We got on board the steam-boat which was to convey us to Wheeling at three o’clock.  She was a noble boat, by far the finest we had seen.  The cabins were above, and the deck passengers, as they are called, were accommodated below.  In front of the ladies’ cabin was an ample balcony, sheltered by an awning; chairs and sofas were placed there, and even at that early season, nearly all the female passengers passed the whole day there.  The name of this splendid vessel was the Lady Franklin.  By the way, I was often amused by the evident fondness which the Americans shew for titles.  The wives of their eminent men constantly receive that of “Lady.”  We heard of Lady Washington, Lady Jackson, and many other “ladies.”  The eternal recurrence of their militia titles is particularly ludicrous, met with, as they are, among the tavern-keepers, market-gardeners, &c.  But I think the most remarkable instance which we noticed of this sort of aristocratical longing occurred at Cincinnati.  Mr. T—­ in speaking of a gentleman of the neighbourhood, called him Mr. M—.  “General M—­, sir,” observed his companion.  “I beg his pardon,” rejoined Mr. T—­, “but I was not aware of his being in the army.”  “No, sir, not in the army,” was the reply, “but he was surveyor-general of the district.”

The weather was delightful; all trace of winter had disappeared, and we again found ourselves moving rapidly up the stream, and enjoying all the beauty of the Ohio.

Of the male part of the passengers we saw nothing, excepting at the short silent periods allotted for breakfast, dinner, and supper, at which we were permitted to enter their cabin, and place ourselves at their table.

In the Lady Franklin we had decidedly the best of it, for we had our beautiful balcony to sit in.  In all respects, indeed, our accommodations were very superior to what we had found in the boat which brought us from New Orleans to Memphis, where we were stowed away in a miserable little chamber close aft, under the cabin, and given to understand by the steward, that it was our duty there to remain “till such time as the bell should ring for meals.”

The separation of the sexes, so often mentioned, is no where more remarkable than on board the steam-boats.  Among the passengers on this occasion we had a gentleman and his wife, who really appeared to suffer from the arrangement.  She was an invalid, and he was extremely attentive to her, as far, at least, as the regulations permitted.  When the steward opened the door of communication between the cabins, to permit our approaching the table, her husband was always stationed close to it to hand her to her place; and when he accompanied her again to the door, he always lingered for a moment or two on the forbidden threshold, nor left his station, till the last female had passed through.  Once or twice he ventured, when all but his wife were on the balcony, to sit down beside her for a moment in our cabin, but the instant either of us entered, he started like a guilty thing and vanished.