IOWA HISTORY PROJECT

 

 

 

 

STEAMER LILLY  

Burlington Saturday Evening Post

11-19-1917             12-8-1917

   

Transcribed by Georgeann McClure  

 

THE LOG OF THE LILLY  

From St. Louis up the Missouri River to Fort Benton in 1867-Daily diary of the Voyage kept by Engineer, Eben B. Hill.

  American Association of Masters, Mates and Pilots, U. S. A. Harbor No 28, Merchants le Clede builder, St. Louis, Mo. Nov. 15 Editor Post:  Am writing you for two reasons; first of all I want to thank you for the Saturday Evening Post which you have furnished the Master Pilots Association with for so long a time.  I want to assure you we appreciate it.  I am enclosing you the log of an old river engineer, a friend of mine.  You may appreciate this conclosure.  We will be glad if you do so.  It will be very interesting to all steam boatmen as well as the pilots association if you will publish this log.  

Yours Truly,
L. S. Flatau,
President  

11-17 1917  

Chapter I  

THE LOG OF THE LILLY  

Commencing my log-book of the trip.  

  All day we were waiting to receive the survey that was due us but Mike went down the levee and saw we had little hope of getting any.  Mr. Kidd had made a bargain if we did not get the money for him to take out the boat in our place.  About 4 o’clock orders came to have steam at nine or ten o’clock.  After supper we saw Morse and he gave an order for McPherson for a hundred dollars, so Mike concluded to take her out so I got her5 ready and Mike went home and got his clothes.  Meanwhile I pumped up the boiler Raised steam we backed out at 11 o’clock and I stood watch till 5. a. m. Arrived at St. Joseph in the morning of April 30 received $20 from the boat charged to me spent five for Mike laid in dry goods for the trip.  

Friday April 19

  We found the wheel had too great a dip and also a bust in the ash pan pipe which I wrapped.  The piston head struck the forward cylinder head and we landed to fix it so and moved farther up for a wood pile shifted buckets and fixed the cylinder head so that all worked right.  I turned in being off watch and took the watch from 6 to 12 p. m. stopped at woodpile and put on rudder coupling.  I had a long watch this night.  

Saturday April 20  

  Came on watch at 4 a. m. and stood till breakfast after breakfast turned in came on again after dinner.  We run fine and stopped at new haven at a wood pile, cooled down for a gogue cock was cut so bad as to make it dangerous but we found it cut so bad that we could not put another one in the place so we cleaned boilers and packed doctor (?) made joints on the exhaust cape turned in at 4 to 11 p. m.  

Sunday April 21

  Came on watch at one a. m. stood till breakfast took a nap and came on after dinner. Landed and took on wood.  Just as we were starting out one of the joints on the steam pipe blew out and we had to land and make a new one.  Just before dark we found she was taking on water and we had quite a time to stop it. Had to use a siphon pump. Came out of watch and turned in till 12 o’clock.  

Monday April 22

  Came on watch at 12 o’clock made Jefferson City 4 a. m. laid by and repaird doctor all forenoon, made a valve cutter and cut out valve seats at night.  

Tuesday April 22

  Run all day laid up at night and cleaned out boilers and took out packing in larboard cylinder and we worked all night.  

 Wednesday April 24

  Raised steam at 6 a. m. We had a good run all day and I wrote to Mrs. E. E. Smith; I had the afternoon watch.  

Thursday April 25

  Run all day and laid up till next day, engine valve cut very bad cleaned out boilers. I worked all night.  

Friday April 26

  Worked all night and got ready by 12 o’clock a. m.  We started out on our journey, but we had to stop after going one mile.  

Saturday, April 27

  We started at 2 am m. and we have got along very good today. I think the best since leaving St. Louis  

Sunday April 28

  Arrived at Kansas City by 7 o’clock a.m.  Col. Morse came aboard.  We laid half an hour and then run to Leavenworth cleaned out boilers and repaired steam pipe and got packing  

Monday April 29

  Steam pipe was a bad job.  We intended to have it done at St. Joe.  We run all day and made a very good run. 

Tuesday April 30

  Arrived at St. Joe at 7 am. M. We repaired steam pipe made a good job this time raised steam and left at 6 o’clock. Col. Morse did not go any further.  

Wednesday May 1

  Left at 4 a. m. Our firemen quit yesterday and we got 4 new ones.  American citizens of African decent but they proved to be no firemen so we paid them off and took two of the rousters for foremen.  Came off watch at supper and one of the passengers had a bagpipe and played it for the edification of all.  

