the others, till some steamboat should pass and
take them off. So sudden had been the catastrophe, that no luggage of
any kind had been saved, and several Englishmen, travelling to purchase
cotton and minerals, suffered very serious loss. As to the Americans
themselves, though they complained very loudly, vowing they would bring
an action against the river, the steam-boats, against every boat, and
every thing, for I don't know how many millions of dollars, their losses
were very trifling, as it is the custom for a man in the Western States
to carry all his money in his pocketbook, and his pocket-book in his
pocket; as to luggage, he never has any except a small valise, two feet
long, in which are contained a shirt, two bosoms, three frills, a razor,
and a brush, which may serve for his head, clothing, boots, and perhaps
teeth.

It was amusing to hear all the complaints that were made, and to
enumerate the sums which were stated to have been lost; there was not
one among the travellers, even among those who had taken a deck-passage,
who had not lost from ten to fifty thousand dollars, with which he was
going to purchase a cotton plantations a steam-boat, or a whole cargo of
Havannah cigars. What made it more ridiculous was the facility with
which everybody found a witness to certify his loss. "I had five
thousand dollars," one would say; "ask the general: he will tell you if
it is true." "True, as I am an honest man," would answer the general,
"to wit, that I swapped with the judge my eastern notes for his southern
ones."

It would be impossible to explain to a sober Englishman the life that is
led on, and the numerous tricks that are played in Mississippi
steam-boat. One I will mention, which will serve as a sample. An
itinerant preacher, well known as a knave upon both banks, and the whole
length of the river, used (before he was sent to the Penitentiary for
picking pockets) to live comfortably in the steam-boats without ever
paying a farthing. From St. Louis he would book for New Orleans, and
the passage-money never being asked in the West but at the termination
of the trip, the preacher would go on shore at Vicksburg, Natches,
Bayon, Sarah, or any other such station in the way. Then he would get
on board any boat bound to the Ohio, book himself for Louisville, and
step on shore at Memphis. He had no luggage of any kind except a green
cotton umbrella; but, in order to lull all suspicion, he contrived
alwa