The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-10-01
EARLY NAVIGATION OF THE AR
KANSAS.


One of the first steamers that ever as
cended the Arkansas, was the little old
Buzzard, worn out and ricketty old craft
that had lost all favor with every insurance
company from Piitsburg to New Orleans,
and was only sent into this new trade for
the reason that she could get business in
no other. Her machinery had sunk in one
boat, blown up in another, and pronounced
unsafe and worthless by an authorized -
specior in a third, and at last, instead of
proceeding in its legitimate channel towards
Junk shop TO be sold for old iron, bad been
placed on board the Blizzard, boat one
third TOO large, even admitting that 'he
aforesaid machinery had LOST none of IL
original strength and power. To Pdd 20
this, the hull Of he craft was rotten ana
leaky, her cabin wrenched, screwed out of
all shape, and shackly; while the greatest
rate of speed she could attain against an
ordieary current was two mil per hour
In the face, however, OF all these disadvan-
iapes and drawbacks, the captain had the
cool effrontry 10 stick hand-bils on the cor
ners and other conspicuous places. announc-
inc that the "new, s:aunch, fast.runnng,
&c, shaving splendid Accommodations for
passengers &C., would positively leave
for Little Rock, Van Buren,, Fort Gibson,
and all intermediate lands." &c, at such
time. So much for the steamer, her c. idi-
lion and qualities.
The owner of the Buzzard, who had no
other home than on board of .lr, was what
might be termed an easy, szzkGiless, worth
less, no, account SORT of chap, exceedingly
fond of sleeping one-half bis time and play
ing on the fiddle the balance. On this in
strument he was genius, natural and de
cided genius--he took TO 6ddling in his
youth, and could never break himself of 1t.
Each trip of the boat was almost sure TO
bring him lin debt; yet he could always
draw consolation from his fiddle and nap;
the breaking of a shaft never broke him of
his resl---the parting of a haw. 9r did not
affect him so long as his fiddle strings with
stood all strains. ,z....
The captain of the Buzzard was a differ
ent parsonage allegeiher--a wild, reckless,
harumscarum, rough specimen of the early
river men-ever ready TO drink, fight, or en-
gage in any kind of a game or irolic. He
always wore linnen shirt of great tineness,
the bosom of which was not only curiously'
wrought in herring bone and other stitches,
but was likewise ornamented by a huge
ruffle, fastened down with diamond p n of
The largest size. He was very choice in his
washerwomen, a Circumstance which may
be put down as singular, when it is stated
that in less than ten minutes after mounting
a clean shirt, two distinct streams Of tobac-
CO juice, having their source in either cor
ner of his capacious mouth, might be seen
coursng down in parallel lines on both sides
of the aforesaid ruffle. He wore Attakapas
trowsers without suspenders or straps, sell
dom was seen with coat on, but always had
fine ot!er-skin cap on his head, for which
he paid twenty-five dollars in ST. Louis
The owner was completely under his thumb
and control-he had thrashed and beat him
time and again for interfering in the manage
ment of the boat, until finally the poor devil
was completely cowed and afraid 10 open
bis mouth Such was the captain: the pilot
and engineers were pretty much of the
same stripe, rowdy sort of chaps, up to all
sorts of develtry-ever willing, TO fight,
drink, deal faro, play poker, or "come any
game of that sort," as the facetious Samson
Brass would say.
The Buzzard had made one trip TO Fort
Gibson, had returned 10 New Orleans, and
was ready, after the owner had drawn from
small fund he had in one Of the banks 10
pay expenses when the regular receipts run
short, to start on second. On the tenth
day after the planks were hauled in at the
foot of Poydras street the boat reached the
mouth of White river, near which place all
hands were sent ashore to wood. Report
has it that the men 'swsoded'' altogether
with their hats, picking UP any stray chips Of
chunks that might be scstlered about, as
there was no money on board TO pay fol
regular fuel, and the credit of the boa
stood low at the wood-yards; but this state
ment is not we'll established. On the elev
enth day the Buzzard was digging along NJ
the Arkansas, the river at low stage, the
channel full of snags, and the navigation il
those days bu, imperfecty understood. :
When light she drew but "sixteen niche.
scant;" with her present load it took fully
s'two feet large" TO float her. In all her ap
pointments she was sadly deficient, neithe
lead line nor sounding pole being found oil
board; but in their stead the depth of waite
was calculated altogether by means OF {
cane rod, cut from brake on the banks, thu
different joints of which, some ten inches a
part gave token Of the proximity of the bot
tom of the river with the surface of the wa
ter.
Near twenty days had now passed away
the Buzzard had reached point above Pin,
Bluffs, the navigation had become more dit
ficult, The current in places more rapid, ant
TO hell her througha plentiful supply OF PIN
knote was now uathered-for with all tn,