Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-06-22
TRIP 5s OF THE COMMERCIAL
MEMPHIS, TENN, June l7, 1867.

MEMPHIS, TENN, June 1I, 1867.
 EDITOR CITIZEN :--I drop you few lines in haste from this point; we had, as we anticipated, quite pleasant trip on that same old reliable, c,"-and al- ways up to time-Steamer Commercial. This boat reminds one who has travelled on her, of an old Mexican dollar, that shines the brighter the more it is used. Capt. Billy Ashford is commanding her for the present, and no one on White river that has ever travelled on steam CT commanded by him, need be told that he is ''the right man in the right place ;'' as steamboat Captain he is in the superlative degree, and the polite accommodating Clerks of this boat are in the double comparative, if not super lative degree.
 We left Des Arc on the 10th inst, at @6 A. M., and glided smoothly down the river, rounded to at Devall's Bluff, waited for the train from Little Rock, and as soon as we heard the whistle, it was answered by the boats bell; quite a crowd of nicc,> gcnteel passengers were soon aboard, when again the bell taps, and we are off on that crooked stream, rounding the points, gracefully turning the zigzag curves of the river gorgeously fringcd with velvet green, lat cnon,a1 fn Hnuf ai hnr ci do n c the dense forest on one side, was vieing with the other. Nothing specially worthy of note occurred while thread ing along down White river. We landed at every point that peeped out above the water; Clarendon was about half in and half out of the water, the half that was out seemed to be summing itself. At Aberdeen we stopped to take on lot of beef cattle, fine, large and fat tbe process of getting the cat tie aboard was fun to the passengers, but labor for the mate and hands. At Cascoe storm overlook us, and as usual, produced little stir and anxic- ty; the wind was light but the rain heavy. Night came on with clouds and rain, and "darkncss dwelt upon the face of the deep" A dense crowd of passengers throhged the cabin till the usual hour for sleep, and we slept.
 On the 16th at early dawn, we look out upon the deep muddy waters of the broad Mississippi rolling rapidly; this river we,have often seen, but never been able to describe it. and to him who has not seen it, description is mere ideal ism, with all it's points, chutes, tow heads, sandbars, and carpeted isles, that seem floating in the distance, like oases on the great Sahara.
 The morning of the 18th was bright, and the breeze cool and balmy. We met the Steamer Richmond at clock, and had fine view of that splendid boat, as she passed gracefully down the great thoroughfare of floating palaces.
 It is the sabbath on the Mississippi river, and everybody seems to be read ing the bible, or spapcrs, or history, or novels, as best suits the taste of the reader, while the day is not only love ly but the loveliest.
 But l know you will expect me to say something about the lady passcn- gers, and this I would most willingly and cheerfully do, but they are to me like the Mississippi river INDEsCRIBA- BILE. I think they are all fine and look as fresh and gay as a garden of roses with pendant dew drops reflecting the early Jays of a May day morning. At noon l6th we have just passed Friars Point-touched the landing-learned that the cholera or cholerine as they call it, is quite bad in and around this place; three were buried here yester- day, Q6th.) We were told there had been some fifty cases of this scourge in and about Friars Point within tho past four weeks and fourteen or fifteen deaths; also told that no other place on the river had been visited by the cholera up to this time. The popula- ton in and about Friar's Point is 200 or 250-this looks little squally so early in the season. 2il o'clock we arc at Helena, that is, what is left of it from caving into the river. The Mis- sissippi river has confiscated and unto itself appropriated a portion of Helena that once bordered upon the levee. Helena will have ultimately to go to the hills or into the river, for this mighty stream mocks at artificial marks and bounds, and respects no rights of private property. Here we took aboard some of the ''rarest specimens of na- lures flowers" Oh. that l were q poet, that might unburden myself of emotions too huge for utterance, suita- blc to the day.
 17th, have no items of note in the city. Weather warm. l will leave at 6 o'clock this evening, on the cars, for Decatur, and will keep you advised of my movements. X.
 The Holy Springs, Mississippi, Reporter says: The change in the T n ..1