854

FIRST WESTERN STEAMBOAT.

1811.

and family, Mr. Baker, the engineer, Andrew Jack, the pilot, and six hands, with a few domestics, formed her whole burden. There were no wood-yards at that time, and constant delays were unavoidable.

"When, as related, Mr. R. had gone down the river to reconnoitre, he had discovered two beds of coal, about one hundred and twenty miles below the rapids of Ohio, at Louisville, and now took tools to work them, intending to load the vessel with the coal, and to employ it as fuel, instead of constantly detaining the boat wdiile wood was procured from the banks.

"Late at night on the fourth day after quitting Pittsburgh, they arrived in safety at Louisville, having been but seventy hours descending upwards of six hundred miles.

"The novel appearance of the vessel, and the fearful rapidity with which it made its passage over the broad reaches of the river, excited a mixture of terror and surprise among many of the settlers on the banks, whom the rumor of such au invention had never reached; and it is related that on the unexpected arrival of the boat before Louisville, in the course of a fine still moonlight night, the extraordinary sound which filled the air as the pent-up steam was suffered to escape from the valves, on rounding to, produced a general alarm, and multitudes in the town rose from their. beds to ascertain the cause.

"I have heard that the general impression among the good Kentuckians was, that the comet had fallen into the Ohio; but this does not rest upon the same foundation as the other facts which I lay before you, and which I may at once say, I had di-re'ctly from the lips of the parties themselves.

" The small depth of water in the rapids prevented the boat from pursuiug her voyage immediately; and during the consequent detention of three weeks in the upper part of the Ohio, several trips were successfully made between Louisville aud Cincinnati. In fine the waters rose, and in the course of the last week in November, the voyage was resumed, the depth of water barely admitting their passage."

This steamer, after being nearly overwhelmed with the earthquakes, reached Natchez at the close of the first week of January, 1812.

The year 1811 was marked by the occurrence of various events of an uncommon nature, which exerted a combined influence, to throw a shade over the spirits of the people.

Early in September, a comet made its appearance in the northern