Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-09-20
The BIvOUAC; OR NIGHT AT THE
MOUTH OF THE OHIO

~ AousSs osiu tooh pdSSdHt at ~iHCinttatIs
on board the steamer Chief Justice Mar
shall, which was bound TO New Orleans,
but from which was to disembark at the
mouth Of the Ohio, there 10 wait for some
New Orleans boat going up to take me to
my destination. Our travelling party con-
sisted Of three ladies-a mother and two
lovely daughters-deep in their teens, and
young gentleman and his bride from
Louisiana, with her brother, just from
c"llege. The boat was large and comfort
able; a spacious state-room offered us all
the retirement Of a private apartment in
dwelling.
1t was bright morning in October
when we got under Roadway from the
landing, and bending our course down the
river, left the queen city receding in the
distance. The prospect $rom the decks
as We swept round the noble curve which
forms the peninsula of this great metrop-
Oils, was unequalled for beauty and va.
riety. To the eye Of the voyager, who
gazes on the city and its opposite suburban
shore, the river seems to flow through a
valley peopled for centuries, rather than
region but fifty years ago desola,e
wilderness. Crowded population, taste,
wealth, and high degree of agriculture
on the banks, all indicate the home Of a
long settled people, instead oflhe emigrant
of yesterday. Astonished at what he be-
holds, the travellers mind is overpowered
at the contemplation Of the future destiny
Of the land. This feeling is not only
awakened by the sight Of Cincinnati and
its environs, with its fleets Of steamers,
but it is kept alive as he proceeds down
the winding and romantic river. On Ell
Their bank noble farms descend with their
waving fields to touch the lip Of the laugh
ing wave, and at short intervals thriving
villages meet his never wearying sight,
Unlike the monotony Of the Mississippi
the Ohio ever presents objects Of interest.
The voyager Of taste is ever upon deck,
as he is borne through the picturesque re-
gions, and EXPLANATIONS OF surprise are
exhausted only TO be repeated and renew
ed again and again.
The next morning after quitting Cincin-
natl we reached Louisville, its leree as
we approached presenting scarcely less
business like air than that Of her rival city.
Situated Just above the Falls" it was
then the head of large boat navigation.--
But deep canal has since then been con-
structed around the falls nearly two miles
in length, by which steamers laden in New
Orleans can pass TIN ough without as here
toiore, being detained and transferring
their freight by drays to smaller boats
above the falls, and pursue their way TO
Cincinnati or Pitt>burg. The river being
now unusually high, the rocks of the
rapids were nearly covered, and with
skilltul pilo:age they might be ventured.
After an hours delay at the landing, we
shot out into the middle of the stream, and
then set the boats head to descend the
rapids. As we approached them with the
velocity Of an arrow, there was not a
word spoken on board save by the pilot,
who stood forward, giving brief orders to
the helmsman. Black rocks appeared on
every side--the rapids reared and foamed
before us, seemingly in our very path !;
but onward we went with Irresistible
power, the vast steamer rolling to and fro
like drunken. But we passed them safe
ly. The captain having risked boat and
cargo, and put in jeopardy his own life,
and those of all on board. But human
life is of little value in the West, where
there is SO much Of it floating about, none
knowing whence or whittier.
Among our passengers were two, faith
err and daughter, that particularly attracted
my attention, from the Indifference 10 dam
ger which both exhibited during the peril
Gus descent Of the rapids the elder stand
ing with folded arms looking upon the
deck, gazing on vacancy--the younger adj
miring with calm bnt delighted look the
velocity of the boat--the curling waters
around her, and the wild roar and sublime
confusion of the scene through which she
was borne. He was about tif,y.si years
Of age, with noble countenance, which
care and grief had deeply lined, his hair
gray and his form somewhat bent, less
with years than sorrow. An air of mel
ancholy pervaded his appearance and ir-
risistibly interested the stranger in him.
His daughter had fair hair and blue eyes,
and seemed destined by nature to be hap
py-hear,ed; for she spoke to him always
with sweet smile, and always smiled at
seeing any scenery that pleased her. But
there was a pensiveness in her look that
harmonized with the sadness upon his
brow. Her attentions to him, | had OBJ
served, were tender, devoted, and full of
anxious solicittide to draw him away from
his own thoughts. At times she would
succeed, and he would look up and around
at the green wooded banks and smile with
moinentary interest, when she would APP.
pear perfectly happy, and tears would
come into her eyes-tears of Joy.
During the course of tie day / had an
opportunity of rendering him slight as.
sistance as he descended from the deck,
for which the daughter gratefully thank
ed me, adding, tiny father is little feeble,
sir am In hopes this voyage will be Of
great service to him."
warmly expressed the same desire,
and as they Immediately retired to Their
state-roo,ns l saw no more Of them that
day. The ensuing morning l assembled
the deck few minutes after sunrise and
found them already promenading together,
the father on the daughters arm. The in.
cident oud hr;of ntorchor,. ,r ,..: Al