Year: 1873

Glimpse OF tho Missfssfppi-ue
Meets . Mate, &C.


From the Daubury News


At Quincy | got my first view Of the
Mississippi river. believe that there
is not an American but has some sort
OF an idea OF Whist the Mississippi river
looks like, and has a vague imprest 10 q
that some time or other before he dies
he.will be permitted to see it. The
Mississippi-what a word it is to chew
up inks an institution by itself. 1t
is full OF associations, both trsgical and
comic, and is also full OF mud. 1t has
no banks to speak OF. 1t is full ot bars,
and has q narrow and very uncertain
channel. These are matters we all
hear at school, and see repeated in the
papers, but we don't realize them until
we get on the river itself.


The steamboats, are fiat bottomed,
and many of them carry the wheel at
the stern. l think it is the stern. 1t is
that part OF the boat where, il it was Q
house, the slops would be thrown. The
wheel is q cumbersome looking article,
and to the casual observer the boat ap-
pears to have just climbed over il. |
would give you a picture OF the two
were / not engaged in painting view
OF the Rocky Mountains at son rise.


The river is much broader at this
point than expected TO see it, but we
cannot always have things our own
way in this world. The channel is
about three feet deep opposite this
place; / don't know the exact width Of
the river, but there is no doubt but that
the river is as thick as it is broad. The
traveller should turn it over with bis
foot and so look at both sides OF it. All
was hustle at the dock when got there.
The boat was taking on its freight, and
about thirty lively negroes and one very
excited and awfully profaue white man
were doing the business. That white
man Was q study. He was the mate Of
the vessel, and what be didn't know
about rhetoric could be held on the
point OF knife blade by nervous
man. The thirty negroes had all they
could we'll attend ts TO keep up with
his new oaths and roll on the casks.
Without any cessation they bobbed
from the boat 10 the shore, and from
the shore back 10 the boat, and oil the
while that Mississippi elocutionift
danced around and swore. When !
got on the boat / sat down on my bag
gage and watched that man.


Being q resident Of New England l
thought knew Something OF wicked
pess, bat was mistaken. The negroes
were uniformly dressed in pants, shirts
and hats. Some OF the hats were orna-
mented with different colored ribbons ::
others again contained but Q simple
brass plate-the trade mark OF Q re-
tired fruit can. Beauty unadorned 10
adorned the most. They were driven
like sheep. first TO the shore and then
back TO the boat. The least hesitation,
the slightest misstep is noted BY the Or
ator and promptly Incorporated in his
discourse. He couldn't have been
more familiar were they his own fathers
which it is not likely they were.


After getting through at the dock
the boat moved up 70 the coal yard.
The coal was brought on in boxes with
handles on each side. Each box con-
tained q bushels, and was carried by
two men. Six hundred bushels we're
thus taken on. The same amount OF
hustle and vehemence occurred in this
transaction. The men sweat like April,
and appeared to be ready 10 drop q,
every trip, but the mate hurled tonics
q, them and kept them up. When bis
throat got tired be used bic boot, and
used it in that Wholesale way peculiar
70 tie Mississippi boat men.


The negroes received one dollar q
day and their victuals. should think
they would go 70 some city and ge, into
q store.


Through the courtesy Of the clerk ]
helped to occupy the pilot house, and
ID this lofty perch got q splended view
Of the river and the cipders. The shores
are fat and covered With toresia When
/ grew tired OF looking st them / look.
ed at the pilot. There was . boat
ahead OF rs which the captain was
bound to overtake. The pilot dida't
believe il could be done, because the
boilers on our boat we're old and weak,
and could not possibly stand the pres
sure This made me sick at the stom.
sch, and 90 l climbed down out Of the
pilot house. and Immediately placed be.
tween me and those boilers ail the ter.
tory ] could get together.