I asked, thinking the crew of
the Wetumpka had been on duty so that they had not had time to get any
meals.

"Plenty to eat. I laid in a stock of cold ham, chickens, and coffee for
the trip."

"You and those who came up with you had better go on board of the
Sylvania and turn in, while the rest of us transfer the baggage and
stores to this boat," I added.

I called Moses, and asked him to take charge of the engine of the river
boat, and sent the three hands from her to their bunks. The curiosity
of the passengers and crew of the Sylvania was equal to my own. The
party from the cabin rushed on board of the Wetumpka as soon as they
found she was alongside, and we all went into an examination of her.
She was a "twin boat:" that is, she had two hulls, like a "catamaran."
They were flat-bottomed, so as to draw but little water. On these two
hulls were laid a platform, which came to a point at the bow, and
projected some distance forward of the stems of the two boats. On the
main deck, no one would suspect that she was composed of two boats.

The paddle-wheel was between the two hulls, and near the stern of the
craft. The engine was on deck, and the upper part of the paddle-wheel
was boxed up above the main deck. She had a broad opening on each side
of her lower deck, through which she could receive her wood and
freight. Forward of these doors were the quarters for the crew on one
side, and the kitchen and ice-house on the other.

Above the main deck was the saloon deck, with the pilot-house at the
forward end of it. In front of this was a platform on which the
passengers could sit, the pilot looking out over their heads. In the
saloon were eight state-rooms on a side, which were small, but very
comfortably fitted up. At the stern was a pantry and a little
smoking-room. The saloon was neatly furnished, and I thought our
passengers could be very comfortable on board of the Wetumpka for a
couple of weeks. The steward and his force were busy getting ready for
dinner; but I set the deck-hands to moving the baggage of the
passengers at once.

After dinner the stores were removed on board of the river steamer, and
by two in the afternoon we were ready to start up the Ocklawaha, which
was to be the first of the two trips. We towed the Sylvania out into
deep water, anchored her, and left her in charge of Ben Bowman and Dyer
Perkins, for one engineer and one fireman were sufficient for the trip:
Cornwood took the wheel, and we