Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-16
SCENES FROM A STEAMER,
At the Waste Of the Waters on the
Ohio and NElssfssippI Rivers.
LOUISVILLE Courier. Journal

The steamship Golden Crown arrived IN
this city Monday from New Orleans. after
having been ten days on the trip, being de-
tained by the high water and the fogs. which
were at times very dense, especially along
the Mississippi river.
a Courier Journal reporter net Mrs. Burt
Miller, who has been in New York for some
weeks past, and who came up on the Golden
Crown, and obtained some information as To
how the drowned districts look.
She describes the scene along the Mis-
sissippi as being terrible in the extreme
even far worse than represented. Soon
after the steamer left New Orleans the river
began to show its authority, ard It was i'm
possible to keep In the middle OF the chan.
mel, but were driven out close to the bank
where they steamed along at q snail pace.
When they reached the Arkansas boundary
dense fog, which lasted two DAYS, set in.
and 1t was impossible to proceed through IL,
80 dense was it that the brightest lantern
could not be seen from one end of the hoat
to the other. They attempted to steam some
distance through the fog, but after finding
that they were drifting shoreward the boat
was anchored and the attempt given I'D.
They were thus unable to stir for two whole
days, and the situation was most 5rearv
one.
Although close to where the bank OF the
river ought TO be, no sound OF life eould he
heard, and everything bore the stiffness and
appearance of very dark night. When
the log cleared away, the passengers were
surprised to find that the boat, instead Of
being in the channel of the river. was ont
over the bank, although the water was plenty
deep enough for her TO run IN. A little dis
tance above where the fog cleared awav
they came to dense forest, which was sorna
distance back from the bed of the river b1,t
the boat run so close to it that, by standinO.
on the pilothouse, they could nearly toncS
"a nf
had stood at the edge of the woods. bnt
they were completely buried out of siebf
and the only sign Of life visible was
a large flock of hens and turlxevs
which had belonged to some farmer
which were discovered sitting up In the ton
OF large tree, where they evidently had
been for some days slowly starving to death
The water at this point extended ahont
twenty-five miles back into the countrv-
which gradually sloped back from the river
Near the bed OF the river all that was visit
bic above the broad stretch of water vrss
the tops OF the trees, every house. animal
and sign OF life being buried. By the aid of
a glass, however, and looking far back into
the country, the tops OF several houses conld
be seen above the water. About flftv miIas
further up the river they came to a IittIs
town, which was almost entirely huriad
some Of the houses being covered. and ne
second aud third stories of others hs5nr,
VislDle ABOVE tue water. The current
was so strong and the channel 50
uncertain that the steamer was compelled
to keep out OF it, and the nes-
gengers had the novelty of trsvaIino,
over buried town in a steamboat. In some
of the houses, which had one story ont of
the water, the inhabitants still lived. cling
ing On TO their property with astopishino
tenaclty, going to land IN a boat whenever
they desired to. In other places along the
shore, where the water was not 40 deem
large droves Of cattle could be seen stand.
ing In the water with only their heads and
backs expose d, seeming to have been there
Ior some time. The misery of the poor
animals was in some instances quite touch
Ing, that OF one drove OF about thirty being
particularly so. They were seen by the mas.
sengers standing in a smell forest. mn IN
their backs in water, believing monrnfulIU
at the passing boat as il asking 10 he taken
on board. The bark and branches of all the
trees they could reach had been stripped
close, and, although their owners carried
them some feed in a skfff. they seemed
slowly starving to death.
just above The Arkansas shore another
dense fog settled over the river. and thew
were again compelled to lie up for a dav.
These fogs were considered bv the boatnen
as pelng something remarka BILE in that
Iocallty, on account of their extreme dense
ness and ouratien. TIE whole scene along
the entire Mississippi is one of the strangesf
ana most terrible confusion and desolatiop.
even beyond what can be imagined. "The
Iact Is, said the lady, In concluding the
conversation, 81 was so much impressed bv
what saw on the long and tiresome trim
that would like to return to New Orleans
again after the food and look at the rnins
left by the waters"