’And now they neared their journey’s end.  On the sixth of April, the river divided itself into three broad channels.  La Salle followed that of the west, and D’Autray that of the east; while Tonty took the middle passage.  As he drifted down the turbid current, between the low and marshy shores, the brackish water changed to brine, and the breeze grew fresh with the salt breath of the sea.  Then the broad bosom of the great Gulf opened on his sight, tossing its restless billows, limitless, voiceless, lonely as when born of chaos, without a sail, without a sign of life.’

Then, on a spot of solid ground, La Salle reared a column ’bearing the arms of France; the Frenchmen were mustered under arms; and while the New England Indians and their squaws looked on in wondering silence, they chanted the Te DEUM, the EXAUDIAT, and the Domine SALVUM FAC REGEM.’

Then, whilst the musketry volleyed and rejoicing shouts burst forth, the victorious discoverer planted the column, and made proclamation in a loud voice, taking formal possession of the river and the vast countries watered by it, in the name of the King.  The column bore this inscription—­

Louis Le grand, Roy de France et de Navarre, REGNE; Le NEUVIEME Avril, 1682.

New Orleans intended to fittingly celebrate, this present year, the bicentennial anniversary of this illustrious event; but when the time came, all her energies and surplus money were required in other directions, for the flood was upon the land then, making havoc and devastation everywhere.

Chapter 28 Uncle Mumford Unloads

All day we swung along down the river, and had the stream almost wholly to ourselves.  Formerly, at such a stage of the water, we should have passed acres of lumber rafts, and dozens of big coal barges; also occasional little trading-scows, peddling along from farm to farm, with the peddler’s family on board; possibly, a random scow, bearing a humble Hamlet and Co. on an itinerant dramatic trip.  But these were all absent.  Far along in the day, we saw one steamboat; just one, and no more.  She was lying at rest in the shade, within the wooded mouth of the Obion River.  The spy-glass revealed the fact that she was named for me —­or he was named for me, whichever you prefer.  As this was the first time I had ever encountered this species of honor, it seems excusable to mention it, and at the same time call the attention of the authorities to the tardiness of my recognition of it.

Noted a big change in the river, at Island 21.  It was a very large island, and used to be out toward mid-stream; but it is joined fast to the main shore now, and has retired from business as an island.