oat. This
astonishing success is attributed to the fact that he seldom runs his
boat after early candle-light. It is related of the Sergeant that
upon one occasion he actually ran the chute of Glasscock's Island,
down-stream, in the night, and at a time, too, when the river was
scarcely more than bank full. His method of accomplishing this feat
proves what we have just said of his "safeness"--he sounded the chute
first, and then built a fire at the head of the island to run by. As to
the Sergeant's "closeness," we have heard it whispered that he once went
up to the right of the "Old Hen,"--[Glasscock's Island and the "Old
Hen" were phenomenally safe places.]--but this is probably a pardonable
little exaggeration, prompted by the love and admiration in which he
is held by various ancient dames of his acquaintance (for albeit the
Sergeant may have already numbered the allotted years of man, still his
form is erect, his step is firm, his hair retains its sable hue, and,
more than all, he hath a winning way about him, an air of docility and
sweetness, if you will, and a smoothness of speech, together with an
exhaustless fund of funny sayings; and, lastly, an overflowing stream,
without beginning, or middle, or end, of astonishing reminiscences of
the ancient Mississippi, which, taken together, form a 'tout ensemble'
which is sufficient excuse for the tender epithet which is, by common
consent, applied to him by all those ancient dames aforesaid, of
"che-arming creature!"). As the Sergeant has been longer on the river,
and is better acquainted with it than any other "cub" extant, his
remarks are entitled to far more consideration, and are always read
with the deepest interest by high and low, rich and poor, from "Kiho" to
Kamschatka, for let it be known that his fame extends to the uttermost
parts of the earth:

THE COMMUNICATION

R.R. Steamer Trombone, VICKSBURG, May 8, 1859.

The river from New Orleans up to Natchez is higher than it has been
since the niggers were executed (which was in the fall of 1813) and my
opinion is that if the rise continues at this rate the water will be
on the roof of the St. Charles Hotel before the middle of January. The
point at Cairo, which has not even been moistened by the river since
1813, is now entirely under water.

However, Mr. Editor, the inhabitants of the Mississippi Valley should
not act precipitately and sell their plantations at a sacrifice on
account of this prophecy of m