Raymond S. Spears

“ Every hour was crowded in Cape Girardeau, which was almost wholly undamaged by the flood. Its people turned out to help those who had suffered in the bottoms, and scores of other towns were helpful in the same way. The most active of the workers, coming in sight of the river, would stop and gaze at the passing volumes of water and the acres and acres of black drift, going irresistibly down the valley. ”

“ The Carruths, shanty-boaters, working out in the refugee camps, saw other shanty-boaters moored in the back-water of the overflow. After passing the time of day they begged them to send word to the Cape if any news were heard of Sibley.
Motor-boats, driven by river navigators of all kinds, brought in victims of the flood who were found marooned on mounds, on cabin roofs, and even in the trees, all waiting for some one to come and find them. ”

“ When the river is low, and in its banks, the shanty-boaters who go dropping down from bend to bend have little in common with the stay-at-homes behind the levees. At some landings river-men may not land at all, because a few reckless river-rats have done things at those landings that have given all of the river people a reputation some of them by no means deserve. There is many a landing where any shanty-boat that tries to land is "shot up." ”