e cents a day for their labor by cultivating it。
The fierce wind subsided before dawn； but a heavy fog covered the marshes and the creek。 Cuffy's 〃settlement〃 turned out before sunrise to see me off； and the canoe soon reached the broad Cooper River； which I ascended in the misty darkness by following close to the left bank。 Four miles up the Cooper River from Calibogue Sound there is a passage through the marshes from the Cooper to New River； which is called Ram's Horn Creek。 On the right of its entrance a well…wooded hammock rises from the marsh； and is called Page Island。 About midway between the two rivers and along this crooked thoroughfare is another piece of upland。 called Pine Island； inhabited by the families of two boat…builders。
While navigating Cooper River； as the heavy mists rolled in clouds over the quiet waters； a sail…boat； rowed by negroes； emerged from the gloom and as suddenly disappeared。 I shouted after them： 〃Please tell me the name of the next creek。〃 A hoarse voice came back to me from the cloud： 〃Pull and be d…d。〃 Then all was； still as night again。 To solve this seemingly uncourteous reply； so unusual in the south I consulted the manuscript charts which the Charleston pilots had kindly drawn for my use； and found that the negroes had spoken geographically as well as truthfully； for Pine Island Creek is known to the watermen as 〃Pull and be d…d Creek；〃 on account of its tortuous character； and chiefly because； as the tides head in it； if a boat enters it from one river with a favorable tide； it has a strong head current on the other side of the middle ground to oppose it。 Thus pulling at the oars at some parts of the creek becomes hard work for the boatmen； hence this name； which； though profane； may be considered geographical。
After leaving the Cooper River； the watercourses to Savannah were discolored by red or yellow mud。 From Pine Island I descended New River two miles and a half to Wall's Cut； which is only a quarter of a mile in length； and through which I entered Wright's River； following it a couple of miles to the broad； yellow； turbulent current of the Savannah。
My thoughts now naturally turned to the early days of steamboat enterprise； when this river； as well as the Hudson； was conspicuous； for though the steamer Savannah was not the first steam…propelled vessel which cut the waves of the Atlantic； she was the first steamer that ever crossed it。 Let us examine historical data。 Colonel John Stevens； of New York； built the steamboat Phoenix about the year 1808； and was prevented from using it upon the Hudson River by the Fulton and Livingston monopoly charter。
The Phoenix made an ocean voyage to the Delaware River。 The first English venture was that of the steamer Caledonia； which made a passage to Holland in 1817。 The London Times of May 11； 1819； printed in its issue of that date the following item：
〃GREAT EXPERIMENT。 A new vessel of three hundred tons has been built at New York for the express purpose of carrying passengers across the Atlantic。 She is to come to Liverpool direct。〃
This ship…rigged steamer was the 〃Savannah；〃 and the bold projector of this experiment of sending a steamboat across the Atlantic was Daniel Dodd。 The Savannah was built in New York； by Francis Ficket； for Mr。 Dodd。 Stephen Vail； of Morristown； New Jersey； built her engines； and on the 22d of August； 1818； she was launched； gliding gracefully into the element which was to bear her to foreign lands； there to be crowned with the laurels of success。 On May 25th this purely American…built vessel left Savannah； and glided out from this waste of marshes； under the command of Captain Moses Rogers； with Stephen Rogers as navigator。 The port of New London； Conn。； had furnished these able seamen。
The steamer reached Liverpool June 20th； the passage having occupied twenty…six days； upon eighteen of which she had used her paddles。 A son of Mr。 Dodd once told me of the sensation produced by the arrival of a smoking vessel on the coast of Ireland； and how Lieutenant John Bowie； of the king's cutter Kite； sent a boat…load of sailors to board the Savannah to assist her crew to extinguish the fires of what his Majesty's officers supposed to be a burning ship。
The Savannah； after visiting Liverpool； continued her voyage on July 23d； and reached St。 Petersburg in safety。 Leaving the latter port on October 10th； this adventurous craft completed the round voyage upon her arrival at Savannah； November 30th。
I pulled up the Savannah until within five miles of the city； and then left the river on its south side； where old rice…plantations are first met； and entered St。 Augustine Creek； which is the steamboat thoroughfare of the inland route to Florida。 Just outside the city of Savannah； near its beautiful cemetery； where tall trees with their graceful drapery of Spanish moss screen from wind and sun the quiet resting…places of the dead； my canoe was landed； and stored in a building of the German Greenwich Shooting Park； where Mr。 John Hellwig； in a most hospitable manner； cared for it and its owner。
