Alton, IL

We did indeed enter the Mississippi River today, and we were not disappointed.

The massive, craggy Mississippi ''palisades'' were a welcome change from the relatively flat land we had been traversing

The aspect of Elsah from the river is definitely un-inspiring.

Enroute we encountered a rather unusual vessel. It appeared to be a standard 200' river barge with a multi-story building on it. It was being pushed by a rather husky tow boat. 0ur curiosity got the best of us, so we asked and the radio; ''what kind of vessel is that?'' The answer astonished us; ''a private yacht.'' Boy would we like to know the rest of that story.

We are now ensconced in a very nice marina in Alton, IL.

Illinois was a ''free'' state in the 1830s among surounding ''slave states.'' Across the river from the thriving slave market place, St. Louis, and protected by the Mississippi and 0hio rivers, it was a natural as a staging area for the Underground Railroad.

In 1858 the last of the seven Lincoln Douglas debates was held at Alton.

More Mississippi meanderings tomorrow.