if possible. He admitted that we could outsail him, for
he had done his best to keep up with the Sylvania.

"How are your prisoners getting along?" I asked, for I had thought more
than once that they might escape while we were hauled up.

"They were all right last night when I turned in. I looked this place
over, and there is not more than half an acre on this bank that is not
under water," replied the captain. "They could not get away without a
boat."

We went out on the deck, and found the two quarter-boats were hanging
at the davits. Captain Cayo had charge of the prisoners, and the
fore-cabin was locked every night before they went to their berths. But
the door must have been opened to let the firemen out. I told the
captain that he had better make sure they were safe before we left our
moorings, as it would be easier to find them now than it would be after
we got half way to New Orleans. He went below, and when he came up he
was assured they were on board.

I had avoided Nick Boomsby since the capture of the Islander, for I
knew he would beg me to get him out of his present trouble. I could not
see my way to do anything of the kind, and therefore I kept out of his
way. I remained on board of the steamer until the engineer reported
that he had steam enough to go ahead, when I returned to the Sylvania.
The fasts were cast off, and by five o'clock we were again stemming the
tide of the mighty river. The current was even stronger than it had
been the day before. I told the engineer to let the steamer go at her
ordinary speed, and the Islander kept very near us.

The river was covered with lumber, shanties swept from their
resting-places, and other obstructions; but in the daytime we could
easily avoid them. It was half-past seven before any of our passengers
came on deck. We were passing a little village that seemed to be
struggling for existence, for the high water was crowding hard upon its
houses and other buildings. By eleven o'clock we saw several villages,
and some very handsome and romantic estates, though they were mostly
covered with water.

At noon the city was in plain sight, and soon we had New Orleans on one
side and Algiers on the other. The water was almost up to the top of
the levees. The shores were crowded with steamboats and
sailing-vessels. The former were entirely different from any I had ever
seen before, though for some time after I saw them every day. I had a
map of New Orleans in a large