adventures is one in which a flat boat sunk near New
Orleans. After clinging for many hours to the drifting wreckage he was
rescued, half dead from exhaustion.

In memory, George Taylor Burns stands in the slave mart at New Orleans
and hears the Auctioneers' hammer, for he was sold like a beast of
burden by Greene Taylor, brother of his mistress. Greene Taylor,
however, had to refund the money and return the slave to his mistress
when his crippled feet were discovered.

"Greene Taylor was like many other people I have known. He was always
ready to make life unhappy for a negro."

Uncle George, although possessing an unusual amount of intelligence and
ability to learn, has a very limited education. "The Negroes were not
allowed an education," he relates. "It was dangerous for any person to
be caught teaching a Negro and several Negroes were put to death because
they could read."

Uncle George recalls a few superstitions entertained by the rivermen.
"It was bad luck for a white cat to come aboard the boat." "Horse shoes
were carried for good luck." "If rats left the boat the crew was uneasy,
for fear of a wreck." Uncle George has very little faith in any
superstition but remembers some of the crews had.

Among other boats on which this old river man was employed are "The
Atlantic" on which he was cabin boy. The "Big Gray Eagle" on which he
assisted in many ways. He worked where boats were being constructed
while he lived at New Albany.

Many soldiers were returned to their homes by means of flat boats and
steam boats when the Civil War had ended and many recruits were sent by
water during the war. Just after peace was declared George met
Elizabeth Slye, a young slave girl who had just been set free. "Liza
would come to see her mother who was working on a boat." "People used to
come down to the landings to see boats come in," said Uncle George.
George and Liza were free, they married and made New Albany their home,
until 1881 when they came to Evansville.

Uncle George said the Eclipse was a beautiful boat, he remembers the
lettering in gold and the bright lights and polished rails of the
longest steam boat ever built in the West. Measuring 365 feet in length
and Uncle George declares, "For speed she just up and hustled."

"Louisville was one of the busiest towns in the Ohio Valley," says Uncle
George, but he remembers New Orleans as the market place where almost
all the surplus products were marketed.

Uncle Ge