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5.

and recognized from afar. The people spoke of what the boat could or would do or would not do without any reference to her Captain. By our? running waters the people were commingled their interests interwoven. Did the waters of Canada reach the ocean through the United States she would doubtless have been a part of the Union and would have had no foreign interests not in common with our own. The force of running water before the railway era was very potent in its influences upon the people who lived along its course. Now, the Western Steamboat is as much a thing of the past as the indian and the buffalo. The railroad has killed all of them together. They have vanished and become silent. The mighty tread of the iron horse covers the land in which they flourished.

The first four days of September were occupied in pushing the F.X. Aubry up the Missouri to Fort Leavenworth. This season of the year in this "yellow" climate was most enjoyable on a steamboat. With pleasant companions not long known to each other and with widely different experiences in Army life our intercourse was fresh and agreeable. + symbol and (over) The Aubry was a fine commodious boat, one of the best on the river and its officers capable and untiring. There was not an abundance of water and it was necessary to spar the Aubry over several bars. Sometimes this was a matter of minutes and one lift but