Thursday, May 2

  Run all day and considering made a good run, laid up all night. Saw Mat Knaebel  

Friday May 3

  Run all day rather windy and rather cold for this time of the year.  We are making, rather a bad progress  

Saturday May 4

  Cleaned out boilers run all day rather cold.  Made a very poor run. Laid up at wood pile.  

Sunday May 5

  So windy we had to lay by for a spell.  Have green wood and that makes very poor steam.  

Monday May 6

  Run all day. Arrived at Omaha at 5 p. m. cleaned boilers and repaired furnace.  

Tuesday, May 7

  Started from Omaha at 9 o’clock a. m. we battered against a bar most of the day, made 15 miles and laid up at wood pile above Florence , discharged our firemen and hired new one.  

 Wednesday May 8

  Run all day started out at 2 a. m. rather windy and blowed us on a bar so we had to spar.  

 Thursday, May 9

  Started at daylight and run till 2 p.m. and laid up to repair rudder coupling and other repairs to the rudder.  

 Friday, May 10

  Started out at 4 o’clock, but broke starboard rudder and laid by to put in new one; took most of forenoon.  I stood all day, made very good time, getting by the wreck of Mariner, sunk right in the channel. Turned in.  

Saturday May 11

  Called at 12 in the morning.  Boiler burned out, found at the after end, covered it with mud over the bottom flues, drilled a hole through, put in a bolt, a piece of sheet copper and lead on the inside, got all cleaned out and all fixed by 12 o’clock.  Stood watch all day.  

Sunday, May 12

  Called at 2 a. m. found it very dark and rainy, wind blowing very hard.  Run very well all day, started out at 5 a. m.  Mud valves leaked very bad, we cleaned out boilers.  

Monday, May 13

  Started out at 4. cleaned out boiler.  Called to help at 11, pumped up steam, started fire at 1 a. m.  run till breakfast, broke rudder coupling, fixed it and just before night struck a bar and broke rudder coupling and pintal, and mud valves till leaked, blown out; calked seat, rinsed out and pumped up and raised steam.  

Tuesday, May 14

  Called at 3 and started on at 4.  Had a bad time on bar.  Got off and went aground again, reached Sioux City at 12 p. m.  Laid by for wind till 4 p. m. raised steam to reach a wood pile, but wind so high we could not get off the bar and we backed down below town an laid up for the night.  

11-24-1917  

Chapter II  

Wednesday May 15

  Started out at daylight, got over the bar all right, Steamer Nymph No. 2 hailed us to give her a pull off the bar, she was having been blown hard aground the day before; went along side but our captain then refused to pull the grounded boat so kept on and got aground 6 miles above and laid there then go afloat just before sundown; broke cap of nigger bracket, had to make new one and did so.  Worked all right after a hard job of fitting; turned in at 10 o’clock.  

Thursday May 16

  Called on watch at one a. m. Trying to warp; did not make much headway; almost out of wood.  Crew gone ashore to chop by moonlight at 3 a. m. to chop enough to run us to a wood yard.  Brought the wood and started.  Parted the hardware and swung back to shore.  After sparring for two hours we got off and went to warping after cutting more wood; after dinner we got above the point and run very well for 5 miles till we struck a bar and swung against the bank.  One fireman jumped ashore, scared very bad.  We landed and took him on again.  Pilot sounded and found channel and started again all right.  Relieved for supper going to turn in for a good sleep as we have been so pushed that we get but very little.  Left Mike to work on nigger.  

Friday May 17

  Came on at 1 o’clock and found Mike hard at work on nigger; got ready and started out at daylight.  Made a very good run till after dinner got on a bad bar and lost two or three hours; after that did very well.  

Saturday May 18

  Was called at 10 o’clock; cleaned out boiler and attended to furnace pumped up and raised steam.   Commenced to rain and blow at 3 a. m. at 6 o’clock got underway but too windy.  Had to lay by and started out at 4 p. m. and run till dark and laid up.  

Sunday May 19

  Called at 1 o’clock; started out at daylight: run very well all day, caught up with Str. Marcella and run till dark making very good time. 

Monday May 20

  Run all day and just before dark stopped and laid up and cleaned out boilers.  

Tuesday May 21

  Started out at daylight and doctor gave out.  Landed and cleaned out heaters, laid up at Junction.  Mud valves leaked so bas as to let the water out of the boilers.  Gave a dance aboard till 12 o’clock to the Junction ladies, and turned in early.  

