Litchfield enquirer., 1874-03-19

stable of Kaweah, whose feet he muf1ed, by wrapping about them the various art. icles of his clothing, that the clatter of the metallic shoes might not be heard up- on the stones of the court.
 Ordinarily Kaweah would not allow any one to lift his feet; the blacksmiths who had shod him had done so at. the peril of their lives. But now, to his masters surprise, he made not the sight est objection, but stopped down and nib- bled playfully with his hat. His feet thus muffed, King led him cautiously from the rancho, stopping at about quart CT of mile, where he unbound the wrap. pings, and donning them, mounted and started on the Mariposa trail.
 After travelling noiselessly ill the soft dust mile or so, he came suddenly on a snouldering fire, where in the shadow lay the two highwaymen, asleep.
 They were waiting for him.
 King held his pistol aimed at one of them, and rode by without awaking them. Leaving Kaweah to follow the trial, he turned in the saddle, keeping his eyes fix ed upon them until they were lost in the dis tance Then he felt safe, and after gal loping over many miles of trial, at last reached Mariposa, where he deposited hls gold and made up for his lost sleep.
 THE FIRST MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT An old book, called ''The Navigator" has fallen into the hands of writer for the St. Louis Republican, who extracts the following interesting passage:
 Ihls steamboat, called the New Or | leans, was launched in. March, and de- scended the Ohio and Mississippi. and landed at Matches in December, 1911. where she took in loading and passengers for the first time and passed on to New Orleans, in which route (trade) she has been successfully employed ever since. Her accommodations are good, and her passengers generally numerous; seldom less from NatcheZ than from ten to twen- ty, at SIS per head, and when she starts from New Orleans generally from thirty to htty, and sometimes as many as eighty passengers at $s25 each to Natchez Ac- cordlng to the observations of Capt. Mor- ITS, of New Orleans, who attended her as pilot several trips, the boats receipts for freight upwards has averaged the last year $7OO; passenger money, $9O0 Down wards, $3OO for freight, $500 for passen- gers. That she performs thirteen trips In the year, which, at g, 400 per trip, amounts to $31, 200. Her expenses are O"SA' "o tPCO pCL [4sOzO, captain, $1,OO0; seventy cords of wood each trip at $175, which amounts to $1 .586-in all, $6,906. It is presumed that the boats extra trips for pleasure or otherwise out of her usual route (trade) have paid for all the expenses of repairs, and with the profits of the bar-room, for the boats provisions, in which case there will remain a net gain of SPA, ,294 for the first year. The owners estimate the boats value at $40, ,OOO, which gives an interest of $2, 400; and by giving $l, ,894 more for furniture, etc., we have the clear gain of $2O, ,OOO for the first years labor of the steamboat New Orleans. A revenue su- perior to any other establishment in the United States, and what Is equally grati- flying, arising out oi capital whose ap- plication is of singular benefit to the whole community, and particularly so as It respects the navigation of the western waters, whose resources in wealth are un- known, and whose enterprising inhabi- tants, we doubt not will soon see the ad- vantage of steam power over that of the oars and poles, and ere long have steam boats of all sizes and fashions running up and down our numerous rivers. The steamboat goes up in about seven or eight days, and descends in two or three; stopping several times for freight, passengers, etc. She stays at the ex- tremes of her journey-Natchez and New Orleans-about four or five days to dis charge and take in loading. By pushing her, it is thought she is capable and ought to make trip in every three weeks throughout the year, in which case her net gain would be considerably more than stated; three weeks to each trip giving seventeen trips, four more than she performed the first year. have descend ed twice in the steamboat from Matches to New Orleans, the first time she ran it it in thirty-two hours. that is throwing off the tune she stopped for wood, freight, etc, the second time in thirty-one hours, making about nine mile an hour. She passes floating wood on the river as you pass objects on land when on smart trotting horse.