The Houseboat Book: The Log of a Cruise from Chicago to New OrleansWaugh, W. F. (William Francis)
General
The Houseboat Book: The Log of a Cruise from Chicago to New Orleans
Waugh, W. F. (William Francis)
Illinois -- Description and travel; Mississippi River -- Description and travel
January 1st, 1904.--We left Arkansas City on the 30th, at 9 a. m., and
reached Greenville, Miss., that evening just before dark. It is a
rambling town, behind the levee, about 10,000 people, but evidently has
considerable business. Twenty-five mills of various kinds are there.
Supplies higher than since leaving Chicago--15 cents for meat of any
sort, 35 cents for eggs or butter, 25 cents for a dozen fine large shell
oysters from New Orleans, the first we have met, and which the sick
woman appreciated $25.00 worth.
The _Desplaines_ did some business, but many of the mills are owned in
the cities and the managers cannot buy here.
An old negro lives in a little gully washed by the rain in the bank,
close to where we tied up. He has a little fire, and lies there all
night with a board on edge to rest his back against. In the morning we
took him a cup of coffee which he took eagerly, but without thanks. An
old negress brought him something--presumably food. Last night it
rained some, but this morning he was still there. During the day we saw
him wandering about the streets, reminding one of a lost dog.
We left at noon, but as it was still raining it was equally
uncomfortable going or lying still. They tried the tug alongside, but
the rudder would not swing the big cabinboat and they had to return to
towing. About 2 p. m. the fog shut in so dense that we had to make a
landing, presumably in Walker's Bend, on the Arkansas side. Frank
brought off some of the finest persimmons we have yet seen. The cabin is
so warm that some flies have appeared, probably left-overs, though the
Missis says they have them all the winter down here. Picked up a nice
lot of drifting boards for stove.
Exploration establishes the fact that we are just below Vaucluse
Landing, and that the land is rich in pecan trees, well laden with nuts,
which these lazy darkies let go to waste. Frank found a store in the
neighborhood. Chicot lake, back of us, is said to be rich in ducks, and
if the fog lasts tomorrow we must have some. The putty has kept out the
rain today very well. We suffer for ventilation, though, and awake in
the morning with headaches. It is bright moonlight, but still foggy. It
rained during the night and we secured a fine supply of rainwater in the
launch cover.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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