Wednesday May 2

  Called at 1 o’clock.  Got ready by 6. Made a very good run; had a big row with captain and was going to quit.  All right now till it breaks out again.  Made a very good run.  

Thursday May 23

  Called on watch at 1 a. m. grounded in exhaust valve on starboard engine; got ready at daylight; made a very good run about as good as we have made on the trip, and arrived at Fort Randall at 9 p. m.  

Friday May 24

  Cleaned out boilers, started out at 7 a. m. Made a run of 25 miles and broke the rudder so we had to lay up for the night.  Over hauled the doctor, ground in valves  

Saturday May 25

  Started out at daylight made a very good run.  The doctor worked very bad.  Broke the after wrist on the crank.  Laid up for the night, cleaned out heaters and turned in at 9 p. m.  

Sunday May 26

  Started out at daylight and just after we got underway the exhaust cap on the doctor on the starboard side broke.  We landed to repair it, and was delayed 2 hours and a half.  Run very well after that, everything but the doctor working well; cleaned out boilers; tonight remained on watch till 4 a. m.  

Monday May 27

  Made a good run started out at five and got aground.  Backed down and made a fresh start and took out old valve seat and put in a new one, pumped and raised stem and made all together a good run till 4 p. m.  

Tuesday May 28

  Started out at day light. Put in new mud valves and washed out the boilers.  A party went out on a hunt, left the boat at 4 a. m. and went across a bend a head of the boat and met us at 7 o’clock p.m. Made a very good run today; 60 miles from Fort Sully .  

Wednesday May 29

  Made a very good run all day till noon; came to a bar and had to jump it, got over by night.  

Friday May 31

  Raining all morning.  Worked all this morning getting over the bar; made a good run by night.  The mate Mr. Fisher almost killed one of the crew with a club.  A great fuss about it among the passengers.  

Saturday June 1

  Cleaned out boilers.  A lot of mud settled around the afterhead which took a long while to clean off.  Fixed mud valve all right and started out at 8 a. m. run very well considering.  At supper time about a mile and a half from Fort Sully , saw an officer from said fort and a lady in a buggy and a span of horses taking a pleasant ride along the river bank.  Arrived opposite to Fort Sully by sundown.  

Sunday June 2

  Back down the river to the fort landing, laid there all day.  Wrote three letters, one to Mary one to father and one to Ellen. Put off the mules and cannon and two of the lady passengers went out buggy riding at dark.  

Monday June 3

  Left fort landing at day light.  Boat run very well. Mr. Coonce was so drunk that he was unable to stand his watch.  We run till breakfast and laid by till he got sober.  Cut wood after dinner, started out, made a very good run, everything working well.  All passengers all well pleased with running.  

 

Tuesday June 4

  Called at 1 a.m.  All excited abut Indians.  All the passengers were loading their revolvers. By daylight all the scare had subsided and the crew went ashore where they had to chop wood.  Fired a shot with a cry of Indians, great many scared.  Land of all along the bank for wood till breakfast.(?)  Made a good run till dinner got aground at 4 p. m. and on the bar for an hour.  Did not make much progress from 4 till supper, then laid to the bank for wood.  

Wednesday June 5

  Called at 10 p. m. boilers cleaned on: ready to ship up; help Mike with cedar pipe in the hole; the pipe for the after mud valve being too short we could not put it in; commenced to pump up; the boat caught fire at 3: 30 p. m.  a great alarm, most of the passengers thought the alarm was from Indians and rushed out to their rooms armed for the fray.  But the fire was put out in five minutes after the alarm was given by one of the firemen while pumping up.  Got ready at 5 a. m. started out.  Did not make much progress.  Was butting the bars trying to find the channel and did not succeed till after breakfast at 7 o’clock a. m.   Cause of fire supposed to be from a few coats in ash chute.  A shower and a stiff wind blowing in shore and wood in the wood rack caught fire from said coals.  Cause on watch at o’clock p. m.  One fireman sick.  Made very poor steam with one man.  Run very well, got around after being relieved at supper, and remained aground for two hours and then laid up for the night.  

Thursday, June 6

  Left at 4 a. m.  run for about three miles, up into a pocket; had to back down and crop the bar and run up the other shore so by 7 o’clock we had made 3 miles and were in sight of where we laid all night.  Came on watch after dinner; were then aground and had been aground for one hour and id not get off till a quarter before 4, making 4 hours aground; run very well after that. Relied after supper.  

