The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-05-06
DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI.

Near Yicksburg, april 80.
Editors Journals:
The weather for the last a hours
has been most delicious, only a little
two warm for comfort and thick
clothes when the boat was lying to
~dischargiug freight, as she has been
doing frequently to-day. The even
ings are delightful. The moon, though
in its first quarter, is very bright, and
enables Us to catch a pretty plain view
Of the coast as the boat glides swiftly
bu. silently and majestically within a
stones throw of the shore.
Memphis we found to be very dull,
and the few boats in port, including
the Silver Moon and Frank Pargoud,
were getting but slim trips. There
was none Of that air of business and
hustle which we witnessed there in
the Autumn Of 1865. Since then, how
ever. the streets and wharf have been
greatly improved. Here they have
the Nicolson pavement extending
over many squares, and is a great i'm
%provenent on the old muddy or dusty
streets, although the work of laying
down 1ne pavement seems to have
been not we'll done, and it is giving
away 10 places already, though not
having been laid over one anita half
to two years. Street Railroads have
also been built, and several miles are
10 successful operation, using the two
horse open ended car. The system
of sewerage adopted by the city has
also been pushed forward. They use
cast iron instead Of brick and cement,
andrtheir sewers have a bore of only
two to two and a half feet, and they
will In time, 1t is thought by many,
prove a failure. As we approached
the city, running near the Arkansas
shore, we saw the charred and BACKED
wreck OF the once noble St. Patrick.
Her hull burned nearly to the waters
edge, except at the bow, on which
still stand the " cross trees" as a lone
sentinel IS all that remains of that
once beautiful steamer.
The only freight taken at Memphis
was a lot of some 10000 slaves to be
exported to France, to be made into
wine and brandy casks. They are
cut from a peculiar variety of white
oak, found only In Central Tennessee.
Wednesday evening, left Memphis
at 4:15. Met NatOma at the foot of
Presidents Island. Much of the
country below Memphis is o%verfowed,
but the river at that point and all the
rivers above are falling, and no APP
~prehensions Of a disastrous overflow
of the lower coast are entertained,
unless the Arkansas-which is boom
ing full-increases the rise below,
which is not probable. The hi2h
waters have retarded farming opera
tons to a considerable extent, and
but little planting, comparatively, has
yet been done above the Arkansas
River.
Among our passengers from Mem
phis was Judge @. K. Underwood, of
Arkansas, whom we landed at Helena
at 113 PM.
Judge Underwood speaks hopefully
of the future of Arkansas. Since the
adoption Of the new Constitution,
there is a feeling of greater conf
dence entertained by all parties who
desire the good of the country, and a
disposition is manifested TO practice
economy and industry, and ecure
peace and tranquility. The Frank
Pargoud passed Us at Helena, and she
and the Richmond led each other
alternately until about 4 o'clock this
evening, when the Richmond COM
menced dlseharging freight at almost
every landing. Met the Ruth last
night, and one of the White River
Z Men phls packets. To-day
we have met the Swallow. Ru S
9lcons : W. Strader, Olive
Branch Magenta, and Gov. Alien.
Passed Napoleon at 7.20 An. Thurs
day, the Arkansas River being at
food height; was hailed at Col.
Lyons plantation, in Mississippi, and
took l6 bales Of cotton and three pas