<https://www.gutenberg.org/files/245/245-h/245-h.htm> Life on the Mississippi, Complete, by Mark Twain https://www.gutenberg.org › files <https://www.gutenberg.org/files/245/245-h/245-h.htm> [life on the mississippi muddy river water from www.gutenberg.org] The man they called Ed said the muddy Mississippi water was wholesomer to drink than the clear water of the Ohio; he said if you let a pint of this yaller ... ________________________________ From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of David Foster <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, September 9, 2022 4:23 PM To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Another question about Twain and the Mississippi River Try Huck Finn, chapter16 - the comparison of a St. Louis and a Cincinnati graveyard. On Fri, Sep 9, 2022 at 2:34 PM Scott Holmes <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > He was not entirely joking. Charles Dickens reports drinking > Mississippi River water while in St. Louis. This event with Twain also > occurred in St. Louis in April of 1882, at the outset of his return to > the Mississippi. Thank you, Taylor, for the reference. It also serves > to indicate that the muddy nature of the Mississippi River derives from > the Missouri River, often referred to as "The Big Muddy", an appelation > mistakenly applied to the Mississippi on occasion. > > On 9/9/22 10:04, Taylor Roberts wrote: > > From LOM ch 22 (surely a joke!): > > > > 'What is a person to do here when he wants a drink of water?—drink this > > slush?' > > > > > > 'Can't you drink it?' > > > > > > 'I could if I had some other water to wash it with.' > > > > > > Here was a thing which had not changed; a score of years had not affected > > this water's mulatto complexion in the least; a score of centuries would > > succeed no better, perhaps. It comes out of the turbulent, bank-caving > > Missouri, and every tumblerful of it holds nearly an acre of land in > > solution. I got this fact from the bishop of the diocese. If you will let > > your glass stand half an hour, you can separate the land from the water > as > > easy as Genesis; and then you will find them both good: the one good to > > eat, the other good to drink. The land is very nourishing, the water is > > thoroughly wholesome. The one appeases hunger; the other, thirst. But the > > natives do not take them separately, but together, as nature mixed them. > > When they find an inch of mud in the bottom of a glass, they stir it up, > > and then take the draught as they would gruel. It is difficult for a > > stranger to get used to this batter, but once used to it he will prefer > it > > to water. This is really the case. It is good for steamboating, and good > to > > drink; but it is worthless for all other purposes, except baptizing. > > > > > > > > On Fri, Sep 9, 2022 at 12:47 PM Dave Davis<[log in to unmask]> > > wrote: > > > >> I think no one in their right mind would fill a glass with it -- except > for > >> demonstration purposes -- below Minneapolis/St. Paul. (I've seen it > there > >> -- it is still mostly clear. > >> > >> On Fri, Sep 9, 2022 at 12:44 PM Scott Holmes<[log in to unmask]> > >> wrote: > >> > >>> I suspect I could search this out in his autobiography but Twain-L may > >>> be quicker - Did he ever mention drinking Mississippi River water? If > >>> so, when might this have occurred? This is certainly not something > >>> anyone would choose to do today but in the eighteenth (pre-industrial) > >>> century this was considered as quite healthful. > >>> > >>> -- > >>> /Unaffiliated Geographer and Twain aficionado/ > >>> > -- > /Unaffiliated Geographer and Twain aficionado/ > -- [image: AUseal_sig.jpg] David Foster Professor of Political Science Department of History and Political Science Andrews Hall 122 (w) 419-289-5626 [log in to unmask]