Friday June 7

  Started out at 4 a. m. and run on a bar the first thing but backed off again and reached the other bank all right and laid there wooding till after I was relieved and after breakfast started out again and run into a pocket 4 ˝ miles and had to back out again and lost 4 hours and a half.  Made a very good run in the afternoon.

  Met the steamer Marcella on her return trip.  Captain went ashore and chopped wood with the balance of the crew.  Relieved at supper.  

 Saturday, June 8

  Started out at daylight.  Run to a wood pile and laid by till after breakfast.  Put in new valve seat.  Last one did not work so well as we expected.

    Run very well, the tom Stevens passed us at bank while wooding after coming off watch I heard from one of the passengers that they were very much put out with the pilot and had waited upon him with regard to grounding the boat so much; they said it looked as if done on purpose.  

 Sunday June 9

  Started out at 4 am. M. Run very well but got on a bar; delayed one hour. Met steamer G. B. Allen on her way down, also Miner. Waverly and only chance from the mountains.  Run very well all day; laid up early and cleaned out boilers.  

Monday June 10

  Pumped up and raised steam but did not leave till 7 a. m. laid up for the night.  

Tuesday, June 11

  Started out at 3:20 a. m. and made for rice at 8 a. m. Str. Cornelia was there; saw and had a talk with Abe Rouel; took on 15 U. S. troops and also some muskets for our own protection; during the afternoon the passengers saw a drove of antelope and killed one, the first of this season on this boat; laid up at a wood pile all night.  

Wednesday June 12

  Started out at half past 3 a. m. and run until breakfast, laid up during the morning for wood, after dinner came on watch, stopped once for wood.  The mate Mr. Fisher put under arrest with a guard over him by the U.S.A. officer. During the afternoon had a very severe thunder storm with hall, met the steamer Walter B. Dance on her way down at 7 o’clock p. m. Laid up at a wood pile.  

Thursday June 13

  Made a very good run all day; nothing of any importance through the day and laid up as usual at night.  

Friday June 14

  Started out as usual at daylight. Run till half past 5, got aground , lying across the stream; did not get off before 12 o’clock, and had to lay by for wind all the afternoon.  Commenced to overhaul the doctor and grind in valves; found a sand hole and had to plug it; did so made a good job of it.  Commenced to clean out boiler and put in pipe for larboard boiler to mud valve; got through, pumped up, and all at 11 o’clock.  

 

 

12-1-1917  

Chapter III

 

Log of the Lilly  

Saturday, June 15

  Called up as usual and started out at 3:30 a. m. into a pocket and had to back down, made a very poor run all day, butting bars most of the afternoon.  Laid by wood pile just before supper.  

Sunday June 16

  Left as usual at daylight. Mike being sick I stood from one till 7 p. m. run very well.  The following boats we met on their downward trip Carrie, Amelia Poe, St. Johns and Comelia.  

Monday, June 17

  Left as usual at daylight; made a very good run; arrived at Fort Berthold at 3 p. m. I took a stroll around the fort and saw all the Indians that was there; run a mile above and laid up for the night.  

Tuesday June 18

  Started out at day light; made the Mountaineer; the Nile passed down before daylight.  Mr. Fisher took passage on her.  More trouble with the U. S. Officers aboard; are awaiting the final.  The steamer Yorktown passed down at 5 p. m. did very good running considering; going to clean out tonight, just before dark.  Thee went down a dozen squaws and their bull boats.  

Wednesday June 19

  Cleaned out boilers and ground in mudvalves.  Had a hard time.  Raided steam and continued to rain till 9 a. m.; caught up with steamer nymph made a very good run for today.  Been very wet day and cloudy.  

Thursday June 20

  Left as early day light, Releved (?) at breakfast.  Captain and Jim had a quarrel over a game of poker. Capt. Called Jim a liar and Jim threw a pack of cards in his face.  Jim pt under arrest but released by the Major; hints of a duel.  Saw a lot of buffalo.  A party was made up to get one but backed out and the Nymph crew went and got a head of the hunting party.  

Friday June 21

  Hard storm all night. Could not start out on account of wind and laid by all day, cleaned out boilers, a party went out buffalo hunting but returned without any; Nymph came along side and laid all night.  

Saturday June 22

  Started out as usual; made a very good run.  Captain and pilot have a row on the roof about a pair of boots Henry found in the hold; a box broken into and Jim is supposed to be the one.  

