Life on the Mississippi. By Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) ... With more than 300 illustrations, etc

Front matter

THE " BATON ROUGE." Life on the Mississippi BY MARK TWAIN AUTHOR OF "THE INNOCENTS ABROAD," "ROUGHING IT," "THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER," etc. WITH MORE THAN 300 ILLUSTRATIONS Mississippi Steamboat of Fifty Years Ago. [Sold by Subscription only.] BOSTON JAMES R. OSGOOD AND COMPANY i883 Copyright, 1874 and 1875, Bv H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMTANY. Copyright, 1883, By Samuel L. Clemens. All rights reserved. « s BY \ 3 < I S. L. CLEMENS, j % ' V Mark Twain. s • [trade mark.] University Press : John Wilson and Son, Cambridge THE "BODY OF THE NATION." T3UT the basin of the Mississippi is the Body of the Nation. -*— ' All the other parts are but members, important in themselves, yet more important in their relations to this. Exclusive of the Lake basin and of 300,000 square miles in Texas and New Mexico, which in many aspects form a part of it, this basin contains about 1,250,000 square miles.

In extent it is the second great valley of the world, being exceeded only by that of the Amazon. The valley of the frozen Obi approaches it in extent; that of the La Plata comes next in space, and probably in habitable capacity, having about $ of its area; then comes that of the Yenisei, with about \ ; the Lena, Amoor, Hoang-ho, Yang-tse-kiang, and Nile, f ; the Ganges, less than \; the Indus, less than \; the Euphrates, \; the Rhine, It exceeds in extent the whole of Europe, exclusive of Russia, Norway, and Sweden. // would contain A ustria four times, . Germany or Spain five times, France six times, the British Islands or Italy ten times. Conceptions formed from the river-basins of Western Europe are rudely shocked when we consider the extent of the valley of the Mississippi ; nor are those formed from the sterile basins of the great rivers of Siberia, the lofty plateaus of Central Asia, or the mighty sweep of the swampy Amazon more adequate.

Latitude, elevation, and rainfall all combine to render every part of the Mississippi Valley capable of supporting a dense population. As a dwelling-place for civilized man it is by far the first upon our globe. — Editor's Table, Harper's Magazine, February, 1S63. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

The Mississippi is Well worth Reading about. — It is Remarkable. — Instead of Widening towards its Mouth, it grows Narrower. — It Empties four hundred and six million Tons of Mud. — It was First Seen in 1542. — It is Older than some Pages in European History. — De Soto has the Pull. — Older than the Atlantic Coast. — Some Half-breeds chip in. — La Salle Thinks he will Take a Hand 21

Chapter II

La Salle again Appears, and so does a Cat-fish. — Buffaloes also. — Some Indian Paintings are Seen on the Rocks. — "The Father of Waters "does not Flow into the Pacific. — More History and Indians. — Some Curious Performances — not Early English. — Natchez, or the Site of it, is Approached 31

Chapter III

A little History. — Early Commerce. — Coal Fleets and Timber Rafts. — We start on a Voyage. — I seek Information. — Some Music. — The Trouble begins. — Tall Talk. — The Child of Calamity. — Ground and lofty Tumbling. — The Wash-up. — Business and Statistics. — Mysterious Band. — Thunder and Lightning. — The Captain speaks. — Allbright weeps. — The Mystery settled. — Chaff. — I am Discovered. — Some Art-work proposed. — I give an Account of Myself. — Released 40

Chapter XV

New Pilots undermining the Pilots' Association. — Crutches and Wages. — Butting on Airs. — The Captains Weaken. — The Association Laughs. — The Secret Sign. — An Admirable System. — Rough on Outsiders. — A Tight Monopoly. — No Loophole. — The Railroads and the War 176

Chapter XXII

I try the Alias Business. — Region of Goatees. — Boots begin to Appear. — The River Man is Missing. — The Young Man is Discouraged. — Specimen Water. — A Fine Quality of Smoke. — A Supreme Mistake. — We Inspect the Town. — Desolation Way -traffic. — A Wood-yard . Old French Settlements. — We start for Memphis. — Young Ladies and Russia-leather Bags ■ 258

Chapter XXIV

I receive some Information. — Alligator Boats. — Alligator Talk. — She was a Rattler to go. — I am Found Out 264

