76 VOYAGE TO MOBILE. [CHAP. XXIV. 



I rejoined my wife at Mr. Blount s, and we then 

 went back to the inn at Claiborne to wait for a 

 steamer bound for Mobile. The first large vessel 

 which touched for a moment at the landing, came 

 up the river from that city, and stopped to know if 

 there were any passengers. The answer was, &quot; No, 

 what news ? &quot; To which they replied, &quot; Cotton up one 

 eighth no war.&quot; They were off in an instant, and, 

 a few hours later, when it was dark, another large 

 vessel was hailed coming down stream. We were 

 glad to find that it was the Amaranth, commanded 

 by our old friend Captain Bragdon, who had sailed 

 up and down, more than 800 miles, in the interval 

 since we saw him. Once more we descended the 

 steep cliff, on the slope of which we had spent many 

 pleasant hours, gathering hundreds of beautifully 

 preserved shells, and saw it illuminated by a blaze 

 of torch-light. 



Between Claiborne and Mobile, there are about 

 100 miles of river navigation, our course being nearly 

 due south. About half way, we passed, in the night, 

 the junction of the Tombeckbee and Alabama rivers, 

 and, in the morning, saw in all directions a low flat 

 country, which continued till we reached the metro 

 polis of Alabama. 



