The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-10-04


hEaaggGHfht hGEaggGfht H if ffcPonans. eHai' =" "'S "'O'F' S.
THE MISSISSlPPl-ST. LOUIS.
A letter published IN the New York Post ha
the tol!owining interesting descriptions:
The most interesting scenery ohhc Mississippi
from the mouth OF the Ohio to ST. Louis, is the
Bluffs. From Cairo, for forty miles, both banks
of the river are low and heavily wooded. ant
excepting now and then Il passing steamboat
and occasionally nat.b0al or raft, there is no.
thing to relieve tic monotony of the scenery.
The RATS often present an amusing spectacle,
| They arc from - 10 - rods in length, and from
to - in breadth Several men, real back.
woods men in manner and dress, with dogs in
! size and number TO suit their fancy, arc gener.
ally the occupants and the proprietors of the
raft. \ large iron pot suspended from pole
resting upon two lnrked posts, and table form
ed by laying boards across barrels, mark the
centre Of the raft, Here and there, some bian-
kc;s lying on plank beneath two or three SLAM
ting boards, constitute The sleeping apartments Of
the ra!lsmen. Sometimes there is rude cabin,
but generally the ralsmen care nothing Tor pro.
lection from sun or rain. Cooking their own
food and sleeping almost unprotected, free from
anxiety and labor, except what is necessary 10
keep their RATS from the snags and shadows,
these rude men pass Inerry week after week,
amusing themselves with songs and stories Of
their wonderful exploits and adventures, as lum-
hcrmcn, .raprers, or sailors, as they float upon
the curc rent cf this noble stream from the gions
Of the Upper Mississippi down TO Orleans,
Near Ilerculancum, the Bluffs begin on the
Missouri side, and extend almost continuous y
to St. Louis. On the Illinois side, there is no.
thing from Cairo to St. Louis but one unhroken
forest. The Bluffs are perpendicular rocks of
light brown limestone, ranging from one to two
hundred feet in hciyh! The phases Of the
rocks are exceedingly diversified! Cavities have
i,rum ia tit1 ,".h- resembling vast doors
and windows. The columns Of the rock left
standing between these cavities, and the rocks
projecting from above, resemble pillars and cor.
nice work. So striking, often, are the C rcsem
blanccs. that the traveller can scarcely help be.
licv;ns that he is passing the ruins OF vast and
magnificent temples. Again these bluffs re.
scmb!c the ruins of an old fprtifcatinn. In ano.
thcr place they resemble old Federal Castles.
Now they rise from the water like steps to vast
temple, ard again they are nothing but heap
OF irregular rocks.
These bluffs add much 10 The scenery of the
Mississippi. In ftcl it would be, were it no, for
them. exceedingly monoonous and dull. Not
that the scenery on almost every point on the
river is not beautiful, but the mind canno, be in
teres,cd in travelling for days on river with
the banks perfectly level, even il they are cove
rcd with luxuriant forests.
An extensive mercantile and forwarding busl.
ness is done in ST.. Louis. Steamboats, from the
upper aud lower Mississippi. from the Illinois
river, and from the Missouri, are, during the
season of navigation, almost hourly arriving
fieighied with their cargoes of grain and metals.
Some Of these boats are from towns one hnn.
drcd and fifty miles up the Illinois river, fifteen
hundred or two thousand miles up the Missouri,
and from places six or eight hundred miles up
the Mississippi. Others are from The Ohio or
lower Mississippi. Merchants from central and
western Illinois, from Iowa and Missouri come
to st. Louis for their goods. Mechanical and
manufacturing operations OF almost every kInd,
are in successful operation in the city. But The
business and commerce Of ST. Louis is nothing
compared to what it must be when the mighty
valleys of the Missippi and Missouri rivers shall
become filled with an industrious and enterpr-
sing population. The population in the city in
1910 was $4,000. 1t is now 10000.
The only places OF importance below 81.
Louis, are Cane Girardcau, lirrculanrum and
Jefferson barracks, all of them in Missouri.
St. Louis, l72 miles from the Mouth of the
Ohio. and 20 from the mouth OF the Missouri, is
a splendid city. 1t stands on bluff. which is
sufficiently elevated to be out of the reach of
the annual floods of the Mississippi. The prin
cipal Streets parallel with the river, are crossed
by others at right angles. The city extends two
and half miles along the river, and mile back
from water. Some OF its streets are well sha
dcd and adorned by elegant dwellings and spen.
did churches. There are in the city about TWEEN.
ty churches, two. thirds Of which are Protestant.
About the same proportion Of the inhabitants
are Protestant.
Thcr are in St. Louis 10000 Germans, and
in olG"r portions Of the Stale as many more.
TAcsc Germans are destined 10 exert power.
inl influence upon slavery in this State. Most
of them arc laborcrs and mechanics. They can
underworld the slaves, that is. Germans can be
hired cheaper than slaves can he kept and cloth
ed. The use OF the capita invested in dozen
slaves is worth enough to hire an equal number
of Germans and one German will do almost
twice as much as Il negro. The influence Of
German labor is already felt and seen in st.
Louis.
Boston BaDhs.-Four orthn Boston banks
have declared half ycarl y dividends of four per
cent, and on Of five per cent. The returns OF