PART III.] JOURNAL. 467 



direction at this part, to Shippingport, about 

 2 miles lower down. Perceiving- stagnant wa 

 ters about the town, and an appearance of the 

 house that we stopped at being infested with 

 bugs, we resolved not to make any stay at 

 Louisville, but got into our skiff and floated 

 down the falls to Shippingport. We found it 

 very rough floating, not to say dangerous. The 

 river of very unequal widths and full of islands 

 and rocks along this short distance, and the 

 current very rapid, though the descent is not 

 more than 22 feet. At certain times of the 

 year the water rises so that there is no fall ; 

 large boats can then pass. 



894. At Shippingport, stopped at the house 

 of Mr. Berthoud, a very respectable French 

 gentleman, from whom we received the greatest 

 civility during our stay, which was two nights 

 and the day intervening. 



895. Shippingport is situated at a place of 

 very great importance, being the upper extremi 

 ty of that part of the river which is navigable for 

 heavy steam-boats. All the goods coming from 

 the country are re-shipped, and every thing going 

 to it is un-shipped, here. Mr. Berthoud has 

 the store in which the articles exporting or im 

 porting are lodged; and is, indeed, a great 

 shipper, though at a thousand miles from the 

 sea. 



