Life on the Mississippi

 The Project Gutenberg EBook of Life On The Mississippi, Complete by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Life On The Mississippi, Complete Author: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) Release Date: August 20, 2006 [EBook #245] Last Updated: August 18, 2016 Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI, COMPLETE *** Produced by David Widger. Earliest PG text edition produced by Graham Allan LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI By Mark Twain TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I. The Mississippi is Well worth Reading about.--It is Remarkable.--Instead of Widening towards its Mouth, it grows Narrower.--It Empties four hundred and six million Tons of Mud.--It was First Seen in 1542.--It is Older than some Pages in European History.--De Soto has the Pull.--Older than the Atlantic Coast.--Some Half-breeds chip in.--La Salle Thinks he will Take a Hand. CHAPTER II. La Salle again Appears, and so does a Cat-fish.--Buffaloes also.--Some Indian Paintings are Seen on the Rocks.--“The Father of Waters “does not Flow into the Pacific.--More History and Indians. --Some Curious Performances--not Early English.--Natchez, or the Site of it, is Approached. CHAPTER III. A little History.--Early Commerce.--Coal Fleets and Timber Rafts.--We start on a Voyage.--I seek Information.--Some Music.--The Trouble begins.--Tall Talk.--The Child of Calamity.--Ground and lofty Tumbling.--The Wash-up.--Business and Statistics.--Mysterious Band.--Thunder and Lightning.--The Captain speaks.--Allbright weeps.--The Mystery settled.--Chaff.--I am Discovered.--Some Art-work proposed.--I give an Account of Myself.--Released. CHAPTER IV. The Boys’ Ambition.--Village Scenes.--Steamboat Pictures. --A Heavy Swell.--A Runaway. CHAPTER V. A Traveller.--A Lively Talker.--A Wild-cat Victim CHAPTER VI. Besieging the Pilot.--Taken along.--Spoiling a Nap.--Fishing for a Plantation.--“Points” on the River.--A Gorgeous Pilot-house. CHAPTER VII. River Inspectors.--Cottonwoods and Plum Point.--Hat-Island Crossing.--Touch and Go.--It is a Go.--A Lightning Pilot CHAPTER VIII. A Heavy-loaded Big Gun.--Sharp Sights in Darkness.--Abandoned to his Fate.--Scraping the Banks.--Learn him or Kill him. CHAPTER IX. Shake the Reef.--Reason Dethroned.--The Face of the Water. --A Bewitching Scene.-Romance and Beauty. CHAPTER X. Putting on Airs.--Taken down a bit.--Learn it as it is.--The River Rising. CHAPTER XI. In thg Tract Business.--Effects of the Rise.--Plantations gone.--A Measureless Sea.--A Somnambulist Pilot.--Supernatural Piloting.--Nobody there.--All Saved. CHAPTER XII. Low Water.--Yawl sounding.--Buoys and Lanterns.--Cubs and Soundings.--The Boat Sunk.--Seeking the Wrecked. CHAPTER XIII. A Pilot’s Memory.--Wages soaring.--A Universal Grasp.--Skill and Nerve.--Testing a “Cub.”--“Back her for Life.”--A Good Lesson. CHAPTER XIV. Pilots and Captains.--High-priced Pilots.--Pilots in Demand.--A Whistler.--A cheap Trade.--Two-hundred-and-fifty-dollar Speed. CHAPTER XV. New Pilots undermining the Pilots’ Association.--Crutches and Wages.--Putting on Airs.--The Captains Weaken.--The Association Laughs.--The Secret Sign.--An Admirable System.--Rough on Outsiders. --A Tight Monopoly.--No Loophole.--The Railroads and the War. CHAPTER XVI. All Aboard.--A Glorious Start.--Loaded to Win.--Bands and Bugles.--Boats and Boats.--Racers and Racing. CHAPTER XVII. Cut-offs.--Ditching and Shooting.--Mississippi Changes.--A Wild Night.--Swearing and Guessing.--Stephen in Debt.--He Confuses his Creditors.--He makes a New Deal.--Will Pay them Alphabetically. CHAPTER XVIII. Sharp Schooling.--Shadows.--I am Inspected.--Where did you get them Shoes?--Pull her Down.--I want to kill Brown.--I try to run her.--I am Complimented. CHAPTER XIX. A Question of Veracity.--A Little Unpleasantness.--I have an Audience with the Captain.--Mr. Brown Retires. CHAPTER XX. I become a Passenger.--We hear the News.--A Thunderous Crash.--They Stand to their Posts.--In the Blazing Sun.--A Grewsome Spectacle.--His Hour has Struck. CHAPTER XXI. I get my License.--The War Begins.--I become a Jack-of-all-trades. CHAPTER XXII. I try the Alias Business.--Region of Goatees--Boots begin to Appear.--The River Man is Missing.--The Young Man is Discouraged.-- Specimen Water.--A Fine Quality of Smoke.--A Supreme Mistake.--We Inspect the Town.--Desolation Way-traffic.--A Wood-yard. CHAPTER XXIII. Old French Settlements.--We start for Memphis.--Young Ladies and Russia-leather Bags. CHAPTER XXIV. I receive some Information.--Alligator Boats.--Alligator Talk.--She was a Rattler to go.--I am Found Out. CHAPTER XXV. The Devil’s Oven and Table.--A Bombshell falls.--No Whitewash.--Thirty Years on the River.-Mississippi Uniforms.--Accidents and Casualties.--Two hundred Wrecks.--A Loss to Literature.--Sunday- Schools and Brick Masons. CHAPTER XXVI. War Talk.--I Tilt over Backwards.--Fifteen Shot-holes.--A Plain Story.--Wars and Feuds.--Darnell versus Watson.--A Gang and a Woodpile.--Western Grammar.--River Changes.--New Madrid.--Floods and Falls.