The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-12

II was thougHt on BOARD the Lee lhat she
would actually come In sight. and perhaps
make a desperate brush to lap her antag-
onist.
The black fire hends who fed the Lees
furnaces did their duty in this emergency;
they cast their best fuel into the iron jaws
OF the furnaces till they roared and cracked
with the fury OF the Gagged conhagration.
which could vent its fervor only on the
boilers This soon repaired the waste Of
steam. and as the wheels OF the Lee re
sumed their accustomed clatter under its
influence. the pursuing cloud drifted slowly
and sullenly to the rear, and danger was
past.
STEAMER LEE
NEARs ST LOUIS.
At Sulphur Springs we met the outskIrts
! Of the welcome that had been prepared for
US in st. Louis. The passengers gave US a
| shout as they went by. Shortly afterwards
we came up with an excursion train. halted
on the track. TO wait for us. The passen-
gers waved their handkerchiefs out OF the
windows and gave a round OF cheers. and
the train, starting on. ran abreast OF US
along the bank.
Just below the Barracks. We came upon
the ferryboat East st. Louis. tied up TO the
bank and crowded with three tiers OF peO-
pie on her decks. As we passed them there
was such a waving of white handkerchief
from the living pyramid hat II seemed as IL
the ferryboat were about to take wings
and fly away. At this time the Lee was
steaming slowly up the Missouri shore,
though not with her full power. and the
swells rolled away from her sides full 4
feet in depth. and dashed and curled
against the shore like an ocean serf.
The Barracks gave US a gun as we passed
opposite the flag. and we gave them one in
return. We overhauled the Bismarck.
T. L McGill. the J.. H. Johnson and the
Glasgow. covered with excursionists and
waiting for US in the stream. What with the
shouts from the thousands OF persons on
the boats and the thousands of others on
the crests of the bluffs above, the scream
ing OF the railroad engines whistle. re-
sponded to by the hoarse thunder of the
Lees ponderous instrument. there was such
a wild and joyful racket as was never
heard on the Mississippi before.
At Carondelet the iron furnaces turned
their whistles loose to salute US, and the
Inhabitants of the ancient burg. congre-
gated on the heights around the town,
waved green branches at the imperial
steamer. Opposite the workhouse three
quarry blasts were fired in honor OF the
Lee. and the fourth together. which made
very loud reports. and sent the shattered
rocks flying through the air as IL from a
volcanic eruption.
DECK HANDS
SONG OF VICTORY.
All this time the negro deck hands OF
nc NASlOIlOuS Ntdlhti NOAAtNNtu Euuihu Nit
jackstaff, were chanting their wild. bar
barrie song Of victory.
No printed words can give any adequate
idea Of this song, whose chief popularity
consisted In the way It was sung: but that
il may not be lost entirely out of the
memorable event Of which 1t was an ac-
compartment We give the main portion
of it:
Oh. far you well. Miss July.
Oh. Oh. no. no. hot
I'm gwine away to leave you.
on. Oh. no. no. no.
I'm gvine down the riber.
N oh. 10. no. no!
Lumber Louisiana.
Oh. oh. DO, no. no!
We are hound for TO beat 'em.
oh. oh. no. no. no!
Dey can't come a nigh me-,
Oh. oh. no. no. no!
Old Stormy was a mighty man.
Oh. stormy. oh!
He whipped his wife and sold his son.
Oh. stormy. OH
And what you think he sold him fOrr
Oh. Stormy. OIL
He hold him for q bacon ham.
Oh. Stormy. OH
The crowd Of spectators grew denser and
larger as We neared the city. until Market
street was reached. where the heart of 1t
seemed to be. The steamers in the harbor,
the wharfbOats. the Levee. the windows of
Levee stores and some OF the roofs were |
packed with human beings. who made the
air ring with prolonged cheers as the Lee
passed up in front OF the city. turning mag |
nificently above the bridge piers, coming |
slowly back and rounding to at a gap fur |
nished to her at the foot OF Walnut street. |
No sooner had she touched the wharfboat |
than the crowd. whom the police, headed by |
Commissioner Meyer, could not restrain, |
poured upon the guards and spread over |
her decks like a living torrent, eager to |
touch and careSs the proud and victorious /
m that had given so much renown \
to her profession
The Robert z. Lee passed the Natchez /
near vicksburg. In describing this incident, /
The Republic correspondent who was on
board the Natchez says: /
Day was now breaking in the east. and
when sunrise came the Lee appeared about
ten minutes ahead Natchez time to Red
twelve hours and ff;y-six minutes.
To Stamps Landing. fourteen hours. both
beats running fercely, with no change IN
Iavor Of either. Finally the town OF Natchez
In sight and at seventeen hours and