Stern Line Telegram (also known as Steamboat Gossip or grapevine, in steamboat jargon) will be presented by Hank Bloomer, retired architect and steamboat enthusiast, during the Central Texas Genealogical Society meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at the Waco-McLennan County Library, 1717 Austin Ave. in Waco.

The Ariel, the first steamboat used in Texas waters, was the property of Henry Austin, who brought the vessel to the mouth of the Rio Grande in June 1829 to experiment with steam navigation on the river. In October, the Texas Gazette reported that the Ariel had ascended 300 miles up the river to Revilla and was making regular runs between Matamoros and Camargo.

After a year, Austin gave up the project and arranged to visit Stephen F. Austin's colony in Texas.

In August 1830, he reached the mouth of the Brazos and ascended to Brazoria.

After exploring Brazos waters, Austin decided that a boat business could not be made profitable, and he headed for New Orleans.

The Ariel was almost wrecked attempting to cross the Brazos bar and put out to sea in a damaged condition. It was forced to return, and after three attempts to reach the U.S., the ship put back into Galveston Bay and was laid up to rot in the San Jacinto River.

The preceding information came from Handbook of Texas Online.