CHAP. XXIII.] COLLISION WITH TREES. 51 



leaf, and now and then, through an opening in the 

 thicket bordering the river, the evergreen pine-forest 

 appears in the back-ground. Some of the largest 

 trees on the banks are sycamores (Platanus occiden- 

 tdlis), called button-wood, one of which I measured, 

 and found it to be eighteen feet in circumference. 

 The old bark is continually peeling off, and the new 

 is as white as if the trunk of the tree had been 

 painted. 



When it was growing dusk, and nearly all had 

 retired to their cabins, and some to their beds, we 

 were startled by a loud crash, as if parts of the wood 

 work of the steamer were giving way over our head?. 

 At the same moment a shower of broken glass came 

 rattling down on the floor of the cabin. As I ex 

 pected to land in the course of the night at Clai- 

 borne, I had not taken off my clothes, so I rushed 

 immediately on deck, and learnt from the captain 

 that there was no danger. I then went down to tell 

 the passengers, especially the women, who were na 

 turally in no small alarm, that all was safe. I found 

 them, in great consternation, crowded together at 

 the door of the ladies cabin, several mothers with 

 children in their arms. When I returned to see 

 what had happened, a most singular and novel 

 scene presented itself. Crash after crash of broken 

 spars and the ringing of shattered window-glasses 

 were still heard, and the confusion and noise were 

 indescribable. &quot; Don t be alarmed ; we have only 

 got among the trees,&quot; said the captain. This, I 

 found, was no uncommon occurrence when these 

 enormous vessels are sweeping down at full speed 



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