ohio, we took onr positions, clenched our teeth.
and braeed our nerves up to the sticking point, to
meet this formidable shock; seriously appr.hend-
ing dissolution Of the timbers of our vessel. We
were disappointed. Quick thought, and with
an almost imperceptible motion, our steamer gi-
ded round the point into the Mississippi; giving
at once the lie to our Typographical Mentors.
The transition from river to river was striking.
The waters Of the Ohio were clear and transparent
rs brook, flowing with slow and noseless
current between cultivated shores, dotted all along
with beautiful cities and villages. Passing into
the Mississippi we met wild and bostcrous
stream, boiling in eddies, and rushing along at
furious rate, as if swollen with dcuge. The
water was of deep yellow, and seemed little
else than liquid mud The banks were covered
nmpenetrable forests of cotton wood, and had
most wild and savage appearance. Not house,
or sign Of human habtatlon, was anywhere 10 be
seen; save here and there the solitary log hut Of
woodcuter
We could occasionally see the tenants of these
miserable huts; and, as they appeared OH the
banks, with their wan and ashen countenances, ),
and forms shrivelled with fever and disease, they
looked like gaunt and unearhly spectres. These
woodcutters are a sort OF outcass. They live out
of the world, and hold little or no communion
with it, and of course become very rough and sa-
wage in their manners. They have their huts
close on the bank, in the midst of dense forest,
which is thick with mosquitoes. Here they live
By cutting wood for steamboats,, which they ad-
wise of the price per cord, by large boards mark
ed with chalk, fixed upon posts at the waters
edge. The STEAMBOATS, never cucumber their
decks with much wood; SO that they are obliged
to stop two or three times day. at these wood
landings, to supply themselves. This gives a
good custom to all the wooicutters. Their usu-
al price per cord for wood is two dollars
The speed OF our boat was very sensby ar
rested by the rapid current of the Mississippi.
We ascended the stream at a slow rate, and with
great effort although moving under heavy press
Of steam. The only safe channel lies close along
the shore, the mi Idle of the river is filled with
sandbars and sawyers. These are trees disrupted
from the banks, by the elcroaciments Of the
river. Falling into the current, they are swept
along, until striking the bottom they become fx-
e.. Being swaycd up and down by the agita-
ton OF the wafer, they have the motion of saw,
aud are very dangerous; never falling 10 sink
boat which strikes them. We saw several wrecks
Of steamboats,, sunk by sawvers, lying along the
shore. Another characteristic feature of this rv-
er, is the great number Of beautiful islands which
are scattered over it; covered with bright green
grass, and thick groves of tall cotton wood trees.
slopng beach OF compact white sand, edges
them on all sides; on which we constantly saw
large numbers of wild turkies. Occasionally al
bad-headed eagle might be seen, looking over the
expanse of waters, from the top of a lofty tree
with his fierce eye flashing in the sun. Many ofl
these islands lay close together, separated only
by narrow strips of water, which wound in grace
fu curves among them. The serenity and repose
of these sequesered slets was very pleasing
when contrasted with the wild and impetuous
scene of the river.
Islands are constantly forming and dssolvinc
in the Mississippi. Trees, which have hoa,ed
down from the Missouri, lodge on the sanibars.
which are heaped up by the turbulence Of lhe
river. Here they get piled, layer upon LAYER
some distance along, with the sand on which they
rest making quite firm foundation. Next come
large quantities OF leaves and roots, which carry
with them plants, soil and seeds, and these float
ing in among the logs fill up the interstres so
that, very soon, enough earth is collected to sup
port large plants. Sprouts put forth from the
trees which lie at the foundations and forcing their
way upward, attain vigorous and rapid growth
Their roots bind the soil, and the island soon be-
comes compact and firm. This is the process of
the formation of islands in the Mississippi and il
may be witnessed in all lis stages, as you pass
along.
The current of the river is so rapid that il is
constantly encroachingfo on the banks. In some
places, it is wearing away the shore in others,
adding to it, by accommodating upon ii the soil
which it has carried away elsewhere. Thus, a
continual change is going upon the banks of
this remarkable river. In some places we saw
large quantities Of corn laying near the water
which had been carried of bv the ncursions orl
the river upon the field. The land, for a mile
back from the Mississippi, is alluvial, or what is
called made land; and is so loose, as to readily
give way before a rush of water It produces
luxuriant crops OF corn, and is probably the rich
est and deepest soil III the world Those who
cultivate it suffer much with ievers and aouas
Al