Sam Clemens on the Mississippi: Day By Day

August 1 Monday – Sam wrote a piece of fiction intended for newspaper publication titled “The Mysterious Murders in Risse.” It was never published [ET&S 1: 134].

August 10 Wednesday – The Edward J. Gray arrived New Orleans.

August 10 Friday – Sam witnessed the aurora borealis (“it was very beautiful, but it did not last very long”) and mentions it in his letter the following day.

August 11 Wednesday – The John H. Dickey left St. Louis.

August 11 Saturday – The Arago arrived in Cairo. Sam wrote from Cairo, Illinois to Susan I. (Belle) Stotts, sister of Orion’s wife, Mollie.
Dear Belle:
Confound me if I wouldn’t eat up half a dozen of you small girls if I just had the merest shadow of a chance this morning. Here I am, now, about 3 weeks out from Keokuk, and 2 from St. Louis, and yet I have not heard a word from you—and may not, possibly, for 2 or 3 more weeks, as we shall go no further up the river at present, but turn back from here and go to New Orleans.

August 12 Friday – The Edward J. Gray left for St. Louis.

August 12 Sunday – The Arago left for New Orleans.

August 14 Friday – John J. Roe arrived New Orleans.

August 14 Saturday – The John H. Dickey left Memphis.

August 18 Tuesday – John J. Roe left for St. Louis.

August 18 Wednesday – The John H. Dickey left St. Louis.

August 19 Friday – The Edward J. Gray arrived St. Louis.

August 2 Tuesday – Sam left St. Louis as pilot of the Edward J. Gray, (823 tons) Bart Bowen, Captain. Here was another majestic boat for Sam to pilot.

August 20 Monday – The Arago arrived in New Orleans.

August 21 Saturday – The John H. Dickey left Memphis.

August 22 Wednesday – The Arago left for St. Louis.

August 24 Wednesday – The Edward J. Gray left for New Orleans.

August 25 Wednesday – The John H. Dickey left St. Louis.

August 28 Saturday – The John H. Dickey left Memphis.

August 29 Saturday – John J. Roe arrived St. Louis.

August 3 Monday – Rufus L. Lackland arrived St. Louis.

August 3 Friday – The Arago arrived in Vicksburg.

August 30 Monday – Sam dated the article he signed as “Rambler” this day [Branch, “Dickey” 196]. This was the same pen name Sam had used for the Hannibal Journal from Apr. 29 through May 14, 1853.

August 30 Thursday – With J.W. Hood, his Arago copilot, Sam wrote “Pilot’s Memoranda,” a burlesque on pilot journaling. The piece was published over a year later in the St. Louis Missouri Republican [ET&S 1: 142]. This date is also given as the Republican publication date [MTNJ 1: 50n1;MTPO].

August 31 Friday – The Arago arrived in St. Louis.