- Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain (gutenberg.org)
“Life on the Mississippi” by Mark Twain is a memoir and historical account written during the late 19th century. The narrative focuses on the author’s experiences as a young riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River, providing insights into the river’s history, geography, and the profession of piloting, intertwined with Twain’s characteristic wit and humor. The opening of the memoir begins with Twain discussing the remarkable features of the Mississippi River, highlighting its unusual shape, immense drainage basin, and significant historical importance. He reflects on the river’s physical properties, such as its ability to shift locations and the vast amount of sediment it carries to the Gulf of Mexico. Twain introduces historical figures like De Soto and La Salle, tracing the exploration and subsequent navigation of this great waterway. Through vivid descriptions and engaging anecdotes, the beginning sets the stage for a deeper exploration of life on the river, the challenges faced by pilots, and the culture surrounding steamboat travel in Twain’s time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
- Douglas Creek (Washington) (Wikipedia)
Douglas Creek is a creek in Douglas County, Washington. It rises in Douglas County, flows through Moses Coulee then empties to Wanapum Lake on the Columbia River. The course of the creek through Moses Coulee displays an “outdoor geologic laboratory” exhibiting basalt formations and relics of the Missoula floods of the last ice age. The watershed of Douglas Creek proper covers 132,056 acres (53,441 ha), about 11% of the county, but including McCarteny Creek the entire Moses Coulee drainage is 1,000 square miles (2,600 km2) or a little more than half of the county. The creek’s flow reaches the Columbia River “during storm water runoff events”, otherwise being absorbed into the aquifer.
- Life on the Mississippi (Wikipedia)
Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain of his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War published in 1883. It is also a travel book, recounting his trips on the Mississippi River, from St. Louis to New Orleans and then from New Orleans to Saint Paul, many years after the war.