While awaiting the arrival of letters at the Savannah post…office； many of the ladies of that beautiful city came out to see the paper canoe。 They seemed to have the mistaken idea that my little craft had come from the distant Dominion of Canada over the Atlantic Ocean。 They also looked upon the voyage of the paper canoe as a very sentimental thing； while the canoeist had found it an intensely practical affair； though occasionally relieved by incidents of romantic or amusing character。 As the ladies clustered round the boat while it rested upon the centre…table of Mr。 Hellwig's parlor； they questioned me freely。
〃Tell us；〃 they said； 〃what were your thoughts while you rowed upon the broad ocean in the lonely hours of night？〃
Though unwilling to break their pleasing illusions； I was obliged to inform them that a sensible canoeist is usually enjoying his needed rest in some camp； or sleeping in some sheltered place； under a roof if possible； after it is too dark to travel in safety； and as to ocean travelling； the canoe had only once entered upon the Atlantic Ocean； and then through a mistake。
〃But what subjects occupy your thoughts as you row； and row； and row all day by yourself； in this little ship？〃 a motherly lady inquired。
〃To tell you honestly； ladies； I must say that when I am in shallow watercourses； with the tides usually ebbing at the wrong time for my convenience； I am so full of anxiety about getting wrecked on the reefs of sharp coon…oysters； that I am wishing myself in deep water； and when my route forces me into the deep water of sounds； and the surface becomes tossed into wild disorder by strong currents and stronger winds； and the porpoises pay me their little attentions； chasing the canoe； flapping their tails； and showing their sportive dispositions； I think longingly of those same shoal creeks； and wish I was once more in their shallow waters。〃
〃We ladies have prayed for your safety；〃 said a kind…looking German lady； 〃and we will pray that your voyage may have a happy and successful end。〃
When the ladies left； two Irish laborers； dressed in sombre black； with high hats worn with the air of dignity； examined the boat。 There was an absence of the sparkle of fun usually seen in the Irish face； for this was a serious occasion。 They did not see any romance or sentiment in the voyage； but took a broad； geographical view of the matter。 They stood silently gazing at the canoe with the same air of solemnity they would have given a corpse。 Then one addressed the other； as though the owner of the craft was entirely out of the hearing of their conversation。
Said No。 1； 〃And what did I tell ye； Pater？〃 〃And so ye did；〃 replied No。 2。 〃And didn't I say so？〃 continued No。 1。 〃Of course ye did； and wasn't me of the same mind； to be sure？〃 responded No。2。 〃Yes； I told ye as how it is the men of these times is greater than the men of ould times。 There was the great Coolumbus； who came over in three ships to see Americky。 What did he know about paper boats？ Nothing at all； at all。 He cum over in big ships； while this young feller has cum all the way from Canada。 I tell ye the men of ould times was not up to the men of these times。 Thin there's Captain Boyton； who don't use any boat or ship at all； at all； but goes aswimming in rubber clothes to keep him dry all over the Atlantic Oshin。 Jis' look； man； how he landed on the shores of ould Ireland not long since。 Now what's Coolumbus； or any other man of the past ages； to him？ Coolumbus could not hold a candle to Boyton！ No； I tell ye agen that the men of this age is greater than the men of the past ages。〃 〃And；〃 broke in No。2； 〃there's a Britisher who's gone to the River Niles in a canoe。〃 〃The River Niles！〃 hotly exclaimed No。 1； 〃don't waste your breath on that thing。 It's no new thing at all； at all。 It was diskivered a long time a go； and nobody cares a fig for it now。〃 〃Yet；〃 responded No。2； 〃some of those old…times people were very enterprising。 There was that great traveller Robinson Crusoe： ye must confess he was a great man for his time。〃 〃The same who wint to the South Sea Islands and settled there？〃 asked the first biographer。 〃The 〃very same man；〃 replied No。2； with animation。
This instructive conversation was here interrupted by a party of ladies and gentlemen； who in turn gave their views of canoe and canoeist。
CHAPTER XIII。 FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER TO FLORIDA。
ROUTE TO THE SEA ISLANDS OF GEORGIA。 STORM…BOUND ON GREEN ISLAND。 OSSABAW ISLAND。 ST。 CATHERINE'S SOUND。 SAPELO ISLAND。 THE MUD OF MUD RIVER。 NIGHT IN A NEGRO CABIN。 〃DE SHOUTINGS〃 ON DOBOY ISLAND。 BROUGHTON ISLAND。 ST。 SIMON'S AND JEKYL ISLANDS。 INTERVIEW WITH AN ALLIGATOR。 A NIGHT IN JOINTER HAMMOCK。 CUMBERLAND ISLAND AND ST。 MARY'S RIVER。 FAREWELL TO THE SEA。
On February 24th； the voyage was again resumed。 My route lay through the coast islands of Georgia； as far south as the state boundary； Cumberland Sound； and the St。 Mary's River。 This part of the coast is very interesting； and is beautifully delineated on the Coast Charts No。 56…57 of the United States Coast Survey； which were