Trying to get a sense of the kind of craft imagined in this song is not seeking "stitch counting historical accuracy". And of course "speculation" is a form of "imagination". But my questions are not designed to be a "sure fire fun killer", And yes the question of the kind of "salt" involved in the river trade is a legitimate question. And my questions have to do with whether it makes any sense to imagine/speculate/talk about flatboats making "round trips" from Shawneetown to Louisville or Cincinnati. And so, when singing this song and enjoying it, are we thinking about flatboats or keelboats (or other river craft that can go up stream)? And why is this concern not a part of our discussion over the years. And to refresh my memory I would like to see the 200 year old "starting point" pop song that you are referring to. Can you give us a copy of it? More than just a reference. I do not recall seeing anything like this as such in the various discussions on "Shawneetown". Are you referring to the "Pushboat Song" or "Going Down to Cairo" or something else?