The New York herald., 1867-04-08

sum- Happily there no occasion my part 70 con-
iorm 70 she Instructions on my stateroom pacard Nt
bottom OF the steamer and the boilers they had any
erratc inclination TO 70 on bust very fortunately 10
Western river steamers and their mixture
OF have been often described that no phase
10 either can possibly be found or imagined that not
Or staging ash is called here bean taken in and the
hoarsc wheezy whistles Of the engine announced our
than sms q dr.S Poker ss ana %'rs s
hiding away OF beverages OF varied vanous compounds
Gong into peoples dOoryards - on account Of the high
laya We were detained fvs hours through getting
grounded al AUSTIN the Mississippi side Of the river
% Da yon ever Know Jen Davis xea sn o'a sna man
what originally was snun coIored jeans
"WalL reckon did. He used ter live at Davis
Bend, below here but the place I'm told is all under
wafer pQw.n -~~. ats-~A,A A~E} N
u .. him two weeks ago a For. Monroe, = stated
sunken optics Of the old gsteued with sudden AMI
nation hope he's well Does ne get nough % eat
up thar and good clohcssn On my assuring him that he
looked very we'll when saw him. that he lived IN a
house with tight roof; that he was not allowed 70
suffer from deficient wardrobe and had thIse fun meals
man who's Jest seed President Davis he called out TO
this and that one and soon from motley looking
group one would be apt to see in journey through
all the South volfey Of questions were hurled at me-
for which Twas not wholly prepared. After standing
the battery OF interrogaons awhile, beat retreat 10
the steamer and concluded that when ven,ured pub
city again OF my having lately seen Je Davis il would
stead Mt Hf
the water overflow covering the bottom lands for miles
on either side nearly every dwelling and oubuildng on
the river semi-submerged by the unusual inundaon;
cotton bales wood cattle horses mules oxen, pigs and
sheep floating mscsaneously on RATS and otherwise,
furniture going in unconscious innocence OF auctions
and buyers; and lastly men. women and children in
skis and rowboats seduousy striving harvest those
multifarous fruits Of the flood. A ashore called out
the capau at length the steamer reached Helena and
rounded to along side old steamer Uttered as joke
Il would place the captain humorist Infinitely above
Joe Miller; but direction to passengers desiring to
Land visible for mils only the roofs Of
houses Struggling in tho water. Speaking OF jokes how
ever theccasion called on. some that fear would ais
.Fins water privileges exclaimed one.
ssWhet vew,'i uttered q second.
"a view that should be painted in water coors broke
out third
1T beats - and ALL profaney and somewhat fierce
on his joke or perish IN the attempts joke the point OF
which s only rendered visible By explaining that In pro-
noupcng the name Of the town the accent - given on
Letter s from. s Ms%pAs s afssES "
condition OF Helena Il had been reported to The
description not ct all exceeded BY the reality Here
s city, Of the largest In the STATE and nearly all OF
water the lanes are lanes Of water, tho byways and
hedges are hid by water the yards many enclosed
reservoirs Of water the markets. stores, hotels and
work shops stand rans6xed IN water the arlors Of the
dwelling heGies and Kitchens, mute and tenaptless,
echo tho hollow fsverberations Of the omnpresent
on Ss s q e.
have in them several feet Of water All the families ex-
cept four who stu remain in the uppe: stories Of their
tent water The Inhabitants have taken refuge in West
Helena built mile back from the river on high grounds
ana on ths olam beyond: west Helena. Helena has % thrown
~ board shanes have been thrown mp and hers though
somewhat In confunen and disorder tho mechants have
One would look for lbng faces dsmar wings and
Jobke fncinaten TO vent few curses and then leave
this s q y ;ns ;s :as,y sDn'rs so sos = socs
about him. could not have looked happier than the men
here Ana is is the cana with tho women and children
asy n.y iass ss s . z e oma : %
awey Suhetute dug0uts', for gopd0as and the scene
is purely Venetian Al day % and ~! ~ sss n the evening
night break the nocturnal Stiffness Win snatchss Of
animated scenes q the small boats propelled by pracssd
swiftly and noissessy through every part OF the
town are worth coming shoo.and mile. e see ,S.l
has boen but little actual los OF property and not single
life lost have spent several hours IN rowing about the
known the Miles Building, erected on high wall and
occupied In the lower story e. stores and the upper part
s ns sna rySs ana
every body from the lower door. .s . .4
aw the fascination for playing billiards ssriknsy ex
eph6ed In young men rowing into the ball OF building
landing midway the stairs and than ndulging IN thc
favorio game In the second story By IKE process thoss
whose chronic th VIII not admit dispensing with their
durna cocktails obtain their desired beverage In the
second story Of the Shelby House Judging from the
number oongregated here, good many are evidently af
ncted this way. Is modern conversion into barroom
left devoid OF the main charactersics Of Southern bar
rooms the huge IRE place. smoke beglmed wallis tobsc.
jules stained floors circus Advertisements notices Of
meetings ana shers sales and rude prints hanging on
walls but the landlord there fat hearty jovia
and lazy the barkeepsr who looks though he might
detailed by any kind Of labor about the place.
and tho oungng about crowd Of unceasng patrons COM
ing here 70 smoke their pipes squirt tobac
co juice talk the affairs Of town and country and
70 drink when asked.
From my state room have ins view Of the town
the blun beyond Remnants OF Fort Curtis and ohcr
Federal forts crowning the heights are st visible
To the left be the large and stately dwelling Of
General Hndmnn who commanded the Arkansas troops.
He went 10 Mexico with General Price aud party and has
mot yet returned HIS house s out Of water being on
high land but not the dwelling OF General Pillow, b.
low. The plan OF the latter, stated In my pre-
v,ouslstter Ii almost wholly covered by water, whe
his dwelling she water is several feet deep.
The Floods In Louisiana. &c.
tr NEW ORLEANS, April !, 1857