the newspapers
of the time. Advertisements tell of the interesting features to
be seen on a trip to the upper Mississippi, of the pleasures of
steamboat travel, and promise that "A first rate band of music will be
on board."[468] An editor paused long enough in the exciting
presidential "Log Cabin" campaign of 1840 to remark that "Pleasure trips
to these Falls appear to be quite the go. Large parties of ladies and
gentlemen have passed up on the steamboats Loyal Hanna and Malta. And we
noticed in a late St. Louis paper, the advertisements of the Valley
Forge, Ione, Brazil and Monsoon, all for 'pleasure excursions to St.
Peters'. We see also in the same paper, that the steamboat Fayette is
advertised 'for Harrison and Reform'--rather an extensive country we
should think, at the present time."[469] Even as far away as Louisville,
Kentucky, steamboats were chartered for trips to the upper waters of the
Mississippi River.[470]

The pleasures of such a journey, the scenery enjoyed, the people met,
the events of the day spent at Fort Snelling are well illustrated by two
letters written by the Right Reverend Jackson Kemper, who was the
missionary bishop of the Northwest of the Episcopal Church.[471] In the
month of August, 1843, he was the guest of Captain Throckmorton on the
steamboat "General Brooke"; and he made the trip to Fort Snelling to
confer with Rev. Ezekiel Gear who was the chaplain at the post. The
first letter was dated August 25, 1843, and was written to his daughter.

"Here we are snug and almost dry on a sand bar and not more than
13 miles below St. Peters", he wrote. "While the Captain and his men are
using all kinds of methods to get us off--the chief of which is to put
our freight into a large barge aside of us--I will write you a few
lines. It is now past 8 o'c. P. M. We still hope to get to the fort
before night (mid-night I mean). Then the Captain says he will give us
an early breakfast tomorrow and send us off to see the falls (5 Miles
distant) and we must return so as to start down the river by noon. This
is too bad in many respects; but what can we do? I have not time to stay
with Mr. Gear until the next boat arrives; that may not be for a week or
two; so I will say to Mr. G. when I see him: Here I am, & I have come
not to see the falls but you, and I am at your disposal as long as I am
here. If you choose to take me to the falls, it is well; if you prefer
that I should remain in your house I am cont