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sion houses； varying standards of money； want of systems of credit and low prices due to the glutting of the market when hundreds of flatboats arrived in the South simultaneously on the same freshetwe are informed that 〃Billy Earthquake is the geniwine； double…acting engine； and can out…run； out…swim； chaw more tobacco and spit less； drink more whiskey and keep soberer than any other man in these localities。〃
The reason for this lack of information is that our descriptions of flatboating and keel boating are written by travelers who； as is always the case； are interested in what is unusual； not in what is typical and commonplace。 It is therefore only dimly； as through a mist； that we can see the two lines of polemen pass from the prow to the stern on the narrow running…board of a keel boat； lifting and setting their poles to the cry of steersman or captain。 The struggle in a swift 〃rife〃 or rapid is momentous。 If the craft swerves； all is lost。 Shoulders bend with savage strength； poles quiver under the tension； the captain's voice is raucous； and every other word is an oath； a pole breaks； and the next man； though half…dazed in the mortal crisis； does for a few moments the work of two。 At last they reach the head of the rapid； and the boat floats out on the placid pool above； while the 〃alligator…horse〃 who had the mishap remarks to the scenery at large that he'd be 〃fly…blowed before sun…down to a certingty〃 if that were not the very pole with which he 〃pushed the broadhorn up Salt River where the snags were so thick that a fish couldn't swim without rubbing his scales off。〃 Audubon； the naturalist…merchant of the Mississippi； has left us a clear picture of the process by which these heavy tubs； loaded with forty or fifty tons of freight； were forced upstream against a swift current：
〃Wherever a point projected so as to render the course or bend below it of some magnitude； there was an eddy； the returning current of which was sometimes as strong as that of the middle of the great stream。 The bargemen； therefore； rowed up pretty close under the bank and had merely to keep watch in the bow lest the boat should run against a planter or sawyer。 But the boat has reached the point； and there the current is to all appearance of double strength and right against it。 The men； who have rested a few minutes； are ordered to take their stations and lay hold of their oars； for the river must be crossed； it being seldom possible to double such a point and proceed along the same shore。 The boat is crossing； its head slanting to the current； which is； however； too strong for the rowers； and when the other side of the river has been reached； it has drifted perhaps a quarter of a mile。 The men are by this time exhausted and； as we shall suppose it to be 12 o'clock； fasten the boat to a tree on the shore。 A small glass of whiskey is given to each； when they cook and eat their dinner and； after resting from their fatigue for an hour； recommence their labors。 The boat is again seen slowly advancing against the stream。 It has reached the lower end of a sandbar； along the edge of which it is propelled by means of long poles； if the bottom be hard。 Two men； called bowsmen； remain at the prow to assist； in concert with the steersman； in managing the boat and keeping its head right against the current。 The rest place themselves on the land side of the footway of the vessel； put one end of their poles on the ground and the other against their shoulders and push with all their might。 As each of the men reaches the stern； he crosses to the other side； runs along it and comes again to the landward side of the bow； when he recommences operations。 The barge in the meantime is ascending at a rate not exceeding one mile in the hour。〃
Trustworthy statistics as to the amount and character of the Western river trade have never been gathered。 They are to be found； if anywhere； in the reports of the collectors of customs located at the various Western ports of entry and departure。 Nothing indicates more definitely the hour when the West awoke to its first era of big business than the demand for the creation of 〃districts〃 and their respective ports； for by no other means could merchandise and produce be shipped legally to Spanish territory beyond or down the Mississippi or to English territory on the northern shores of the Great Lakes。
Louisville is as old a port of the United States as New York or Philadelphia； having been so created when our government was established in 1789； but oddly enough the first returns to the National Treasury （1798） are credited to the port of Palmyra； Tennessee； far inland on the Cumberland River。 In 1799 the following Western towns were made ports of entry： Erie； Sandusky； Detroit； Mackinaw Island； and Columbia （Cincinnati）。 The first port on the Ohio to make returns was Fort Massac； Illinois； and it is from the collector at this point that we get our first hint as to the character and volume of Western river traffic。 In the spring months of March； April； and May； 1800； cargoes to the value of 28；581 pounds； Pennsylvania currency； went down the Ohio。 This included 22；714 barrels of flour； 1017 barrels of whiskey； 12；500 pounds of pork； 18；710 pounds of bacon； 75；814 pounds of cordage； 3650 yards of country linen； 700 bottles； and 700 barrels of potatoes。 In the three autumn months of 1800； for instance； twenty…one boats ascended the Ohio by Fort Massac； with cargoes amounting to 36 hundredweight of lead and a few hides。 Descending the river at the same time； flatboats and barges carried 245 hundredweight of drygoods valued at 32；550。 When we compare these spring and fall records of commerce downstream we reach the natural conclusion that the bulk of the drygoods which went down in the fall of the year had been brought over the mountains during the summer。 The fact that the Alleghany pack…horses and Conestogas were transporting freight to supply the Spanish towns on the Mississippi River in the first year of the nineteenth century seems proved beyond a doubt by these reports from Fort Massac。
The most interesting phase of this era is the connection between western trade and the politics of the Mississippi Valley which led up to the Louisiana Purchase。 By the Treaty of San Lorenzo in 1795 Spain made New Orleans an open port； and in the next seven years the young West made the most of its opportunity。 But before the new century was two years old the difficulties encountered were found to be serious。 The lack of commission merchants； of methods of credit； of information as to the state of the market； all combined to handicap trade and to cause loss。 Pittsburgh shippers figured their loss already at 60；000 a year。 In consequence men began to look elsewhere； and an advocate of big business wrote in 1802： 〃The country has received a shock； let us immediately extend our views and direct our efforts to every foreign market。〃
One of the most remarkable plans for the capture of foreign trade to be found in the annals of American commerce originated almost simultaneously in the Muskingum and Monongahela regions。 With a view to making the American West independent of the Spanish middlemen； it was proposed to build ocean…going vess