Chapter XXV

The Devil's Oven and Table. — A Bombshell falls. — No Whitewash. — Thirty Years on the River. — Mississippi Uniforms. — Accidents and Casualties. — Two hundred Wrecks. — A Loss to Literature. — Sunday- Schools and Brick Masons 273

Chapter XXVI

War Talk. — I Tilt over Backwards. — Fifteen Shot-holes. — A Plain Story. — Wars and Feuds. — Darnell versus Watson. — A Gang and a Woodpile. — Western Grammar. — River Changes. — New Madrid. — Floods and Falls 281

Chapter XXVII

Tourists and their Note-books. — Captain Hall. — Mrs. Trollope's Emotions. — Hon. Charles Augustus Murray's Sentiment. — Captain Marryat's Sensations. — Alexander Mackay's Feelings. — Mr. Parkman Reports 292

Chapter XXVIII

Swinging down the River. — Named for Me. — Plum Point again. — Lights and Snag Boats. — Infinite Changes. — A Lawless River. — Changes and Jetties. — Uncle Mumford Testifies. — Pegging the River. — What the Government does. — The Commission Men and Theories. "Had them Bad." — Jews and Prices 298

Chapter XXIX

Murel's Gang. — A Consummate Villain. —Getting Rid of Witnesses. — Stewart turns Traitor. — I Start a Rebellion. — I get a New Suit of Clothes. — We Cover our Tracks. — Pluck and Capacity. — A Good Samaritan City. — The Old and the New 311

Chapter XXX

A Melancholy Picture. — On the Move. — River Gossip. — She Went By a-Sparklin'. — Amenities of Life. — A World of Misinformation. — Eloquence of Silence. — Striking a Snag. — Photographically Exact. — Plank Side-walks Mutinous Language. — The Dead-house. — Cast-iron German and Flexible English. — A Dying Man's Confession. — I am Bound and Gagged. — I get Myself Free. — I Begin my Search. — The Man with one Thumb. — Red Paint and White Paper. — He Dropped on his Knees. — Fright and Gratitude. — I Fled through the Woods. — A Grisly Spectacle. — Shout, Man, Shout. — A look of Surprise and Triumph. — The Muffled Gurgle of a Mocking Laugh. — How strangely Things happen. — The Hidden Money . . 337

Chapter XXXV

Signs and Scars. — Cannon-thunder Rages. — Cave-dwellers. — A Continual Sunday. — A ton of Iron and no Glass. — The Ardent is Saved. — Mule Meat — A National Cemetery. — A Dog and a Shell. — Railroads and Wealth. — Wharfage Economy. — Vicksburg versus The *' Gold Dust." — A Narrative in Anticipation 375

Chapter XXXVI

The Professor Spins a Yarn. — An Enthusiast in Cattle.— He makes a Proposition. — Loading Beeves at Acapulco. — He was n't Raised to it. — He is Roped In. — His Dull Eyes Lit Up. — Four Aces, you Ass ! — He does n't Care for the Gores 387

CHAPTER XXX VH.

A Terrible Disaster. — The " Gold Dust " explodes her Boilers. — The End of a Good Man XXXVIII. Mr. Dickens has a Word. — Best Dwellings and their Furniture. — Albums and Music. — Pantelettes and Conch-shells. — Sugar-candy Rabbits and Photographs. — Horse-hair Sofas and Snuffers. — Rag Carpets and Bridal Chambers 399

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Rowdies and Beauty. — Ice as Jewelry. — Ice Manufacture. — More Statistics. — Some Drummers. — Oleomargarine versus Butter. — Olive Oil versus Cotton Seed. — The Answer was not Caught. — A Terrific Episode. — A Sulphurous Canopy. — The Demons of War. — The Terrible Gauntlet 408

CHAPTER XL.

In Flowers, like a Bride. — A White-washed Castle. — A Southern Prospectus. — Pretty Pictures. — An Alligator's Meal 416

CHAPTER XLI.

The Approaches to New Orleans. — A Stirring Street, — Sanitary Improvements. — Journalistic Achievements. — Cisterns and Wells . . 422

CHAPTER XLII.

Beautiful Grave-yards. — Chameleons and Panaceas. — Inhumation and Infection. — Mortality and Epidemics. — The Cost of Funerals . . 430

CHAPTER XLIII.

