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summer, is unhealthy, have a fixed character; how can it attain 
a high degree of cultivation ? All come here for the purpose of 
amassing property, or are driven here by the prostration of their 
fortunes, in their old residence! 
CHAPTER XVII. 
Journey from Montgomery , on the Alabama river , to Mobile , 
and residence in that city . 
THE Steubenville, commanded by Captain Grover, is of one 
hundred and seventy tons, and has a high pressure machine, of 
fifty horse-power. Machines like these are very dangerous, and 
therefore prohibited in the Netherlands. The machine of the 
Steubenville was made in Pittsburg, The body of the boat is 
occupied by the cargo, the cabins are upon deck. The dining-room 
had twelve births; behind this is a gallery with some apartments; 
the last one was hired by us. Before we sailed, two Indians 
came on board, who wondered very much at my double barrelled 
gun, with percussion locks; they had never seen such fire-arms 
before; I permitted them to discharge it, and gave them some of 
the copper caps, at which present they testified great delight 
We went down the river very swiftly, sixteen miles an hour. 
The banks of the river near Montgomery are rather high, they 
consist of red earth, with many spots of flint, and covered with 
willow-growth. We came only a distance of eighteen miles, to 
a place called Washington, where the Hornet lay, and where we 
also were stopped, to remain during the night for the purpose of 
taking in wood and cotton. On account of the number of sand 
banks, the navigation of the river must be dangerous; the captain 
assured me that the experienced pilot then on board, had one 
hundred dollars per month pay, so seldom are the officers of the 
boats here, accustomed to the localities! 
The next morning we moved on at break of day, with con¬ 
siderable rapidity ; but we soon stopped again, to take in some 
cotton bales, which lay ready in a wood on the shore. We had 
above four hundred bales already on board. The hold of the 
boat was full, the space between the machine and the first cabin 
was filled, as well as the space about the cabins, and the roof 
over them. There was no room left for exercise in walking, 
and in the cabin it was very dark. The first delay lasted about 
