Raymond S. Spears

“ It was nearly dark when the launch brought its passengers to the New Madrid highland, where hundreds of refugees had already gathered, and were being cared for by the community. Rain had turned the low eminence into muddy thoroughfares and mire, but it was above sea-level, and would be safe even if the water went four or five feet higher. Only two feet or so of water on the highlands would do no harm; one could wade from house to house, or to the stores, or anywhere. And it would really be easier to get around if one could go in skiffs or small launches, or canoes. ”

“ The crevasse opened rapidly, and before it stopped caving it would be more than a mile wide. The flood filled the Reelfoot Bottoms, raised Reelfoot Lake far out of its natural shores, and spread over thousands of acres of cotton and timber land, but the rescuers had come in time, and those in imminent danger were carried up to the levee, or out to the high land toward Slough Neck and Tiptonville.
All night long, and all the following day, without rest, and with only a snatch of corn pone or cold bread to eat, and a cup of hot coffee, given them on the levee, to drink, Sibley and Jimmy worked. ”

“ You’ll probably have to go down to Tiptonville, and haul across into Reelfoot Lake, and go up that way."
"Couldn’t I go up the levee, and go around through the crevasse?"
"You could. It’s an open field where there are no trees, but there’s an awful current down there, now, and houses right in the way. We don’t know whether they’ll stand against the flow at all. The worse the current, the more need of you boys!"
"We can go up the New Madrid eddy and through by Winchester Chute, and then work down across the drift. We ought to get over by the time we get to the lower Neck landing," Sibley said. ”

“ Sibley and Jimmy worked
It was almost midnight when they ran into the levee with a load, and asked, "Where next?"
"You can’t do any more to-night, boys. There are people over in the clearings, but they’re out of the send of the current. To-morrow’ll be time enough for them!" ”

“ The rescue party cut up through the woods, among the tree trunks, and returned Blawall to his raft. Then they worked eastward toward the Mississippi, and picked up another family, who felt obliged to abandon their home, but not without taking a crate of chickens and two dogs with them. ”

“ Where the current was rushing there was danger to the homesteaders and the launch went to such places first. The boys ran up the current to the buildings, or laid their boat alongside them. When they had a load, they returned to the levee, the only high land near by, landed the refugees, and returned for another load. ”