The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-09

brought us, ia the night, to jefferson City, on
the Missouri river, the then terminus Of the
railroad. The remainder OF our journey TO the
promised land" whittier we were tending
was to be made by boat. well remember what
rush there was from the cars down the steep
gangways. lighted with flaming pine torches,
to the boat. Our tickets were through tickets
from Buffalo, New York, and called for
"state-rooms" and meals on board the Mis-
souri, river packets. But, alas how should
boat with state-rooms for perhaps couple of
hundred passengers, find accommodations for
nearly thousand9 The boats. at that time,
ran directly from 81. Louis through to the
Kansas border, taking passengers tho whole
distance The result was that every state-room
had been taken by those who got on at ST.
Louis, making the entire trip by water; so that
when the boat stopped at Jefferson City for the
crowd who had come up by the cars, there was
simply room TO take them aboard, and that was
about all. However, an American assemblage
rarely loses its good temper, It's fertility of
invention to make the best of everything. Per-
haps, too, little incipient hardship was not
lost upon those who were soon to brave the
privations and perils of Kansas life, such as
it then was. The first thing was to improvise
some kind of arrangements for sleeping, for the
human system claims sleep as inexorabIy as it
does food, The immense cabin was turned
into vast dormitory, one end being curtained
of for the women ana children, with rows of
mattresses on the floor from side to side. Eacn
man took his carpet sack for pillow, and soon
the cabin was filled with the reclining forms of
the tired travellers. 1t was hours, however,
before the crowd quieted down. so that much
sleep could not be obtained Ihave always no.
ticed that If you get a dozen men together
under unusual circumstances, somebody's
sense of the IudIcrous will be so excited, that
he must make a "deliveranoe" ofsome sort. So
it was now. Imaginary walters were hailed
with commands for articles of comfort or
luxury clearly beyond our present condition
and surroundings. Some mirth-provoking
question would be put with all possible gravity
by a man TO his neighbor, when dozen an
swers would come to it from all parts of the
cabin, accompanied with roars of laughter. 1
remember one chap, who must have been the
original of the definition given of man by So
crates, or some other equally responsible au-
thorlty, that he was a fowl without
feathers, for his imitation of the crow
ing of rooster was most perfect,
and loud enough to have aroused the 'seven
sleepers," had he lived in their day The Off
GERS of the boat finally interfered to check the
boisterous mirth, in favor of those who desired
to sleep, and quiet soon prevailed. Thus passed
our first night on a Missouri river packetboat.
The trip occupied three days and nights. Tnere
were many little things that struck one as
singular. 1 shall never forget my emotions as
L stepped into the wash-room in the morning
and turned on the water for wash. A yellow,
dirty looking fluid poured FORTH like the waters
of the Schuyl kill in a freshet, apparently as
spitable for ones ablutions ne a 1nud-puddle
after heavy rain. The appearance, however.
was worse than the reality. The Missouri
river water is very pure naturally, but loaded
with a fine, almost impalpable yellow sand
Let it stand for half day. and it becomes clear
and paiatable for drinking. The steamboat
hands, however, dip it and drink it directlv
! from the river, and experience no evil effects
! from its use.
The matter of feeding so large a crowd was
no slight affair. Tables were set the whole
! length of the cabin. Those who managed to
get TO the first table Jared very WELL but woe IN
| the unlucky wight who depends upon tho
second and even third tables! The only chance
! to secure a good meal was to preempt a chair
| along the sides of the cabin for an hour or two
before meal-time, and to hold on to Il until the
chairs were placed at the table, and then to
stand behind 1t ready to defend your claim
against all corners. 1 am afraid ChesterdeId
would have lost his polish under such unfa-
| vorable circumstances. The animal triumnhs
over the spiritual in man on very slight pro-
vocation sometimes.
The process of "wooding up" at night ON one
| of these great boats is picturesque in the ex-
tIeme They consume great quantities of wood
! for their engines, and at convenient points for
| landing, those who make a business of furnish
ing wood for steamers cord it up In long niles
of hundreds of cords, generally in the depths of
some forest. AS q boat approaches one of these
places where she intends to wood up she blows
two ar three long notes of warning with her
whistle which can be heard for miles around
so that the owner or his agents may be on hand.
There is no waiting for them, however The
wood is taken whether they are present or
rot. In case Of the owners absence, the
captain writes the name of his boat
and the amount of wood he has taken on a card,
and leavesit sticking in the crevice of stick
at the end of a pile and settles the bill on his
return, or his next trip. Arrived at the
wood yard, the planks are thrown out, the boat
fastened TO the shore by huge cable, the
torches lighted, and all hands fall to and bring
on the wood. The torches are made of pitch
pine split into fine pieces and are burned In a
sort of iron holder or frame work set up near
the bows OF the boat, and leaning out over the
bow, so that the falling pieces may not endan-
| ger the boat. They make a beautiful and brill
| liant light, illuminating the whole neighbo
! hood.
ON the third day we arrived at the great
bend of the Missouri, and got our first view
! OF Kansas, at the point where the hourlshing
town of WyandOtte now stands. There were a
few houses there then but the site was beauti-
full and inviting. The ground gently rose and
trees were shady and green, and the whole ap.
| - ~ To-, Il a.