MIKE FINK, THE KEEL-BOATMAN. 



Occasionally, may be seen on the Ohio and Missis- 

 sippi rivers singularly hearty-looking men, who would 

 puzzle a stranger, as to their history and age. Their 

 bodies always exhibit a powerful development of muscle 

 and bone ; their cheeks are prominent, and you would 

 pronounce them men enjoying perfect health in middle 

 life, were it not for their heads, which, if not entirely 

 bald, will be but sparsely covered with steel-gray hair. 



Another peculiarity about this people is, that they 

 have a singular knowledge of all the places on the river; 

 every bar and bend is spoken of with precision and 

 familiarity ; every town is recollected before it was lialf 

 as large as the present, or," when it was no town at all." 

 Innumerable places are marked out by them, where ouce 

 was an Indian fight, or a rendezvous of robbers. 



The manner, the language, and the dress of these 



