Nothing can exceed the excitement
attendant upon the racing of steamers on the Mississippi.
By the time the boats had reached Memphis they were side by side,
and each exerting itself to get in advance of the other. The night
was clear, the moon shining brightly, and the boats so near to
each other that the passengers were within speaking distance. On
board the Patriot the firemen were using oil, lard, butter, and
even bacon, with woody for the purpose of raising the steam to its
highest pitch. The blaze mingled with the black smoke that issued
from the pipes of the other boat, which showed that she also was
burning something more combustible than wood.
The firemen of both boats, who were slaves, were singing songs such
as can only be heard on board a Southern steamer. The boats now
came abreast of each other, and nearer and nearer, until they
were locked so that men could pass from one to the other. The
wildest excitement prevailed among the men employed on the
steamers, in which the passengers freely participated.
The Patriot now stopped to take in passengers, but still no steam
was permitted to escape. On the starting of the boat again, cold
water was forced into the boilers by the feed-pumps, and, as might
have been expected. one of the boilers exploded with terrific
force, carrying away the boiler-deck and tearing to pieces much of
the machinery. One dense fog of steam filled every part of the
vessel, while shrieks, groans, and cries were heard on every side.
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