I meet an Acquaintance. — Coffins and Swell Houses. — Mrs. O'Flaherty goes One Better. — Epidemics and Embamming. — Six hundred for a Good Case. — Joyful High Spirits 436

CHAPTER XLIV.

French and Spanish Parts of the City. — Mr. Cable and the Ancient Quarter. — Cabbages and Bouquets. — Cows and Children. — The Shell Road. — The West End. — A Good Square Meal. — The Pompano. — The Broom-Brigade. — Historical Painting. — Southern Speech. — Lagniappe 442

CHAPTER XLV.

Waw " Talk. — Cock-Fighting. — Too Much to Bear. — Fine Writing. — Mule Racing CONTENTS. 13

CHAPTER XLVI.

Mardi-Gras. — The Mystic Crewe. — Rex and Relics. — Sir Walter Scott. — A World Set Back. — Titles and Decorations. — A Change . . 465

CHAPTER XLVII.

Uncle Remus. — The Children Disappointed. — We Read Aloud. — Mr. Cable and Jean ah Poquelin. — Involuntary Trespass. — The Gilded Age. — An Impossible Combination. — The Owner Materializes — and Protests 471

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Tight Curls and Springy Steps. — Steam-plows. — " No. I." Sugar. — A Frankenstein Laugh. — Spiritual Postage. — A Place where there are no Butchers or Plumbers. — Idiotic Spasms 475

CHAPTER XLIX.

Pilot-Farmers. — Working on Shares. — Consequences. — Men who Stick to their Posts. — He saw what he would do. — A Day after the Fair . 486

CHAPTER L.

A Patriarch. — Leaves from a Diary. — A Tongue-stopper. — The Ancient Mariner. — Pilloried in Print. — Petrified Truth 493

CHAPTER LI.

A Fresh " Cub " at the Wheel. — A Valley Storm. — Some Remarks on Construction. — Sock and Buskin. — The Man who never played Hamlet. — I got Thirsty. — Sunday Statistics 600 CHAPTER Ln. I Collar an Idea. — A Graduate of Harvard. — A Penitent Thief. — His Story in the Pulpit. — Something Symmetrical. — A Literary Artist, — A Model Epistle. — Pumps again Working. — The " Nub " of the Note 509

CHAPTER LIII.

A Masterly Retreat. — A Town at Rest. — Boyhood's Pranks. — Friends of my Youth. — The Refuge for Imbeciles. — I am Presented with my Measure 523

CHAPTER LIV.

A Special Judgment. — Celestial Interest. — A Night of Agony. — Another Bad Attack. — I become Convalescent. — I address a Sunday-school. — A Model Boy A second Generation. — A hundred thousand Tons of Saddles. — A Dark and Dreadful Secret. — A Large Family. — A Golden-haired Darling. — The Mysterious Cross. — My Idol is Broken. — A Bad Season of Chills and Fever. — An Interesting Cave 540

CHAPTER LVI.

Perverted History. — A Guilty Conscience. — A Supposititious Case. — A Habit to be Cultivated. — I Drop my Burden. — Difference in Time . 548

CHAPTER LVII.

A Model Town. — A Town that Comes up to Blow in the Summer. — The Scare-crow Dean. — Spouting Smoke and Flame. — An Atmosphere that tastes good. — The Sunset Land 555

CHAPTER LVIII.

An Independent Race. — Twenty-four-hour Towns. — Enchanting Scenery. — The Home of the Plow. — Black Hawk. — Fluctuating Securities. — A Contrast. — Electric Lights 504

CHAPTER LIX.

Indian Traditions and Rattlesnakes. — A Three-ton Word. — Chimney Rock. — The Panorama Man. — A Good Jump. — The Undying Head. — Peboan and Seegwun 573

CHAPTER LX.

