As they came to the city, the Mississippi did not seem to them to be more than a third of a mile wide, but they knew that it was extremely deep.
But there, snugly within the crescent, lay New Orleans, a town enclosed within palisaded fortifications that faced the levee for about a thousand yards, and that ran back perhaps half as far.

The levee was lined with vessels.

Already New Orleans was famous for shipping, and they saw the flags of many nations.

Schooners there were and brigs and brigantines, and barks and barkentines, and other craft from Europe and the West Indies and South America.

Near the shore was a great, high ship, from which the red and yellow flag of Spain fluttered in more than one place, while the muzzles of cannon protruded from her wooden sides.
"That's an armed galleon," said Paul.
"She's a big ship an' she's got lots o' men on her," said Shif'less Sol, "but I wouldn't trade our gall-yun fur her." "No, our boat suits us best," said Henry.
They saw about them on the river many small craft like their own, ships, boats, canoes, barges, dug-outs, and other kinds, manned by white men, red men, yellow men, and brown men.