opinion that this great boat will not get off at all, but will lie here
until she petrifies....

"March 24. We left the 'Magnolia' after four days and four hours upon
the sand-bar near Turkey island, upon seeing the 'Woodruff' approach. We
left in a little rowboat, and it seemed at first as if we could not
overtake the steamer; but the captain saw us and slackened his speed.

"Miss S. and I clutched hands in a little terror as our small boat
seemed likely to run under the great steamer, but our oarsmen knew their
duty and we were safely put on board of the 'Woodruff.'

"March 25. We stopped at Cairo at eight o'clock this morning. Mr. S.
went on shore and brought newspapers on board. The Cairo paper I do not
think of high order. I saw no mention in it of the detention of the
'Magnolia'!

"March 26. Yesterday we count as a day of events. It began to look sunny
on the banks, especially on the Kentucky side, and Miss S. and I saw
cherry-blossoms. We remembered the eclipse, and Mr. S. having brought
with him a piece of broken glass from one of the windows of the
'Magnolia,' I smoked it over a piece of candle which I had brought from
Room No. 22 of the Planter's House at St. Louis, and we prepared to see
the eclipse.

"I expected to see the moon on at five o'clock and twenty minutes, but
as I had no time I could not tell when to look for it.

"It was not on at that time by my watch, but in ten minutes after was so
far on that I think my time cannot be much wrong.