266 DEPARTURE FROM NEW MADRID. [CHAP. XXXV. 



CHAP. XXXV. 



Departure from New Madrid. Night-watch for Steamers. 

 Scenery of the Ohio River. Mount Vemon, Ornithology. 

 No Undergrowth in Woods. Spring Flowers. Visit to 

 Dr. Dale Owen, New Harmony. Fossil Forest of erect 

 Trees in Coal-measures. Movers migrating Westward. 

 Voyage to Louisville. Professional Zeal of one of &quot; the Pork 

 Aristocracy.&quot; Fossil Coral-reef at the Falls of the Ohio, 

 Louisville, Fossil Zoophytes as perfect as recent Stone-corals. 



March 27. 1846. WE took up our quarters in the 

 wharf-boat at New Madrid in readiness to sail by 

 the first steamer bound for the Ohio, for I wished to 

 visit New Harmony in Indiana, and there was some 

 risk of being detained several days. The first 

 steamer we hailed, was bound for St. Louis, the 

 next for the Cumberland river, in Tennessee, and a 

 third which might have taken us to Mount Vernon, 

 in Indiana., where I meant to disembark, was un 

 willing to lose time by stopping, the captain shout 

 ing out that she was full of passengers, and heavily 

 laden. 



Before retiring to rest, I engaged with the keeper 

 of the boat that he should appoint a good night- 

 watch, arid an hour after dark, I was awakened by 

 the loud puffing and splashing of a steamer, evidently 

 close at hand. Going on deck, I found the faithless 

 black sentinel fast asleep. It was already too late to 

 hail the vessel, but we made out that she was 



