lincoln set off from illinois on a flatboat with his stepbrother, cousin, and employer. sailing on what must have been an amusing site, a log cabin on hogs, with barrels and lincoln, john johnson, john and dennisennis -- hoff its set off. lincoln was traveling afar, and what he could not know it, what he would see what shape his thoughts for the remainder of his life. during this trip, link it would first come in contact with foreigners in the exotic city of new orleans. as one author wrote, he probably did not distinguish swedes from the dustman, italians, spaniards, swiss, norwegians, and russians he had counted on the streets of the city. he did realize for the very first time in his life that immigrants from many lands formed a significant part of the american population. lincoln's two flatboat voyages to new orleans were exceptionally important in his development. they formed the longest journeys of his life. his first experiences in a major city. his only visits to the deep south. his sole exposure to the regions brand of slavery and slave trading. his only time an