The Head of Navigation. — From Roses to Snow. — Climatic Vaccination. — A Long Ride. — Bones of Poverty. — The Pioneer of Civilization. — Jug of Empire. — Siamese Twins. — The Sugar-bush. — He Wins his Bride. — The Mystery about the Blanket. — A City that is always a Novelty. — Home again.^^. 582

Appendix

. A 595 B 605 c 608 D 1. The " Baton Rouge " . Frontispiece 2. Mississippi Steamboat uf Fifty Years Ago Titlepage 3. View on the River 21 4. A High-water Sketch 22 5. La Salle Canoeing 24 6. De Soto Sees It 25 7. Classifying their Offspring 27 8. Burial op De Soto 28 9. Canadian Indians 29 10. Crossing the Lakes 32 11. Anchored in the Stream 33 12. Hospitably Received 34 13. La Salle on the Ice 36 14. Consecrating the Robbery 37 15. The Temple Wall 38 16. Early Navigation 40 17. A Lumber Raft 42 18. I Swum along the Raft 43 19. He Jumped up in the Air 45 20. Went around in a Circle 46 21. He Knocked them Sprawllng 48 22. An Old-fashioned Breakdown 49 23. The Mysterious Barrel 51 24. Soon there was a Regular Storm 53 25. The Lightning Killed Two Men 55 26. Grabbed the Little Child 56 27. Ed got up Mad 57 28.

Who are you? 58 29. Charles William Allbright, Sir 60 30. Overboard 61 31. Our Permanent Ambition 62 32. Water-Street Clerks 63 33. All Go Hurrylvg to the Wharf 64 34. The Town Drunkard Asleep Once More 66 35. A Shining Hero 68 36. Day Dreams 69 37. Bored with Travelling 71 38. Tell Me where it is — I 'll fetch it 73 39. Sublime in Profanity 7° 40. His Tears Dripped upon the Lantern 77 41. The Chalk Pipe 7" 42. He Easily Borrowed Six Dollars 43. Besieging the Pilot 81 44. Tins is Nine-mile Point 82 45. Come! turn out 83 46. A Minute Later 84 47. You 're a Smart One 86 48. Get a Memorandum Book . . .* , 87 49. A Sumptuous Temple 89 60. River Inspectors 92 61. A Tangled Knot 94 52. Insensibly they Drew Together 96 63. Stand By, now ! 98 54. Over She Goes ! 99 55. Shoulder to Shoulder 191 56.

Loading and Firing 102 57. Changing Watch 195 58. All Well but Me : 107 69. Learning the River • ■ • 109 60. Learn Me or Kill Me Ill 61. That 's a Reef 113 62. Set Her Back 114 63. Mr. Bixby Stepped into View 117 64. I Stood Like One Bewitched 120 65. Sunset Views . 121 66: Wearing a Toothpick 123 67. Do You see that Stump? 124 68. The Orator of the Scow 127 60. Drifting Logs 129 70. Gambling down Below 131 71. Tract Distributing 133 72. Yellow-faced Miserables 135 73. On a Shoreless Sea 137 74. The Phantom Assumed the Wheel 139 75. Nobody there 140 76. Dark Piloting 142 77. Sounding , 143 78. Oh, how Awful! 147 79. Hauled Aboard 150 80. On Soundings 151 81. A City Street 153 82. Let a Leadsman cry, "Half Twain!" 155 83 Oh, I Knew Him! 156 84. So Full of Laugh ! 157 85. Scared to Death 160 86.

Where is Mr. Bixby? lfil 87. Tf You Love Me, Back Her! 164 88. Back her, back her! 165 89. Very Brief Authority 167 90. Treated with Marked Deference 168 91. You Take My Boat 170 92. No Foolin' ! 171 93. Went to Whistling 173 94. Burst into a Fury 177 95. Resurrected Pilots 179 96. The Captain Stormed 132 97. The Sign of Membership 183 98. Posting His Report 99. Added to the Fold 188 100. A Justifiable Advance 190 101. Tow-boat Supremacy 192 102. Steamboat Time 195 103. Drowsy Engineers 197 104. Brass Bands Bray 199 105. The Parting Chorus 201 106. Race of the Lee and the Natchez 204 107. Dangerous Ditching 206 108. A Scientist 207 109. Deluged and Careened 209 110. The Spectre Steamer 211 111. My, What a Kace I 've Had ! 213 112. Beaming Benignantly 215 113. The Debt-Payer 216 114. Pilot Brown 218 115.