Sunday June 23

  Did not run very long; started out a usual but the wood we had did not make steam enough to stem the Current and we laid by and wooded nearly all day.  Captain Green and a party crossed the river and shot an elk and a little later Chips and Mr. Moodie shot a deer.  

Monday June 24

  Started out as usual and made a very good run; made one of the best, runs that has been made during this trip:  Two different parties went hunting for buffalo but without success; run very late. 

Tuesday June 25

  Laid by all day on account of wind.  One soldier went out at the wood pile and got lost and was out all night and whistle was blown at regular intervals all night.  The corporal shot an elk two miles from the boat and Henry got a large pair of horns; I went out and got a severe wetting.  

  Wednesday June 26

  Started out at 4 a. m. Run very well stopped at a wood pile and the lost soldier came aboard safe and sound.  Made Fort Buford by 7 a. m. News of the second engineer of steamer Nola Belle being shot 5 miles below (the first we have heard of being shot on our trip by Indians); while laying at the fort steamer Ben Johnson passed down about dark.  

Thursday June 27

  Started out at day light; made the mouth of Yellowstone at sunrise; stopped a little above to wood.  Made one of the best runs we have made since we left St. Louis .  Saw a lot of Indians; they followed us for a while which looked hostile, but no shots were fired by them.  

Friday June 28

  Made a very poor run and laid up early.  A party went out after a lot of buffalo and got one the first shot and brought aboard.  The hottest day we have had.  

Saturday June 29

  Left as usual at daylight and run very well till breakfast and then there came a very strong wind which kept us back considerable but we made a very good run notwithstanding.  

Sunday June 30

  Cleaned out boilers and a bad time with mud valve and mud in boilers.  

Monday July 1

  Run very well, caught up to Viola Belle when we laid up.  

Tuesday July 2

  Did not start out till 7 o’clock.  Wooded, knocked off the extra bucket and shifted the others out to the end.  We run a great deal better.  All pleased; we came to a bad place and laid up for the night.  

Wednesday July 3

  Started out at daylight, got over the bad places very well considering.  Run very well.  At dinner met steamer Ida Stockdale down with the wreck of J. H. Trover, and our Captain hired mate of the latter boat and 7 men; started out and run very well.  

 

 

12-8-1917

Chapter IV  

Log of the Lilly  

Thursday July 4

  Run very well.  Did nothing of any note except all the first watch, our firemen got drunk  

Friday July 5

  Rained just before daylight, laid y the wreck of A. H. Trover and got a lot of articles off of her.  Run very well, laid up at a wood pile a little below Mussel River , taking on wood.  

Sunday July 7

  Started out as usual, made a very good run.  Laid up early and cleaned out boilers and repaired mudvalves seat.  

Monday July 8

  Started out at daylight, met steamers Albeona, Jennie Brown and Antelope on their way homeward.  Run very well.  Day very warm.  Hope to make Fort Benton , in five days.  Laid up for the night; took a climb up one of the highest mountains where we were laying.  

Tuesday July 9

  Started out as usual, Run very well, was halted and took on three deserters from Camp cook, met steamer Agnes.  Arrived at Buds rapids just before dinner, got over them and had to lay up for wind.  Shot a buffalo and climbed up another mountain, had a very fine view. 

Wednesday July 10

  Made a very good run, Started out a usual at daylight. Crossed the rapids and met steamer Tacoma and arrived at Camp Cook just before dark.  Camp Cook just before dark.  Captured two deserters from the latter place all right.  

Thursday July 11

  Left at daylight, made around the rapids far better than I expected.  Made a very good run all day; met steamer Big Horn, every thing working all right, just before dark caught fire under pilot house put out before any damage.  

Friday July 12

  Started out as usual at daylight expecting to make Fort Benton by 1 o’clock but I did not on account of flue leaking so bad.  Came off watch at 10 miles below the fort has to lay up twice on account of wind and reached the fort by 6 o’clock p. m. boat caught fire also to-day in water closet.  

Saturday July 13

  Put out freight during the night and dropped down to the levee and let water out of boilers and commenced patching flues, did not quite finish but quit after super.  

Sunday July 14

  Commenced work after breakfast and finished patching before dinner; ground all doctor valves after dinner and cleaned pit boilers and after supper pumped up boilers. I called to see Mr. Pete Cooley laid up with shattered hand by firing gun on our arrival at Fort Benton .  

