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Going Around the Bend
- Author:
- Markow, Radiana
- Subjects:
- American History; Adventure; Mississippi River
- Geography:
- Mississippi
- Age:
- 12, 13, 14, 15
- Grade:
- 7, 8, 9
- Order code:
- 1668
- Price:
- $9.99
- Online Price:
- $7.99
- Class sets:
- 10 or more: $7.00 each. (Order code: 1668S)
Fifteen-year-old Henry had always loved the Ohio River, unlike his older brother, Israel, man of the house, who believed that a Quaker’s heart belonged on the farm. Now, with the farm in danger of foreclosure, Henry is sure that their only recourse is for him to become a wage earner, a riverman, moving cargo down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans on a flatboat. He would run away from Israel’s farm, learn the river, and return with money to pay off their debt—a man in every-one’s eyes.
Henry’s problems begin on board when superstitious Pierre wants to kill him, because a boy on crew would bring bad luck. He has to learn to read the river and know the dangers that its beauty hides: a sheet of glass means a sandbar, beautiful ripples mean a sunken tree, and swirling white foam and eddys mean certain boat breakup. His hands bleed at the long oar and he falls into the water, ashamed, but he perseveres. He learns to hunt turkey and deer on land to restock the food supply. He battles Indians in hand-to-hand combat, is wounded, and has the presence of mind to save the longboat from an eddy by swimming against its current out to another boat in calm water with a rope to pull it free. Finally the goods are delivered and Henry is paid.
Now begins the dangerous walk home, upriver, along the Natchez Trace. Never had Henry dreamed of being attacked by pirates for his wages and being taken prisoner for sale to a sea-going captain, or the days of thirst following his escape, or the stinking swampland and being eaten alive by black flies.
Although he is duly welcomed home, Israel expects Henry to resume his farm chores. But Henry, now a riverman, speaks his mind—and Israel hears.
Henry Miller Shreve later spent his time between farming and working on the river. Eventually he captained his own keelboat, and invented a double-decker steam boat and snagboat (a boat that removed sunken trees from the riverbed). For the first time riverboats could steam upriver safely. Shreveport Louisiana is named for him.
Fifteen-year-old Henry had always loved the Ohio River, unlike his older brother, Israel, man of the house, who believed that a Quaker’s heart belonged on the farm. Now, with the farm in danger of foreclosure, Henry is sure that their only recourse is for him to become a wage earner, a riverman, moving cargo down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans on a flatboat. He would run away from Israel’s farm, learn the river, and return with money to pay off their debt—a man in every-one’s eyes.
Henry’s problems begin on board when superstitious Pierre wants to kill him, because a boy on crew would bring bad luck. He has to learn to read the river and know the dangers that its beauty hides: a sheet of glass means a sandbar, beautiful ripples mean a sunken tree, and swirling white foam and eddys mean certain boat breakup. His hands bleed at the long oar and he falls into the water, ashamed, but he perseveres. He learns to hunt turkey and deer on land to restock the food supply. He battles Indians in hand-to-hand combat, is wounded, and has the presence of mind to save the longboat from an eddy by swimming against its current out to another boat in calm water with a rope to pull it free. Finally the goods are delivered and Henry is paid.
Now begins the dangerous walk home, upriver, along the Natchez Trace. Never had Henry dreamed of being attacked by pirates for his wages and being taken prisoner for sale to a sea-going captain, or the days of thirst following his escape, or the stinking swampland and being eaten alive by black flies.
Although he is duly welcomed home, Israel expects Henry to resume his farm chores. But Henry, now a riverman, speaks his mind—and Israel hears.
Henry Miller Shreve later spent his time between farming and working on the river. Eventually he captained his own keelboat, and invented a double-decker steam boat and snagboat (a boat that removed sunken trees from the riverbed). For the first time riverboats could steam upriver safely. Shreveport Louisiana is named for him.
