Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-28
man, and shoullered stick Of pine into the

man, and shouldered stick OF pine into the
furnace.
Ii is remarked by authors, who have spoken
on the subject Of Juggling, that the very intensl
ty with which the audience eyes the iuggler, ia
cilitates- his decaptions. He has but 10 give
their eyes and their thought slight misdirec-
ton, and then he may, for moment, do almost
any thing unobserved, in full view. A vague
impression, growing out Of the loose converse
ton in the FIRE room, had prevailed among the
attendants and others employed in the boat, that
the gentleman was foreigner, going to ex-
plore, if not to tap, the Canal. With this view,
they felt no doubt he would land at Albany;
look out was kept for him, and though he was
unnoticed in the throng at the place of debarka-
ton, it was ascribed to the throng that he was
unnoticed. 4 tell you, you'll hear mischief
from that gentleman yet, said the engineer;
throwing off his steam.
what then was their establishment, and even
that of the captain and steward, to find again
that the stranger was still in the cabin and pre-
pared TO all appearance to go back to New
York. The captain felt he hardly knew how;
we may call II queer. He stihed, however, his
uneasy emotions, and endeayored to bow re-
specially to the strangers usual remark, Il be
lieve, captain, shall take the boat back A
ware Of the busy speculation, which had alrea-
dy begun to express itself in the fire room, he
requested the steward not to let it be known,
that that gentleman was going down again;
and it remained a secret, till the boat was under
way About half an hour after it had started,
the gentleman left the cablp 10 take one OF has
walks on deck, and in passing along was seen,
at the same instant, by the engineer and fire
man For a moment, they looked at each other
with an expression, in which disp!easure and
resolution were strongly mixed; not word was
said by either; but the fireman dropped huge
stick of pine, that he was shouldering into the
furnace; and the engineer as promptly took the
steam out of the engine, and brought the wheels
to stand. The Captain, Of course, rushed
forward, to know if the boiler had collapsed, (the
modern polite word for 6rSting,) and met the
desperate engineer coming up to speak Tor nm
self Captain said he, with kind OF high
pressure movement Of his arm, 4 have kept up
steam, ever since there was such thing as
steam on the river. Copper boiler or iron, high
pressure or low; give me the packing OF my own
cylinder, and I'll knock under to no man, but
if we are TO have that gentleman up and down,
down and up, up and down again, like sixty
horse piston, | know one that wont raise ano-
Their inch Of steam, if he starves for It,
The unconscious subject Of this tumult had
already retreated to his post in the cabin, before
the scene began; and was lackily ignorant OF
the trouble he was causing. The captain, who
was prudent man, spoke in conciliating tone
to the engineer; promised to ask the stranger
roundlv who he was, and what was his BUSH
ness, and if he found the least cause of dissatis
faction, to sci him ashore at Newburgh. The
modified engineer returned to his department;
the fireman shouldereo huge stick.of pine into
the furnace, the steam rushed into the cylinder,
and the boat was soon moving twelve knots an
hour on the river.
The captain, in the extremity Of the moment,
had promised what he found it hard TO perform,
and now experienced sensible palpitation, as
he drew near to the stranger, to acquit the OBJ
legation he had hastily assumed. The gentle
man, however, had already begun to surmise
the true state Of the case; he had noticed the
dstruslful looks Of the crew, and the dubious
expression Of the captain and steward. As the
former approached him, he determined to re-
leve the embarrassment, under which, ii was
plain, he was going to address him; and said, Il
perceive, sir, that YOU are at a loss to account
for my remaining on board the boat, for SO ma
lily successive trips, and if mistake not, your
is, captain, believe Shall pass the summer
with you
The stranger paused to notice somewhat
wickedly) the effect of this intelligence on the
captain, whose eyes began to grow round at the
intimation; but iii a moment pursued:--
"You must know, captain, | am one OF those
persons--favored will not say--who being a
boye the necessity Of laboring for subsistence,
are obliged to resort to some extraordinary
means to get through the year. | am Caro-
linan, and pass my summers in travelling.
have been obliged to come by land, for the sake
OF seeing friends and transacting business by the
way. Did you ever, captain, travelb land from
Charleston to Philadelphia
The captain shook his head, in the negative.
"You may thank heaven for that. o! captain,
the crazy stages, the vile roads, rivers to be
forded, sands to be ploughed through, the COM
fortress inns, the crowd, the noise, the heat-but
must not dwell on it Suffice it to say, have
suffered every thing, both moving and stationa-
rv.. have been overturned and had my shout
der dislocated in Virginia; / have been robbed
between Baltimore and Havre de Grace. Al
Philadelphia, have had my place in the mail
stage taken up by way passenger have been
o,uol h, tho IriShman in