Monday July 15

  Got ready and left Fort Benton at 10 a. m. Met Ida Fulton and Viola Belle just above Camp Cook . Got aground opposite Camp Cook , got off and went a little farther and laid up for the night; patch on boiler leaked very bad, took it off and made it over gain.  Captain discharged the two Clarks and left them at Fort Benton and put M. Consol in their place.  

Tuesday July 16

  Left at 9; the patch still leaked; Nymph passed up, also Silver lake; making very good time and got down as far as Fort Hawley; took on a party of Indians for Fort Union to see the U. S. commissioners.  

Wednesday July 17

  Started out as usual; is cold and rainy; started out at 4 a. m. run to; 6 a. m. and laid by all the forenoon for wind and rained all the forenoon and we started out at 2:30 p. m. and run till supper and laid by a little above Milk river to wood.  

Saturday July 20

  Started as usual, made a very good run but did not make Fort Union at 12; the Indians did not go off but went to Buford and got off; the soldiers got off at Imperial.  Boiler leaked very bad at Imperial.  And we laid up to repair.  

Sunday July 21

  Got everything ready and left at 10; met steamers Sunset and Zephyr.  

Monday July 22

  Quite a scare among the Indians; they think they are Sioux out in the bushes; make no farther demonstration.  Started out as usual; made Fort Berthold just before dinner; took the Indians farther down the river; lay up at a wood pile.  

Tuesday July 23

  Started out as soon as we could see.  Much grumbling about mosquitoes.  Run very well; made Fort Rice by 3 p. m. Laid there about an hour and then proceeded on our journey.  

Wednesday July 24

  Another very bad night with the six legged birds.  Started out as usual at daylight.  Met steamer Miner and transferred all the Indians to said steamer; our supply pipe leaked very bad; patch gave way; made a very poor run; met driftwood and can’t make any steam.  Met steamers Centrallia and Mountaineer; expected to make Fort Sully before we lay up for the night so we would get a little rest, but we got aground and did not make it.  

Thursday July 25

  Started out and made Fort. Sully before breakfast and took Gen. Sully before breakfast and a few other officers passenger. Met only chance on her second trip.

 Friday July 26

  Started out as usual, had but little wood and run till we came to a wood pile, did not run on account of wind the steamer Huntsville passed up on her second trip.  Got aground while wooding but got off.  

Saturday July 27

  Started out as usual, got off without any trouble, stuck a bar very hard sprung the supply pipe so as to make it leak so bad had to land and repair it; got aground at two o’clock and worked hard all the afternoon but did not get off till supper time.  

Sunday July 28

  Started out as usual; did not make as good a run as we expected; met steamer Last Chance; laid up a little above Fort Randall  

Monday July 29

  We made Fort Randall before breakfast. Steward went ashore for provisions.  Steamer Ida Fulton came in sight, afterwards passed us; hard aground during afternoon.  Had very high wind, backed against a bar and broke rudder and rudder coupling. Started out O. K.  

Tuesday July 30

  Very windy, did not make much headway, Run into the bank and broke rudder on the starboard side.  

Wednesday July 31

  Started to get ready but boiler leaked so bad as to have to clean out and patch again.  Clark started in life boat for Sioux City .  Got ready by 9 a. m., but being windy had to lay by for a spell.  Laid up a little above Sioux City .  

Thursday Aug 1

  Started out very early and made a big run.  Made Omaha and layed up there all night.  

Friday Aug 2

  Left Omaha very early, delayed by fog.  Met Columbian; layed up a little below savanna to clean out and patch boilers, as it was going to trouble us again.  

Saturday Aug. 3

  Started out very early having cleaned out boilers but had to lay by for the fog a little above Belmont; made St. Joe by seven; passed steamer Colorado and Deer Lodge and Lexington; running very well, hope to make Lexington tonight, laid up for the night at the coal bank 7 miles above Lexington.  

Sunday Aug 4

  Left as soon we could see trying to make Jefferson City tonight.  Met steamers H. S. Turner, Ben Johnson and Amaranth and just as we laid up ten miles below Jefferson City the steamer passed up.  

Monday Aug. 5

  Did not start out as soon as usual on account of there being a very bad river below us and we waited till good daylight; got over the bad place and laid up at Herman for carpenter to repair wheel and put on a few buckets and we made St. Louis just before sundown and as we came out of the mouth of Missouri River we met more boats going up than I have space to tell Thus ends my log of the long trip and we are very glad of it  

Ebin B. Hill

 

 

 

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