New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-07-22
From the Providence JOurn.l.
Descent OF ,he sitsstssippi-Fiooo9 oi'
Upper mississippi 49,,

1h,ra ms, made trip Iowa the flississlPp'
n one Of our eli CANT and spacious steamers on
hoard of which each passenger had commodous
state.r room assigned nm. with one Goor opening
IN the ruarGs. and another entering an aif! 81
loon cabin. which is elevated above me neat VI
end offensive odors Of the deck anu ho'u ~
this comfortable apartment, when iifeu o' i'aHse
upon the promenade, or when Inc c'iAI VI -. -.
social hall laugu!sies or grows "ea- VI;
nassenge- NAV retire, and IN al inc PFi'"9 Gil"
secIusion OF his own chamber, ST. ana co'''e.l.
plate the rapidly passing scene oc.o'e 80
when that grows mono;onoaS Vi it,".''"''
his book or writing Materials ne MUS
employment for dull ho1l, nus ~ M ~
IS sre DAYS. q, a cost of $ 10 only we are "alteo'
in floating palace, furnished win al 't I Icoo
forts and luxurics OF holei, a distance ., loUo
miles. from the fresh yeFduFe and opening noMeIs
~ S,r;ng-fro,n the ncwiy planted fields, wnere
corn was iust struggling through the s'Tu"u ~
Iowa ard Wisconsin, to regions where the ma
tured fruits Of summer are Beng gatieieu H''1
already in the market.
The weather on shore was sultrv ard oPores-
sirc bDt borne along in swift flight upon
booming current. at speed that ou's,ript inc
FIGHT of the mosquito, thereby leaving these Hu-
s;cal companions behind US. we creatcu IN inc
slurujsh atmosphere brisk, bracing current al
most as refreshing as the mountain breeze. As
we rassed along the full, overlooking banks OF me
Father of Waters" on the ridge when ''s
MIGHTY artery of q continent has aeen through
AGES, building up to itself, from the bottom Oh
vast inland sea. and over which IFS current no"
rms as through an aGueduct, elevated many ies'
above the adjoining lands, VIC could look on Over
the cleared plantations, as II we were passing
alone the summit OF gentle ACTIVITY, conliii.';u-
ing a view of the sIoping wales on eilhoF s'ue
and our steamer when viewed from the rear u
one of these plantations, appeared to inc oenoi",
or TO be sweeping through vast canal, CARED
along the ridge of high lane.
All the tributaries flowing from the West, ana
| having their Sources at the base OF the Rocky
Mountains. having this season brought down
swollen floods that have overlooked their own
hanks and spread devastation through tner
course, have filed the banks of the Mississippi 10
the brm and from the mouth Of the Missouri
n the month of Red River, the waters at every
low point, are bursting over the banks ana rush,
ing with the rapid current of mill TAIL back' al
r;ght ANGLES, to the River, 10 the swamps and
lakes in the rear, which arc in places, i've, ten'
twenty and thirty miles distant from the river'
These are rapidly filling up, and the back wafer
is gradually approaching on the back Size oil 'he
plantations that do rot overflow IN front. Anu
in many places as VIC passed, We saw but a mar;
row strip of dry land on the immediate banks o.
the river, which peered few inches aoove 'he
Wild flood in front Of II. and the WIDE waste Oh
waters spread out IN It's rear. Hcre, upon Inc
highest knoll, were gathered large herds OF no.
nestle animals, driven by the flood from the
cane brakes and their accustomed ranges, TO seek
I...I- A
ward the negro cabins and their owners dwell
ing. They stood, watching the accumnlating
waters that were surrounding them, with an as
pect that seemed in sympathy with the anxiety
and sadness of their master.
the highest banks along the bottoms arc now
no, more than Is or 20 inches above the level OF
the river and here and there, where the shores
fell below the leve! of the waters, and were not
protected by sufficient evees, impetuous sheets OF
water, a mic in width, were pouring over them,
carving ruin and destruction III their course and
the pleasure Of our delightful trip was marrcc and
often turned TO sadness by the scenes OF desnlI-
ton and lrreperabe loss caused by the ovet@helm-
,nr waters From our deck we beheld magnlh
cent corr and cotton fields, containing hundreds
of acres with their long rows extending back
from the river and, as far as the eye could trace,
their dark verdure and rich luxurlancc sadly con-
trastng with the tWbid waters-which were bu-
red TO the depth OF two or three feet in the Hood
And the cabins of the poor wood choppers-who,
under the provisions OF Mr.. Benton's presumption
land bill, have squatlcd upon nearly every I'M
improved quarter section along the river, more
with the view to cut the wood than to secure AN
eligible spot for permanent settlement, and who
consequently have laid their claims upon all the
lowland as well as other-were standing IN many
instances amid food of angry, turbulent wa
ters. and the poor inmates were seen suIl acher
inv to Their dlsoate dwellings,, or padding about
them on RATS or IN "dug. outs, buetng the wild,
invading current. and striving to preserve some
portion of the product of their winters chopp!ng,
which was rapidly taking its departure for the
Delta Of the Mississippi; they looked like CON-
muniiy of beavers whose habtatlons had been
rudely invaded by torrent.
In coming to for wood, we often found our
selves in the middle of field, and surrounded by
the stumps and Gecaylng trees OF recent clear
ing, 10 some one of which we moored our boat;
and once, by the unlucky management OF the pi
lot, or the engineer, we brought away the root
and chief portion OF log cabin, all standing, up
on our bow it was dark, and fearful thunder
gust was approaching what other shelter the
poor fellows had in that lone wilderness spot, sur
lOunueu ny d tutSlo, diSiy !i'o"i oiiiu ii"PoI|-
trable darkness and the crash OF thunder, and the
rage Of a pitiless storm-we stopped not to in.
quue, but went dashing on cur way.
In two or three instances we passed extensive
estates OF thousand acres or moro, on which
hundred or a hundred and fifty hands were en-
ployed; where the current had undermined the
bank, acres Of land had fallen in, carrying with
it tic levee, and opening breach through which
the waves rushed, and the verdant and highly
cultivated fields in all their pride Of richness and
beauty, were given up TO desoIation and ruin.
The ranges OF neat white negro cabins were being
swept, after another, away, and the noble
mansion of the proprietor was falling; and The
labor Of years. and the fruits of life OF industry,
in few hours were destroyed.
1t is to be lanlented that matter of such vast
Importance as the leveeing the banks of the Mis-.
sissppi, requiring the thorough knowledge and
highest skill of Tie engineer, should not have
been made national work before the lands
whose increased value would have paid the cost
were sold or at least that the work has not
been taken in charge of the States that bound on