I got on the _Belle Key_ one afternoon at Vicksburg; and as I
claimed to be a planter from White River, I soon became acquainted
with some planters that lived on the coast. There was a game of
poker started, and I was invited to sit in. We played until supper
was ready. I had played on the square, and had won a few hundred
dollars. After supper they got up a dance, and that spoiled the
game. I was sitting in the hall, when one of the planters came to
me and said, "Don't you dance?" "No, I don't care to dance where
I am not acquainted." "You are like me in that respect; I had
rather play poker; but as those gentlemen who were playing in the
game to-day have all got their families on board, they will not
play, so what do you say to us having a game?" I said I did not
care to play a while, but I would rather be a little more private,
and that we might go up into the texas and play. We got the checks
at the bar (and the barkeeper did not forget a deck of my cards).
We went up and had just got seated, when up came my partner and
said, "Gentlemen, are you going to sport a little?" "We are, will
you join us?" said the planter. "What are you going to play?"
"Poker, of course." He sat in, and then it was a very nice,
gentlemanly game. We played on the square for a while (that is,
if the cards had been square). Finally I could put it off no
longer, so I ran up two hands, giving the planter three eights,
and then downed him for over $400. We played a little while longer,
and then I ran up two more hands, and guarded them so nothing could
fall in that time. I gave my partner the best hand, and he took
in about $600. The planter was then over $1,000 loser, so he
excused himself for a few minutes, and I knew that he had gone
after more money. He soon returned with $1,500, and that lasted
him about one hour. He got up and said, "Boys, I must have some
more money." My partner and I went down with him, as I did not
think he could get any more. We were at the bar taking a drink,
when he turned to me and said, "I would like to play some more,
but I can't get any more money, unless you will loan me some on my
negro, as I have one on board that I paid $1,500 for, and she is
one of the most likely girls you ever saw." I winked at my partner
to loan him some money on his wench. He went back and brought out
one of the prettiest quadroon girls, about seventeen years old,
that I ever saw. My partner loaned him $1,000, and got the clerk
to draw up a bill of sale; then we resumed the game; but that did
not last him but about half an hour, for I beat him out of nearly
the whole amount on one hand, and that broke up the game. He had
but seventy-five dollars left. We went down and took a drink, and
then went to bed.
The next day he got the money and redeemed his girl, then he said
to me, "I have got about $700, so let us go up and play single-
handed." We went up, and I soon got that money. He said, "In all
my poker playing, I never played so unlucky in my life." He went
to my partner and borrowed $1,000 more on the girl, and I took that
in. He then went to Captain Keys, and tried to borrow the money
to redeem his girl again, but the Captain would not loan it to him.
He found a man that loaned him the money, and he redeemed her again.
He was considerable loser, but he got some more wine in him, then
he wanted more poker, but I told my partner not to have anything
more to do with his negro, for it was making too much talk on the
boat already. When he got to his landing, he and his negro left
the boat, and I tell you she was a dandy.