Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-07-08

that tbs Fox river nm through on
its way to the Illinois river aud soon
after We came to tho town Of OTTO
way. ILL.,, whore We tied up for the
night about eighty miles from Chi
cago.
Thursday, June S8-After buying
some supplies we again started on
ward at 9 a. M, and after a pleasant
run Of some sixteen miles we arrived
at La Sale, ILL.,, the end of the canal,
and locked down intoItheIIIinois river
Mt 1 p. m. 1t was quite a change to
got out of the narrow canal into the
river. As usual We were entertained
at the locks by Interested parties
about theEdangers of tho Illinois river,
but as we had decided to brave the
perils of the river we did not hire the
pilot and went into the river our W
way. The river at the head flowed
slowlysthrough its muddy banks and
did not present q very inviting
picture. The river seemed to. have
plenty of water Ill it for us and we
passed on our way down it, passing
several small towns until we reached
the town of Henry, ILL.,, where there
is n dam and q large lock to pass
around tho lam into the lower level
Of the river below. Tie look was a
large affair, some seventy feet wide
and 300 feet long, and was built and
operated by the State of Illinois. We
ran on some eight miles past the
lock and anchored for the night at q
lonely spot near the river bank.
Friday, June 24-We were under
way again at 8 O. m. and found a
strong south wind blowing against us.
The banks. of tho river were very low
and swampy and the trees grew down
into the water and plainly showed the
marks where the water had be during
the winter. Some six feet higher
than it was at present. There was a
largo number of bayous and creeks
running into the river and in the time
OF high watec the whole country must
be a vast lake. We saw many cabins
ON the river banks that were built on
piles way above the present stage of
water.
Tho river seemed to support quite a
f1oating population living in house
boats of all sizes, shapes and kinds.
We were continually coming ups.to
them in the most lonely and desolate
places that looked to us to be many
miles from civilization. Many of
them had lots of children Ii wing in
them. The towns, as we passed them,
seemed to be places with little life in
them and anything but an attraction
to ont siders. We passed many large
islands and buys in the river and in
many places tho way was not very
clear to us. AT n place on the river
We snw three young men and three
yong women that were fishing from
the muddy bank. The young men
seemed to have only o calico shirt and
a pair of overalls of mud color and
tho young ladies wore red calico
frocks that came tosthoir knees only.
All were baresfooted, but to me they
seemed to be having about a good a
time MS they have at Newport if they
were not in the latest Paris costumes.
We passed, today. a large stern
wheel steamer, pushing q large barge
filed with excurslonists. when near
the town Of Peoria, who seemed to be
taking q day off. Our days run
broughr nj near the little town Of
Havana, about 1876 miles from La
Sale, the head of the river, where we
again anchored for the night at about
B 80 D. m.
Saturday, June 25- Before starting
we had to clean boiler tubes again
and IL was 1880 a. m. before we again
we're moving down the Illinois. The
country seemed to be getting a little
higher above the river and much more
settled the farther we went. In the
afternoon we raj into a part of the
river that was very beautiful. the
town of Kompsville is a very pretty
little village of some 400 inhabitants
and looked very inviting as we ap.
preached it. Here is another large
lock in the river that is maintained
by the United States government and
the lock and grounds are nicely kept
in order.
Just before we reached Kempsville
We passed ssme high rocky hills that
put us in mind of the Hudson river
and below Kempsville we ran be-
tween some islands that were certainly
beautiful as any of the famous islands
OF the st. Lawrence river. Some
twelve miles below Kempsy lille WI
anchored in front of the little town