To row a man up Salt River is to beat him, or make him otherwise uncomfortable. The phrase is much used with reference to a defeated party in polities.
1833. See if I don’t row you up Salt River, before you are many days older.—J. K. Paulding, ‘The Banks of the Ohio,’ i. 133 (Lond.).
1838. When you want to be rowed up ‘salt river’ again, just tip me the wink.—B. Drake, ‘Tales and Sketches,’ p. 36.
1838. The justly celebrated long, low, black Schooner Hoco Poco, being part of the squadron bound for Salt River, will sail early in November.—Heading of a political squib in the Chemung (N.Y.) Democrat, Nov. 1.
1839.
Locofoco hymn for 1840. | |
| “We are marching to Salt River, | |
| A sad and gloomy band.” | |
Havana (N.Y.) Republican, Dec. 4. |
a. 1840. See Appendix I.
1841. The Federal party have been in banishment for forty years. For forty years they have been rowing up “Salt river,” bareheaded and barebacked, on half rations; and now they have a right to exult.—Mr. Duncan of Ohio, House of Repr., Jan. 25: Cong. Globe, p. 152, Appendix.
1843. If I don’t row you up salt crick in less nor no time, my name’s not Sam Townsend.—B. R. Hall (‘Robert Carlton’), ‘The New Purchase,’ i. 261.
1844. Mr. Duncan of Ohio desired the Clerk to read an ode to be sung by the “united” Whig party on their approaching voyage up Salt river.—House of Repr., May 6: Cong. Globe, p. 580.
1844. Mr. Kennedy of Indiana feared his colleague, instead of viewing the land of promise from “Pisgah’s top,” had been looking up the valley of Salt river.—The same, Dec. 20: id., p. 37, App.
1848. “You may depend upon it,” says he, “Salt River runs up stream; and I suppose that is the only river in America that does run up stream.”—Seba Smith (‘Major Downing’), ‘My Thirty Years Out of the Senate,’ p. 319 (1860).
1849. Gulielmus Lloyd Garrison, Liberator; qui nuper apud Londinum (adjuvante Dan. O’Connell) Americanos up Salt River rowavit.—Knick. Mag., xxxiii. 549 (June). (Italics in the original.)
1854. “For the head waters of Salt River.”—Heading, Weekly Oregonian, June 10.
1855. Let Gaines and Strong, who came round the Horn together, be shipped to the head waters of Salt River.—Olympia (W.T.) Pioneer, June 29.
1856. Hang the scrimpton, I rowed him up Salt River, and he’s gone home a little lighter than he came.—‘A Kentucky Story’ in the San Francisco Call, Dec. 9.
1860. From 1860 to 1868, broadsides, &c. were published in Philadelphia, under the titles of “Salt River Express,” “Salt River Gazette,” “Salt River Mare’s Nest,” &c.; also tickets “for Salt River direct.”
