St. Mary's beacon., 1858-09-09
FROM the Chiodyo Journal.
Gambling on the Mississippi.

We are told that gambling prevails to fear
full extent on board the steamboats, that pass
up and down the Mississippi river. All sorts
of games are practiced there, and among those
who travel are some Of the most plausible and
finished rCgues A short time since a party Of
blacklegs induced several returned Californians
to venture few hundred dollars upon the
changes of the cartls or the dice, and at the end
Of the game the Californians discovered that
three counterfeit bills, for $50 each, had been
passed off upon them. They. immediately de-
nanded COCA fnoHHey in exchange.
This was refNsdd for time as the blacklegs
pretended that they had none. They were then
given to understand that, unless they rectiied
the fraud Immediately, they would be forced
to take their chance for the night at the, very
next uninhaticei r.tand thar The boat should
reach. Finding the alternative rather serious,
they reluctantly made the exchange demanded,
and endeavored to cOEciliate the Californians
by inviting them to drink. The same knaves
day or two before contrived to Wiz 81 300
from a very young merchant of Louisiana, who
was on his way North to buy goods.
Gambling on the Mississippi is profession
which is followed by hundreds, old as well as
young. Ali sorts Of combinations are formed
by these gentry. They will come on board a
UuisS lApan guaatSISus POhlls, anu as II paIcnS
Sttangces sd alter getting acquaihted with
the variosls parties, two or three will set down
at the gaming table, with tin object of merely
killing tina. Gradually. hoveher, they will
tempt the inexperienced by dFink and excite
mcnt, and then proc, C to cheat and plumber
them, as coolly as if they were engaged in some
creditable employment. On one occasion a
noted counterfeiter was discovered to be on a
boat, when he was Immediately put ashore at
point where tfr Prejudice against counterfeit
ters was so great that they often hung them
up without Judge or Jury. Life on the Mis-
sissippi is characterized by extraordinary scenes
and incidents.
1t is stated that on recent occasion a clcr-
gyman was earnestly engaged i'll preaching to
a considerable audience at one end of stca-
mer, while in the middle gambling was in busy
progress, and at the other end of the saloon
were music and dancing. Many of the boats
are fitted up in the most magnificent style, and
amount, in facts to floating palaces. 1t often
octars that they are occupied by 5000 souls
and upward The cost of a cabin passage
from New Orleans to st. Louis is about $50.
That Of deck passage is, Of course, mitch
lower. All the leading eo~ns and cities are
stopped at, and thus constant changes take
place in the inmates Of the boat In some
cases large profits are realized. Thus, few
weeks since, a steamer that sailed fIom New
Orleans to ST. Louis had freight list that
amounted to $40,oee, i'll addition to the re-
ceipts of the passenger money and the bars.
The quantity of wood that is consumed is
immense; il ranges sometimes as high as 200
cords per day. The scenes Of ''wooling," es-
pecially at night, are full Of excitement. 1t
sometimes happens that nearly every nation
on the face of the globe has its representatives
on board of one of these steamers. The travel
up and down the river amounts to tens of
thousands per annum, while the freight that
passes inward and outward may be estimated
in value at millions.
A friend from whom sc -atbefed these facts
informs us that a short time since he bad oc-
casioE to travel from New Orleans to St. Louis,
and day or two after he was on board the
boat he became acquainted with modest and
thassIming young gentleman, whose manners
were SO mild, and conversation SO intellectual,
that he supposed he was young lawyer, a
physician, or perhaps a student of divinity
The next day he discovered that he was Une
of the most accomplished gattblers of his age
in the Western country.