This book is about the 1830s era steamer YELLOW STONE which during this early part of the age of steamer ventured from Louisville Kentucky to points north like North Dakota a considerable feat! this vessel a sidewheeler, having propelling wheels with rectangular boards attached to the wheels outward perimeter near the middle of its hull and housing as opposed to a sternwheeler which had large wide paddlewheel at its "stern" or back end played an important role in the Texas revolution although there are no plans of the YELLOW STONE in the book or anywhere for that matter very few plans exist of steamers of the early age of steam and not a great many exist for any later day vessels, there are drawings of the YELLOW STONE and a superb watercolor of this steamer by pioneer artist Karl Bodmer and a transcript of the original contract in its quaint english describing the dimensions of the parts of the steamer hull