The modern city of Paducah, Kentucky, stands today below the junction of the Cumberland and the Ohio at the mouth of the Tennessee River. In Bodmer's day Paducah was a small town. When passing this same location in March, 1833, Maximilian recorded in his journal that the Western Pilot of 1829 did not include a reference to Paducah.

On October 17 the Water Witch approached the settlement of Rome, Indiana, opposite Cloverburg, Kentucky. In the afternoon it anchored at Stevensport below Rome, where Bodmer made two watercolor studies of the river.

Continuing down river from Cincinnati on October 13, Maximilian and his traveling companions arrived at Louisville, Kentucky, on the following day. Here they found lodgings ashore for the night. Maximilian devoted several pages in his journal to a description of Louisville and its inhabitants. Of the latter he wrote, "Elegance is the principal concern of the inhabitants here . . .. They are looking for money and fine clothes, while feeling bored and leaning their mostly empty heads against the wall as if they were very heavy."