Are You Horace Bigsby's Cub ? 210 116. Hold up Your Foot 220 117. Take That Ice-Pitcher 221 118. Pull Her Down 222 119. I Killed Brown Every Night 224 120. Hurled Me Across the House 225 121. Killing Brown 220 122. I Hit Brown a Good Honest Blow 229 123. The Racket Had brought Everybody to the Deck 231 124. So You have been Fighting '. 232 125. An Emancipated Slave 234 126. Music and Games 235 127. Henry and I sat Chatting 237 128. Emptying the Wood-flat 238 129. The Explosion — A Startled Barber 239 130. Ealer Saves His Flute 240 131. The Fire Drove the Axemen Away 242 132. The Hospital Ward 244 133. The Land of full Goatees 248 134. Station Loafers 249 135. Under an Alias 250 136. Do You Drink this Slush? 251 137. Sound-asleep Steamboats 254 138. Dead past Resurrection 255 139. The Wood-yard Man 257 140.

Waiting for a Trip 259 141. The Electric Light 260 142. A Landing 261 143. A Close Inspection 262 144. Empty Wharves : Wharf Hands " Full " 263 145. Showing the Bells 265 146. An Alligator Boat 266 147. Alligator Pilots 267 148. The Sacred Bird 269 149. Counting the Vote 270 150. Here, You Take Her 272 151. Grand Tower 273 152. A Dairy Farm 275 153. Threw the Preacher Overboard 277 154. Illlnois Ground 2?9 165. His Maiden Battle ° 166. Mighty Warm Times ~* 157. Where did You See that Fight? 284 158. Darnell vs. Watson j™ 159. They Kept on Shooting -8" 160. Island No. 10 289 161. Flood on the River """ 291 162. Inundation Scenes 163. A Dismal Witness 293 164. The Lonely River . . . .' 297 165. The Steamer " Mark Twain " 298 166. A Government Lamp 2" 167. Snags 300 168. Running en a Fog 301 169.

Uncle Mumford 305 170. Talking over the Situation 308 171. The Tow 310 172. A Soul-moving Villain 312 173. Selling the Negro 313 174. conoealed in the brake 314 176. A Man came in Sight 316 176. I Shot Him through the Head 317 177. Another Victim 319 178. Pleasantly Situated 320 179. Memphis — A Landing Stage , 322 180. Natives at Dinner 324 18L A Light-keeper 325 182. Negro Travellers 327 183. Any Boat gone up ? 328 184. A World of Misinformation • ■ 330 185. A Fatal Blow 332 186. Elaborate Style 333 187. Napoleon in 1871 337 188. The Man's Eyes opened slowly 340 189. They rummaged the Cabin 342 190. On the Right Track 345 191. Thumb-Prints 346 192. He dropped on his Knees 347 193. The Tragedy 349 194. In the Morgue 350 195. I sat down by him 353 196. The Shadow of Doom 356 197. We began to cool off 358 198.

Ain't that so, Thompson? 359 199. He is Happy where He is 360 200. Warmed up into a Quarrel 361 201. Napoleon as it is 363 202. Caving Banks 365 203. The Commission Dealer 367 204. The Israelite 368 205. The Barkeeper # 369 206. A Plain Gill 370 207. A " Watermillion " ,. _ 371 208. Mosquitoes _ 372 209. A Bad Ear _ 373 210. Fanning Hluself 211. Vicksburg 375 212. The River was Undisturbed 377 213. The Cave Dwellers 378 214. Bringing the Children 380 215. Wait and Make Certatn 381 216. Mule Meat 383 217. Native Weld-woods 384 218. My Promenade 388 219. A Short Stout Bag 390 220. The Door was A-crack 392 221. Five Hundred Better 393 222. Been Laying for you Duffers 395 223. A Winning Hand 396 224. An Explosion 398 225. An Interior 401 226. Cleansing Themselves 405 227. Soap and Brushes 407 228.

Natchez 409 229. Drummers 411 230. Smell Them, Taste Them 413 231. Oil and Oleo 415 232. Columbia Female Institute 417 233. The Graceful Palmetto 420 234. High Water 422 235. The Wharves 423 236. Canal Street 425 237. West End 428 238. The Cemetery , 430 239. Immortelles 431 240. Chameleons 432 241. Relics 434 242. Funeral Wreaths 435 243. He Chuckled 436 244. Why, Just Look at it ! 437 245. Ambition 439 246. An Explanation 440 247. The St. Charles Hotel 443 248. The Shell Road 445 249. Spanish Fort 446 250. The Broom Brigade 447 251. " Whah You was ? " 449 252. For Lagniappe 451 253. Lagniappe 453 254. "Waw" Talk 455 265. Cock-pit 457 256. Guests 460 257. Absence of Harmony 462 258. Collision 463 259. Mardi-Gras 466 260. Chivalry ** 261. Uncle Remus 472 262. We Read Aloud 473 263. A River Landing 474 264.

