CHAP. XXXIL] BONFIRE ON FLOATING KAFT. 205 



trees upon it, placing a layer of shavings under the 

 pile. Having set it on fire, they pushed it off from 

 the shore, and exulted as they saw the floating bon 

 fire, in the dusk of the evening, throwing a glaring 

 light on the bluffs, town, and shipping. The raft 

 was carried round and round in the great eddies near 

 the bank, and the urchins shouted when their love of 

 mischief was gratified by seeing the alarm of the 

 boatmen, each of whom was observing the wandering 

 fire with some anxiety, lest it should come too near 

 his own craft. In the cabin of the wharf-boat we 

 found no furniture, but were supplied with two chairs, 

 which, like the walls and ceiling, were of unpainted 

 wood. As it grew dark, they brought in a table and 

 a single candle. We were not sorry when the 

 Peytona was announced, and we were ushered into 

 a splendid saloon, 150 feet long, lighted by two 

 large chandeliers suspended from the ceiling, and 

 supplied with brilliant gas manufactured on board. 

 The mattrasses of our beds were elastic, made of 

 India rubber, no unmeaning luxury, for we were 

 awakened before morning by the bumping of the 

 boat against one floating log after another, and, in 

 spite of the frequent stoppage of the engine, no small 

 damage was done to the paddle-wheels, which got 

 entangled with the drift timber. We reached Grand 

 Gulf when morning had scarcely dawned, and found 

 the floor of the saloon covered with the sleeping 

 coloured servants, over whom we had to step. The 

 river had risen twenty-five feet in two days, and 

 was more turbid than we had yet seen it. 



The bluff at Grand Gulf is about 180 feet high, 



