The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-06-12
ARACE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
From "Life in the Nea0 WOrld."
BY SEATSFIELD.


alt was Just three O'Clock in the afternoon
of the seventh day OF our voyage, when we left
VOLTS Island behind US; which. as you will
know, is above New Madrid, and below the
mouth Of the Ohio river. The poor Helen
McGregor has blown up since, as you know,
Just at New Madrid, and took hafa hundred
passengers into another world. And so we
arrived at VOLTS Island, where we caught
the Ploughboy, the Huntress, the Louisville,
and two other steamers. 1t was a nice little
fleet. We were just sitting behind the ladies'
cabin, with Miss Warren and the old gentle
man, both very moody, when the word was
given that the George Washington had come
up. 1t was glorious steamer, this George.
Ii shines and glimmers already in the distance,
like floating palace, and flies upon you as
soft and as swift as duck 1t is real Joy
10 see such a gigantic structure come up to
you. was still sitting by Miss Warren, but
| was sitting as if on Goals. How does it
come that we men have such mighty respect
for petticoatsl At once hear that George
Washington beats us. jump up, run to the
upper deck, and true, there 1t comes IN all its
pride and elory-trarara trarara and roaring,
and foaming, and spouting fire, like the En-
peror Nap at the head his guards and horse
men and fiuns. This George presented a
magnificent view, in the midst ofthe five steam
ers, the Louisville, Huntress, and the others;
it had caught them already. We stood and
looked-all who were on the Helen McGre-
eor and tell you, our hearts beat stronger
and stronger; you could see anxiety OH all
faces. The bell rang for dinner, not foot
moved. Captain cried !, I'VE cannot let
the George go ahead of us. we can't stay be-
bind with honor says l. we must show
that we are Mississippi men, 'Mr Dough-
by, says he, it is the George Washington,
saws he, two hundred horse power says he.
1t is all CANNON saws |, 1T has no two hun
dred and twenty horse power says l. You
only say so TO escape race. And If the old
George had three hundred horse power, /
would shorter my stirrup, and spur my
horse
"And the captain became warm when L
said SOL could see it; his eyes were fixed
/ on the hostile boat. which had left already
| the five others, and came up TO Us now as if
/ we were nothing but buck-skinned, dry Brit
ons, and they, free, fresh Americans, who
don't care farthing about the world. Aud
as the captain looked over al the George, he
became red, blue and green-changed color
like dolphin-his teeth gnashing. and he
bit his lips so that the blood was running
down his chin. And the Wasbingtonroared
nearer, and the smoke Kissed stronger, and
burrahs after hurrahs came over to our ears.
Captain, cried, the Washington beats us,
the honor of the Helen McGregor is gone.
The CAPTAIN stood as If covered with coat of
master. the sweat on his brow, and his eyes
/ bloodsbot. He had beat the five steam
ers. which roared their hHrrahs for Washing
ton, after him, and which were right glad al
ready to see the Helen McGregor BUNDLED.
Captain cried once more, will you
permit yourself to be beat out of the field,
without even showing him the white of your
eve! The Helen McGregor is new boat.
Fire upl' Now he ran down and cried, Fire
up. boys! fire up. high pressure' Put IT
to her, boysr cried. Fire upn And the
bows fired, and fired SO that the sweat poured
down from them like spouts, and they poked
in the wood with their large tOngs, and it be-
gan to hiss from our chimneys-it was real
pleasure. We went right into the Ohio-the
Washington was nearly at our side.
ssNow, YOU know that the stream of the
Mississippi, as it comes down straight,presses
the Ohio back for some miles towards Trini-
ty. finer basin for desperate race, you
cannot find in the whole world. The two
streams have just the right breadth, for four
or five miles in that water circle, which is
bounded by the banks of the Illinois,old Ken
tuck, and her daughter Missouri. Thestre
is just in your favor when you enter the Ohio,
because that river is pushed back by the
Mississippi. Wewere nearer the Illinois side,
and thereby had one advantage over our ad-
yersary, who held himself on the kentucky
side. and came near to us, roaring terribly,
and followed by the other five steamers, who
had likewise put on their spurs. Our Helen
McGregor was still in advance. The devil