hours the left bank became more hilly, and at intervals presented bluffs
and rocks, rude and irregular in shape, which we imagined to be ruins of
some old castle.

"At intervals, too, we passed steamers going up to St. Louis, all laden
with passengers. We exulted in our majestic march over the waters. I
thought it the very perfection of travelling, and wished that all my
family and all my friends were on board.

"I wondered at the stupidity of the rest of the world, and thought that
they ought all to leave the marts of business, to step from the desk,
the counting-room, and the workshop on board the 'Magnolia,' and go down
the length of the 'Father of Waters.'

"And so they would, I suppose, but for sand-bars. Here we are five hours
out, and fast aground! We were just at dinner, the captain making
himself agreeable, the dinner showing itself to be good, when a peculiar
motion of the boat made the captain heave a sigh--he had been heaving
the lead all the morning. 'Ah,' he said, 'just what I feared; we've got
to one of those bad places, and we are rubbing the bottom.'

"I asked very innocently if we must wait for the tide, and was informed
that there was no tide felt on this part of the river. Miss S. turned a
little pale, and showed a loss of appetite. I was a little bit moved,
but kept it to myself and ate on.

"As soon as dinner was over, we went out to look at the prospect of
affairs. We were close into the land, and could be put on shore any
minute; the captain had sent round a little boat to sound the waters,
and the report brought back was of shallow water just ahead of us, but