The provided text is an excerpt from the novel "Dead Water" by Barbara Hambly, a work of fiction that features the character Benjamin January, a free man of color working as a private investigator and surgeon in 1836 New Orleans. The narrative focuses on January and his wife Rose as they pursue an embezzler named Weems up the Mississippi River on the steamboat Silver Moon to recover their lost savings. Along their journey, which is set against the backdrop of the intense summer heat and the complexities of slavery and race relations, they encounter a diverse cast of characters, including voodoo practitioners, slave traders (Gleet and Cain), and figures who operate the Underground Railway. The sources also include historical context notes from the author regarding the authenticity of steamboat travel during the 1830s and a brief biographical note about historical figures such as Jefferson Davis, placing the fictional events within a researched setting.