Mississippi River steamboat docked in New Orleans.

Black and white photograph of the steamship Rochester in motion on Alexandria Bay, New York. Taken by Robert Merrill from hotel room.

Steamship Montello, 6400 tons loading at Mobile, Alabama.

Steamship Montello, 6400 tons loading at Mobile, Alabama.

Black and white photograph of the Steamship Montello at Galveston Dock.

Black and white photograph of the Steamer Montello taken from the foredeck.

Black and white photograph of four officers standing on a railed walkway. Three of the four men are observing the latitude of the ship.

Black and white photograph of the foremast of the Steamer Montello. Three people are visible painting the mast.

Black and white photograph of the Steamer Montello from the stern of the ship.

Black and white photograph of seven people on the Steamer Montello. One man is standing on the upper walkway. Four men are standing on the lower walkway with one man standing at a window. One woman is visible in the window and another woman is…

Black and white photograph of four men painting the stack of the Steamer Montello.

Black and white photograph of a Robert H. Merrill reading the bearing of pigeon flight toward Cape Trafalgar.