VOYAGE FROM ST LOUIS TO CINCINNATI. 265 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



Voyage from jSt Louis to Cincinnati Mississippi Ohio falls of 

 the Ohio Passengers Details of the Voyage Notices in JVa- 

 tural History Vessels on the River Louisville Hotel Steam 

 boats Inquisitive Irishman Tobacco-squirting American 

 Advantages of Shabby Attire to Travellers Mr Hamilton s 

 Account of Men and Manners in the Western Steam-boats 

 Cincinnati -Agricultu red Notices. 



HAVING made up my mind to pay a second visit to Upper 

 Canada before returning to Britain, and wishing to take Cin 

 cinnati in my way, I hesitated whether to proceed by stages, 

 through Illinois and Indiana to Louisville, or by a steam-boat 

 down the Mississippi, and up the Ohio. Having more than 

 once experienced the deceitfulness of information obtained 

 from stage-office people in Britain, and disliking the infor 

 mation got at the offices of St Louis, I determined on travel 

 ling by water, and, learning the Helen Mar was to sail in a 

 few hours afterwards, I immediately secured a berth. 



The Helen Mar \vas a boat of the smallest size, and on 

 this account well suited for the voyage at this season of the 

 year, when there is a want of water in the Ohio for vessels of 

 the second class. She proceeded at a rapid rate down the 

 current, and made the first stop at Jefferson Barracks, ten 

 miles below St Louis, on the west side of the river, where we 

 were detained until night-fall, by receiving on board some 

 officers of the United States army, with their families and 

 luggage. In course of the night, one of the shafts broke, 

 and the vessel continued her voyage with one paddle. 



I found the Mississippi a very different looking stream from 

 what it was at Alton. Instead of being a placid river, gliding 

 gently between beautiful banks, it had assumed the character 

 of the Missouri, impetuosity, muddiness, and devastated mar 

 gins. In sailing down the Mississippi below St Louis, we 



