Life on the Mississippi

LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI

BY MARK TWAIN

THE 'BODY OF THE NATION'

BUT the basin of the Mississippi is the BODY OF THE NATION. All the other parts are but members, important in themselves, yet more important in their relations to this. Exclusive of the Lake basin and of 300,000 square miles in Texas and New Mexico, which in many aspects form a part of it, this basin contains about 1,250,000 square miles. In extent it is the second great valley of the world, being exceeded only by that of the Amazon. The valley of the frozen Obi approaches it in extent; that of La Plata comes next in space, and probably in habitable capacity, having about eight-ninths of its area; then comes that of the Yenisei, with about seven-ninths; the Lena, Amoor, Hoang-ho, Yang-tse-kiang, and Nile, five-ninths; the Ganges, less than one-half; the Indus, less than one-third; the Euphrates, one-fifth; the Rhine, one-fifteenth. It exceeds in extent the whole of Europe, exclusive of Russia, Norway, and Sweden. IT WOULD CONTAIN AUSTRIA FOUR TIMES, GERMANY OR SPAIN FIVE TIMES, FRANCE SIX TIMES, THE BRITISH ISLANDS OR ITALY TEN TIMES. Conceptions formed from the river-basins of Western Europe are rudely shocked when we consider the extent of the valley of the Mississippi; nor are those formed from the sterile basins of the great rivers of Siberia, the lofty plateaus of Central Asia, or the mighty sweep of the swampy Amazon more adequate. Latitude, elevation, and rainfall all combine to render every part of the Mississippi Valley capable of supporting a dense population. AS A DWELLING-PLACE FOR CIVILIZED MAN IT IS BY FAR THE FIRST UPON OUR GLOBE.

EDITOR'S TABLE, HARPER'S MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 1863


 * Chapter 1 - The River and Its History
 * Chapter 2 - The River and Its Explorers
 * Chapter 3 - Frescoes from the Past
 * Chapter 4 - The Boys' Ambition
 * Chapter 5 - I Want to be a Cub-pilot
 * Chapter 6 - A Cub-pilot's Experience
 * Chapter 7 - A Daring Deed
 * Chapter 8 - Perplexing Lessons
 * Chapter 9 - Continued Perplexities
 * Chapter 10 - Completing My Education
 * Chapter 11 - The River Rises
 * Chapter 12 - Sounding
 * Chapter 13 - A Pilot's Needs
 * Chapter 14 - Rank and Dignity of Piloting
 * Chapter 15 - The Pilots' Monopoly
 * Chapter 16 - Racing Days
 * Chapter 17 - Cut-offs and Stephen
 * Chapter 18 - I Take a Few Extra Lessons
 * Chapter 19 - Brown and I Exchange Compliments
 * Chapter 20 - A Catastrophe
 * Chapter 21 - A Section in My Biography
 * Chapter 22 - I Return to My Muttons
 * Chapter 23 - Traveling Incognito
 * Chapter 24 - My Incognito is Exploded
 * Chapter 25 - From Cairo to Hickman
 * Chapter 26 - Under Fire
 * Chapter 27 - Some Imported Articles
 * Chapter 28 - Uncle Mumford Unloads
 * Chapter 29 - A Few Specimen Bricks
 * Chapter 30 - Sketches by the Way
 * Chapter 31 - A Thumb-print and What Came of It
 * Chapter 32 - The Disposal of a Bonanza
 * Chapter 33 - Refreshments and Ethics
 * Chapter 34 - Tough Yarns
 * Chapter 35 - Vicksburg During the Trouble
 * Chapter 36 - The Professor's Yarn
 * Chapter 37 - The End of the 'Gold Dust'
 * Chapter 38 - The House Beautiful
 * Chapter 39 - Manufactures and Miscreants
 * Chapter 40 - Castles and Culture
 * Chapter 41 - The Metropolis of the South
 * Chapter 42 - Hygiene and Sentiment
 * Chapter 43 - The Art of Inhumation
 * Chapter 44 - City Sights
 * Chapter 45 - Southern Sports
 * Chapter 46 - Enchantments and Enchanters
 * Chapter 47 - Uncle Remus and Mr. Cable
 * Chapter 48 - Sugar and Postage
 * Chapter 49 - Episodes in Pilot Life
 * Chapter 50 - The 'Original Jacobs'
 * Chapter 51 - Reminiscences
 * Chapter 52 - A Burning Brand
 * Chapter 53 - My Boyhood's Home
 * Chapter 54 - Past and Present
 * Chapter 55 - A Vendetta and Other Things
 * Chapter 56 - A Question of Law
 * Chapter 57 - An Archangel
 * Chapter 58 - On the Upper River
 * Chapter 59 - Legends and Scenery
 * Chapter 60 - Speculations and Conclusions
 * Appendix A
 * Appendix B
 * Appendix C
 * Appendix D