The Captain *77 265. Pilot Town 48° 266. Smoke and Gossd? ™ 267. The Interview , *°4 268. Boat-travellers *&5 269. Over the Breastboard 488 270 Thornburgh's Cub *" 271. He Clung to a Cotton-bale 491 272. A Chill Fell There 495 273. Sellers's Monument 498 274. The Night Approach 499 275. I am Anxious About the Time 601 276. Stage-struck 504 277. Look here, Have You got that Drink yet? 506 278. Tools of the Trade 508 279. Wdlliams Plies His Trade 511 280. He Pulled some Leather 512 281. The Crisis 518 282. Mission Work 616 283. Williams 519 284 The Days of Long Ago 625 285. A Practical Joke 528 286. Fools for St. Louis 529 287. I sat up in Bed Quaking 531 288. All Right, Dutchy — Go Ahead 534 289. We all Flew Home 536 290. Random Rubbish 639 291. The Consecrated Knife 543 292. A Cheap and Pitiful Ruin . . /<<?XT7^V 645 293.

A Bad Case of Shakes . . . ./K>, . 546 294. Shaken Down / .(- . j*p. M"y] 547 295. I Tamper with My Conscience L^» ., . . s^,j 550 296. My Burden is Lifted \s£i-~.1-.^A>/' 553 297. Bad Dreams Sr '\ri.-' 554 298. Henry Clay Dean 557 399. The House Began to Break into Applause 559 300. A Former Resldent 562 301. An Independent Race 564 302. The Man With a Trade-mark 567 303. Majestic Bluffs 569 304. " Nuth'n," says Smith 570 305. Steamer at Night 572 306. Queen's Bluff 573 307. Chimney Rock 575 308. The Maiden's Rock 576 309. The Lecturer 578 310. St. Paul 582 311. An Early Postmaster 585 312. The First Arrival 587 313. Minneapolis and the Falls of St. Anthony 588 314. The Mixture 591 315. An Arkansas River Post Office 593 316. Indian Ornaments LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

Chapter I. The River And Its History

pHE Mississippi is well worth reading about. It is not a -Icommonplace river, but on the contrary is in all ways remarkable. Considering the Missouri its main branch, it is the longest river in the world — four thousand three hundred VIEW ON THE RIVER. miles. It seems safe to say that it is also the crookedest river in the world, since in one part of its journey it uses up one thousand three hundred miles to cover the same ground that the crow would fly over in six hundred and seventy-five. It dis charges three times as much water as the St. Lawrence, twenty-five times as much as the Rhine, and three hundred A VERY WET RIVER. and thirty-eight times as much as the Thames. No other river has so vast a drainage-basin : it draws its water supply from twenty-eight States and Territories ; from Delaware, on the Atlantic seaboard, and from all the country between that and Idaho on the Pacific slope — a spread of forty-five degrees of longitude.

The Mississippi receives and carries to the Gulf water from fifty-four subordinate rivers that are navigable by steamboats, and from some hundreds that are navigable by flats and keels. The area of its drainage basin is as great as the combined areas of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Turkey ; and almost all this wide region is fertile ; the Mississippi valley, proper, is exceptionally so. A HIGH-WATER SKETCH. It is a remarkable river in this : that instead of widening to- <7~^ ward its mouth, it grows narrower ; grows narrower and deeper. From the junction of the Ohio to a point half way down to the sea, the width averages a mile in high water : thence to the sea the width steadily diminishes, until, at the " Passes," above the mouth, MUCH MUD. 23 it is but little over half a mile.

