128 NEGLECT FKOM THE PLANTER'S HOUSE. 



of the Missouri, I thought, would give me a pretty fair 

 insight into river navigation. 



Having given orders for everything to be sent down to 

 the wharf for embarkation, and, with the promise of a 

 bribe, desired the head porter at the Planter's House to 

 take charge of all my trunks and boxes, and to see them 

 put on board the right steamer, I prepared to take leave 

 of my kind friends in St Louis, to work my way by 

 water to the verge of civilization by reaching Kansas city, 

 in the territory of that name, and there to purchase such 

 horses and mules as I might require, and by so doing 

 avoid, as much as possible, the cost of carriage. Having, 

 as I supposed, taken care that no mistake could arise in 

 the shipping of everything on board the " Skylark," I 

 amused myself, till the hour of departure approached, in 

 walking about the town and bidding people good-bye. 

 Just on the eve of the departure, then, I reached the 

 wharf, and found, to my indignation, that the Boh-hoy of 

 a porter fromf the Planter's House had not only left be 

 hind a fishing-rod and rifle, but he had absolutely put all 

 my things, except the waggons, on board a steamer going 

 the very reverse of my way, and that that steamer's steam 

 was up, and her wheels absolutely in motion. All action 

 on my part was at that instant anticipated by Mr Camp 

 bell's faithful German servant, John, who, on discovering 

 the mistake, leaped on board the vessel, and calling all 

 bystanders to assist him, resolutely returned everything 

 to shore, and brought it away in triumph to the " Skylark," 

 while the head porter of the Planter's House, to whom I 

 had promised a douceur, skulked away without asking for 

 it, apprehensive, most probably, of a very unpleasant re 

 ception had he at that moment crossed my path. This 

 last act made me resolve never to go to the Planter's 



