PASSENGERS DETAILS OF THE VOYAGE. 269 



stand, and at which they did not seem to hazard high stakes. 

 On such occasions, I was sometimes amused at the group 

 assembled around the table. Military men of the highest 

 rank, when eagerly intent on the game, were joined by the 

 steward boys without their coats, familiarly seating themselves 

 at table, and looking on the hands of cards. The chewing 

 and spitting of tobacco were incessant, the carpet serving as a 

 receptacle for the moisture, when boxes were not within im 

 mediate reach ; and on some cold evenings the fire in the 

 cabin was almost overcome by squirting of tobacco juice. 



The comfort of the passengers was little attended to in the 

 general arrangements of the vessel. Three times a-day, at 

 breakfast, dinner, and supper, which also includes the repast 

 known in the Eastern States, and in Britain, by the name of 

 tea, the table was stored with supplies of animal food and 

 vegetables, so very ample, that on one occasion I numbered 

 thirty-one dishes placed on the supper-table for twenty-two 

 passengers, and, perhaps, in no instance was there ever less 

 than one dish for each individual. The food was coarsely pre 

 pared, and all placed on the table at once, and nearly cold 

 before the company sat down. There was always a second 

 company, consisting of part of the boat s establishment, and 

 such deck passengers as chose to pay for their food ; and 

 sometimes a third company collected, independent of the 

 people of colour, servants or slaves to the passengers, and 

 who satisfied their hunger on the veranda. The succession 

 of companies received no additions to the fare originally placed 

 on the table, and such an injudicious arrangement was the 

 means of rendering it less palatable to all. The vessel called 

 three or four times a-day at different places, yet, on one occa 

 sion, bread could not be had for breakfast, and milk or cream 

 were more than once awanting without any notice being taken 

 of it at table. There was no water for drinking or washing 

 but what the rivers supplied, and this was even the case on 

 the turbid Mississippi, the water of which was allowed to 

 separate from the sediment before being presented at table. 

 The inhabitants of the Western States are considered by those 

 of the Eastern ones as wanting in refinement, and the table 

 being loaded with the substantialities of life, while good water 



