with cables, anchors and ballast. We rigged a
derrick formed of the foreyards of the vessels, and made as easy work
of it as possible. When, at night, we had taken every movable thing out
of the steamers, they realized all my expectations, for they drew only
six feet. But this was making no allowance for possible shoal places;
and Moses, with the engineer of the Islander, had been at work, while
we were removing the heavy weights from the hold, in detaching the
propellers of the two craft. With our shears, we hoisted them out into
the canal-boat.

The removal of these heavy weights from the sterns set the vessels on a
more even keel, fore and aft. A western river-steamer draws more water
forward than aft, so that she may be the more easily worked over shoal
places; while a sea or lake vessel is just the reverse. We found that
we were likely to sink the canal-boat, and I was obliged to procure
another. We divided the weight between the two, and then transferred
our spare spars to them.

Our passengers had been greatly interested in watching the various
operations in progress. It was dark when our heavy labors were
finished. The ship's company and the passengers were to remain on board
during the passage. Though I had told them they could take a train and
be in Chicago in a few hours, they all preferred to remain, to enjoy
the novelty of the canal trip.

Our passengers were really in no haste to reach their point of
destination, yet they were impatient to be on the move, as is always
the case with the average American traveller. I concluded to start at
once, as the nights were now cheered by a full moon, and I intended to
keep the boats going until they arrived at Chicago. There was nothing
for the engineers and firemen to do on board, and I sent Moses
Brickland and Ben Bowman forward by railroad to several designated
places to engage fresh horses for us.

Our passengers sat up till midnight on the hurricane-deck, for the
weather was very warm for the season in this latitude, while Washburn
and the deck-hands steered. In the morning our canal drivers said we
had averaged three miles an hour, with two changes of horses. This was
getting along faster than I had expected. I had written to Mr.
Brickland, at Montomercy, informing him when we should arrive at
Chicago, and inviting him and his wife to join us there, and make the
trip home in the steamer.

The next day was full of interest to our canal travellers. Our stra