At the junction of the Ohio the Mississippi's depth is eighty-seven feet; the depth increases gradually, reaching one hundred and twenty nine just above the mouth. The difference in rise and fall is also remarkable — not in the upper, but in the lower river. The rise is tolerably uniform down to Natchez (three hundred and sixty miles above the mouth) — about fifty feet. But at Bayou La Fourche the river rises only twenty-four feet ; at New Orleans only fifteen, and just above the mouth only two and one half. An article in the New Orleans " Times-Democrat," based upon reports of able engineers, states that the river annually empties four hundred and six million tons of mud into the Gulf of Mexico — which brings to mind Captain Marryat's rude name for the Mississippi — " the Great Sewer." This mud, solidified, would make a mass a mile square and two hundred and forty-one feet high.

The mud deposit gradually extends the land — but only gradually ; it has extended it not quite a third of a mile in the two hundred years which have elapsed since the river took its place in history. The belief of the scientific people is, that the mouth used to be at Baton Rouge, where the hills cease, and that the two hundred miles of land between there and the Gulf was built by the river. This gives us the age of that piece of country, without any trouble at all — one hundred and twenty thousand years. Yet it is much the youthfulest batch of country that lies around there anywhere. . The Mississippi is remarkable in still another way — its disposition to make prodigious jumps by cutting through narrow necks of land, and thus straightening and shortening itself. More than once it has shortened itself thirty miles at a single jump !

These cut-offs have had curious effects : they have thrown several river towns out into the rural districts, and built up sand bars and forests in front of them. CUT-OFFS. The town of Delta used to be three miles below Vicksburg : a recent cut-off has radically changed the position, and Delta is now two miles above Vicksburg. Both of these river towns have been retired to the country by that cut-off. A cut-off plays havoc with boundary lines and jurisdictions : for instance, a man is living in the State of Mississippi to-day, a cut-off occurs to-night, and to-morrow the man finds himself and his land over on the other side of the river, within the boundaries and subject to the laws of the State of Louisiana ! Such a thing, happening in the upper river in the old times, could have transferred a slave from Missouri to Illinois and made a free man of him.

The Mississippi does not alter its locality by cut-offs alone : it is always changing its habitat bodily — is always moving LA SALLE CANOEING. bodily sidewise. At Hard Times, La., the river is two miles west of the region it used to occupy. As a result, the original site of that settlement is not now in Louisiana at all, but on the other side of the " HISTORICAL HISTORY." river, in the State of Mississippi. Nearly the ivhole of that one thousand three hundred miles of old Mississippi River which La Salle floated down in his canoes, two hundred years ago, is good solid dry ground now. The river lies to the right of it, in places, and to the left of it in other places. Although the Mississippi's mud builds land but slowly, down at the mouth, where the Gulf's billows interfere with its work, it builds fast enough in better protected regions higher up : for instance, Prophet's Island contained one thousand five hundred acres of land thirty years ago ; since then the river has added seven hundred acres to it.

But enough of these examples of the mighty stream's eccentricities for the present — I will give a few more of them further along in the book. Let us drop the Mississippi's physical history, and say a word about its historical history — so to speak. We can glance I S I in runs B epoch a couple I of chapters lat I wider-awake DE SOTO SEES IT. in a couple more; at its flushest and widest-awake epoch in a good many succeed- DATES AND DATA. ing chapters ; and then talk about its comparatively tranquil present epoch in what shall be left of the book. The world and the books are so accustomed to use, and over-use, the word " new " in connection with our country, that we early get and permanently retain the impression that there is nothing old about it. We do of course know that there are several comparatively old dates in American his tory, but the mere figures convey to our minds no just idea, no distinct realization, of the stretch of time which they represent.

To say that De Soto, the first white man who ever saw the Mississippi River, saw it in 1542, is a remark which states a fact without interpreting it : it is something like giving the dimensions of a sunset by astro nomical measurements, and cataloguing the colors by their scientific names; — as a result, you get the bald fact of the sunset, but you don't see the sunset. It would have been better to paint a picture of it. The date 1542, standing by itself, means little or nothing to us ; but when one groups a few neighboring historical dates and facts around it, he adds perspective and color, and then realizes that this is one of the American dates which is quite respectable for age. For instance, when the Mississippi was first seen by a white man, less than a quarter of a century had elapsed since Francis I.'s defeat at Pavia ; the death of Raphael ; the death of Bayard, sans peur et sans reproche; the driving out of the Knights-Hospitallers from Rhodes by the Turks ; and the placarding of the Ninety-Five Propositions, — the act which began the Reformation.