ere. She prefers to be on board of the
steamer, and wants to start up the river immediately."

"I do feel safer on the river than I do on shore," said Mrs. Shepard.
"I heard there was a case of yellow fever in the city."

"Impossible, so early in the season," replied her husband.

"At any rate, I don't want to stay here another day."

The lady was nervous, but she could not help it; and her health seemed
to be falling back under the excitement of the recent trip.

Our conference resulted in a decision to sail up the river next
morning, taking our prisoners with us. I went back to the wharf, and
informed Captain Blastblow of the wishes of the party.

Cornwood and Nick seemed to be very well satisfied with their condition
on board. But I wanted to see something of the city if the passengers
did not, and Washburn and I used up the afternoon in going to the
principal points of interest. It would take a whole volume to give my
impressions of New Orleans; but that is no part of my present purpose.
At nine o'clock the next morning our passengers came on board, and we
started up the river.

CHAPTER XXIV.

A CREVASSE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

When Mrs. Shepard came on board, she seemed to be more composed. She
declared that, when the whole country was under water, she felt better
to be in a boat. During the night the water had risen nearly a foot,
and the citizens were not a little alarmed. Hundreds of laborers were
at work on the levees, and several small crevasses had been made a few
miles above the city. We had engaged a pilot, though rather for the
information he could give us than because we needed him in the
navigation of the river.

Captain Cayo had taken leave of us, and Colonel Shepard had paid his
bill for services and expenses. I liked the pilot very well; and I was
sorry to lose him. The white man and the negroes rescued from the
floating building stayed on board as long as we remained at the wharf.
It was not easy for them to return to their homes; and they had no
money to pay for their food and shelter. We made up a liberal purse for
them, and divided it equally among them; and they went ashore very
grateful to us for what we had done. Captain Blastblow said they made
more money by coming with us than they could by staying at home.

At Colonel Shepard's request we "lashed boats" for the sociability of
the thing. We rigged a plank bridge, with a railing to it, so that the
ladies could pass from one s