Abraham Lincoln grew up tall-six foot four - with huge hands and long arms, but with enormous strength in his leg, arm and chest muscles. Lincoln was considered lazy except in his desire to learn. Abraham took a book to read while he was plaguing, and when he had no paper or slate he would lie before the fire at night practicing writing and arithmetic on a piece of wood and cleaning it again by shaving the writing off with a hunting knife. Among the books that he read were A life of George Washington, Robinson Crusoe, and The Pilgrim's Progress, but the only book that he opened in his youth was the Bible, and its influence is seen in all his speeches and writings. The first big experience that opened up the world for him occurred when he was nineteen. He was given a job on a river boat to go with a cargo down the Mississippi to the New Orleans, a busy commercial port and the first town that he had ever seen. It was here, in the famous slave market, that he saw men, women and children being sold to the highest bidder, and, greatly moved, he said, "If ever I get a chance to hit that thing, I'll hit it hard."