The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1852-09-08
SCENE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
BY LIEUTENANT MURRAY.

Il Reader, have you ever stemmed the
current OF the great western river OF rivers,
the father Of waters, in one OF those mag.
niiicent floating palaces. which ply be-
tween New Orleans and the mouth Of the
| Ohio, or perhaps still further up, to ST,
Louis, Missouri? If yon have, you will
LET this sketch recall to your mind the many
|pecularilies that greet the traveller on this
route, and will corroberate the tru,hluness
OF these scenes.
1t was early in the summer l945. that !
found myself on board the SuIlaua, just
backing out from the Ievee a. New Orleans
and turning her sharp low prov up the
Mississippi River. As usual at this season
Of the year, the boat was crowded, both
with deck and cabin passengers. the for
mer consisting of some hundred German
emigrants bound up TO a settlement in
Missouri ,sa... y.
The boat plowed on steadily northward,
now passing some lofty bluff, and now for
hours skirting the low woodlands Of Loui-
siana and Arkansas, and now stopping
and rounding-to at some temporary Ian
ding, TO "wood up" or at some sugar
plantation, to discharge small party,
consisting of planter and his family from
the city. ....... .I
But when night came and the steamer
rounded-to for wood at one OF those wild
spots on the rivers banks-,he only in.
habitants being some two or three wood
cutters and their families. with perhaps a
slave or two, and the only recommended
ton that the spot offered for settlement
being its proximity to an available forest
of fwood-the scene was grand beyond de-
scription. Torches were flying hither and
thither, deck hands--always in large num-
bers-running from the boat to the shore
on one line of planks and coming back on
another loaded with wood, which was
hastily deposited on deck, and then hur-
rying off again. No wilder scene can be
Imagined; the bright lights of the steamers.
state-rooms throwing their gleamings deap
into the forest thickness.
The first day OIL board the steamer
young and very handsome German wo-
man, who was evidently too i'll to endure
the hardships Of a deck passage, had been
taken into the cabin and her passage paid
tby a purse made up by the passengers.
She had arrived in ship at New Orleans,
two days before coming on board the stea.
mer, and was, in common with the rest of
the German passengers, bound for the SET
dement, in Missouri. Her illness, was
solely caused by weakness, brought on by
continued sea.sickness and the want of
those little comforts and necessities impos.
sible at sea. She had no intimate friends
among her country people on board, but
had Joined them at Hamburg, on shipboard,
and thus had arrived in America. Her OBJ
ject was to meet her husband, who had a.
greed to be at this settlement. and who had
sent her the means,-though not quite
| enough in amount-to come and Join him.
There might have been hundred such
cases on board, and little curiosity or in
terest excited by them; but in her case, a
strange fascination involved one. She was
so young, so patient, so pale with sickness
and deprivation that one could not but feel
deeply interested in her.
Having some knowledge OF medicine |
had been called upon, by the captain of
the Sultana. to administer from his medi-
cine chest to the assistant engineer, who
had come out of New Orleans so i'll as 10
create some fears for his life, but being an
excellent man the captain would not leave
him, preferring to bring him away from
the city and to take care of him on board. |
He had exposed himself at night, and had
taken the country fever, as it is called dyand
though it was but slightly upon him, still
he was far too i'll to leave his berth. !. \
We had touched at Vicksburg, Grand
Gulf, Natohez, ect., and we're steaminr
gallantly on towards St: Louis. Finding
my patient on the engineers deck in want
ofmanytofthe absolute necessities Of life. |
in his sick condition, took some PORTIONS
Of my own wardrobe, and after represen-
ting the case TO the cabin passengers at
lunch one day, obtained from them some |
important additions to bis comforts In the |
way Of clothing, linen, etc. when this
arrangement was made, our young Ger.1
man woman, ding that there was
another on board like herself, sick, and |
needing the charity of the good people Of
the cabin. begged to be permitted, now
that she was SO much better, to make UP
any article he>might require, wherein |
woman's needle might do so. -t |
! She was, indeed, vastly better; good,l
and nourishing food, kindness and com.
Portable accommodations were fast reslor-
ing the color other cheek, and the lghtness
Of her eye. She was permitted to do as
she desired, and made several necessary |
under garments for the, sick man. with
surprising neatness and dispatch, showing
herself a perfect mistress of the needle. I
They we're received with due thanks by
the sick man, who was most grateful, and
who showed good promise Of recovering
ere long, -