M. Travelled well till towards evening. The channel grew
more crooked and difficult.

4 P. M. landed to take on rails, then went on. Tied up in a low swampy
cane-brake. Water much lower than when descending. An occasional darky
to be seen with mule and plow at work in the field, but in most cases
the darky had "hung up the shovel and the hoe." Music and dancing in the
evening. Washed.

P. S. I write this at the still hour of midnight, all is quiet and their
minds far away from here in the happy land of dreams. No sound save the
tiresome tramp of the poor pent-up brutes which have not laid down since
we embarked. What a time for thought. Two hours yet of guard.

On Yazoo Pass, Wednesday, April 8. Entered the Pass 7 A. M. Passed the
wreck "Luella" 4 P. M., the "Jenny Lind" having been removed. Landed at
3 P. M. at Reb. General Elkhorn's for rails. Mosquitoes made their
appearance in the evening.

[Sidenote: 1863 Cleaning Up]

On Moon Lake, Thursday, April 9. Warm day. Entered Moon Lake 7 A. M. and
at 9 A. M. we were once more landed on the sand bar from whence we
started 18 days ago. Accomplished nothing. What and where next? "Armada"
and "White Rose" are the only boats here beside our own. All the
horsemen came ashore in order to clean up.

Near Helena, Friday, April 10. Received a large mail. Boats all came
from the Pass, the two iron-clads bringing up the rear. The boats went
up to Helena to take on coal, nearly all of them. Health good. G. R.
Jones quite sick. Sat up with him part of the evening, an attack of
pleurisy.

Near Helena, Saturday, April 11. All busy in writing home and to those
left behind. Although we may be tanned and roughened by hardships and
exposures, the memories of those behind are still uppermost, and
although otherwise hardened, that is untarnished. Reloaded all the
horses, etc. Rainy.

Near Helena, Sunday, April 12. A fine day. Expected to leave, but
instead we took our horses off. Troops going down the river nearly all
day, about twenty transports loaded. Took a ride in the afternoon,
enjoyed it much, though all alone. On guard in the night. Quite cold.

On the Mississippi, Monday, April 13. Got all on board once more and at
12 A. M. started up to Helena, unloaded the cotton taken in the Pass,
and returned to find the boats all gone except the "Tempest" (commissary
boat) and at about 3 P. M., we started down the river. Detained most of
the night in extricating the "Duke o