216 ACTORS ON BOARD. [CHAP. XXXII. 



moment, but fortunately got off again. There was 

 so much sameness in the navigation, that such an inci 

 dent was quite a relief. Soon afterwards, March 

 23d, some variety was afforded by a squall of wind, 

 accompanied by lightning. I never expected to see 

 waves of such magnitude, and was surprised to learn, 

 that in some reaches, where the water extends ten 

 miles in a straight line, a strong wind blowing against 

 the current will cause large steamers to pitch so as 

 to make many passengers sea-sick ; but this rarely 

 happens. In the night we had often to draw up to 

 the bank, wherever a signal-fire was lighted, finding 

 sometimes a single passenger waiting to be taken on 

 board. 



There wore many actors on board, and, among 

 others, a pleasing young woman, who turned out to 

 be the manager s wife, returning with her family of 

 young children and sick husband from Vicksburg, 

 where she complained that the drama was at a low 

 ebb, and where, as in many other cities in the South, 

 the drunken habits of the inferior actors made the 

 profession by no means a pleasant one for a woman. 

 She was longing for an engagement in some &quot; Eastern 

 theatre,&quot; where, she told my wife, she would willingly 

 take less pay, and would not object to undertake 

 the part of &quot;first old woman&quot; for eighteen dollars 

 a week, as most of the actresses, being desirous of 

 looking young and pretty, compete eagerly for the 

 character of &quot; first juvenile.&quot; She liked much to 

 act chambermaid, as then she was not expected tc 

 learn her part so accurately. She had a real feeling 

 of enthusiasm for her art, and great admiration for 



