Submitted by scott on

April 21 Friday – The Gold Dust finally got underway at 2 AM and at 6 AM paused at Menard, Ill. to let off passengers near St. Genevieve. Sam enjoyed the scenery, passing Chester, Ill., Grand Tower, Ill., and Cape Girareau, Mo., stopping at Cairo, Ill., some 200 miles from St. Louis. It was night when the Gold Dust made Cairo [Ch. 25 LM; MTNJ 2: 436]. Sam noticed many changes in the river, including several islands that had been washed away.

Sam telegraphed from Cole’s Landing, Menard, Ill. to Livy (ref. Apr. 22 letter, though telegram now lost), and wrote aboard the Gold Dust to Livy:

Livy darling, I am in solitary possession of the pilot house of the steamer Gold Dust, with the familiar wheel & compass & bell ropes around me. We are taking in coal. I came up here at a quarter to 8 (1/2 an hour ago,) while the dog watch was still on, & before the regular watch began—consequently I’ve had a brief acquaintanceship with both pilots. I’m all alone, now (the pilot whose watch it is, told me to make myself entirely at home, & I’m doing it [ )].

The letter actually says he telepgraphed from Cairo, not Minard.

See SLC to OLC, 22 April 1882 · SS Gold Dust, (UCCL 02204). 2021. 

From Life on the Mississippi:

THE scenery, from St. Louis to Cairo—two hundred miles—is varied and beautiful. The hills were clothed in the fresh foliage of spring now, and were a gracious and worthy setting for the broad river flowing between. Our trip began auspiciously, with a perfect day, as to breeze and sunshine, and our boat threw the miles out behind her with satisfactory despatch.

 

Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

We put ashore a well-dressed lady and gentleman, and two well-dressed, lady-like young girls, together with sundry Russia-leather bags. A strange place for such folk! No carriage was waiting. The party moved off as if they had not expected any, and struck down a winding country road afoot.

Menard, Illinois (Chester)

We found a railway intruding at Chester, Illinois; Chester has also a penitentiary now, and is otherwise marching on. At Grand Tower, too, there was a railway; and another at Cape Girardeau. The former town gets its name from a huge, squat pillar of rock, which stands up out of the water on the Missouri side of the river—a piece of nature's fanciful handiwork—and is one of the most picturesque features of the scenery of that region.

Grand Tower, Illinois

Grand Tower, IL:

Cape Girardeau, Thebes and Commerce

Cape Girardeau is situated on a hillside, and makes a handsome appearance. There is a great Jesuit school for boys at the foot of the town by the river. Uncle Mumford said it had as high a reputation for thoroughness as any similar institution in Missouri! There was another college higher up on an airy summit—a bright new edifice, picturesquely and peculiarly towered and pinnacled—a sort of gigantic casters, with the cruets all complete.

Cairo, Illinois - 1882

Near the mouth of the river several islands were missing—washed away. Cairo was still there—easily visible across the long, flat point upon whose further verge it stands; but we had to steam a long way around to get to it. Night fell as we were going out of the 'Upper River' and meeting the floods of the Ohio.

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