Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1829-08-27
MIKE FINK, THE LAST OF THE
BOATMEN.

i
The last number of Flint's Western
Review contains some particulars relating
to this eccentric boatman, furnished by a
correspondent at St. Louis, Missouri.
Mike Fink was born in Pittsburg, Pa.
where his brothers, &c. still reside. He
had but little knowledge of letters, espe-
cially Of their sounds and powers, as his Or
biography was very bad, and he usually
spelled his name Niche Phinck, whilst his
father spelled his with an F. His language
was perfect sample of the half horse and
half alligator dialect of the then race of
boatmen. He first visited St. Louis, as a
keel boat man, in the year 1914 or 1915,
and occasionally afterwards, till 1922,
when he joined Henry and Ashley's COM
pany Of Missouri trappers. Many shooting
feats of Mikes are related here by persons,
who profess to have witnessed them. In
ascending the Mississippi above the mouth
of the Ohio, he saw sow with eight or
nine pigs on the river bank he declared
ia boatmen phrase, he wanted pig, and
took up is rifle TO shoot one, but was re-
quested not tc do so. Mike, however, laid
his rife to his face and shot at each pig
successfully, as the boat glided up the riv-
er under easy sail, about forty or fifty yards
from shore, and cut off their tails close to
their rumps, without doing thsm any other
harm. In 1921, short time before he
assembled the Missouri with Henry and
Ashley's company, aud being on his boat
at the landing in this port he saw negro
lad standing on the river bank, heedlessly
gaping, in great wonderment at the show
about him. The boy had STANCE sort of
foot and heel, peculiar to some races of tho
Africans. His heel protruded several inch
es in the rear of his leg, so as to leave
nearly as much foot behind as before it,
This unshapely foot offended Mikes eye,
and outraged his ideas of symmetry SO much,
that he determined to correct it. He took
aim with his rifle, some thirty yards dis
tant, at the boys unfortunate heel. and ac-
tually shot it away. The boy fell, crying
murder, and badly wounded. Mike was
indicted in the circuit court of this county
for the offence. and was found guilty by
Jury. have myself seen the record Of
the court. 1t appeared in evidence, that
Mikes justification of the offence was,
I" that the fellows long heel prevented him
from wearing gsnteeI boot" His partic-
ular friend, Carpenter, was, also, a great
shot and he and Mike used to ill tin
cup with whiskey, and place it on their
heads by turns, and shoot at with ride
at the distance Of seventy yards. 1t was
always borep through without injury to the
one, on whose head it was placed. This
was often performed, and they liked the
feat the better, because it showed their
confidence in each other.
In 1922, Mike and his two friends, Car
penter and Talbot, engaged in St. Louis
with Henry and Ashley, to 60 up the Mis-
souri, with them, in the three fold capacity
Of boatmen, trappers and hunters. The
first year company Of about sixty ascend
ed as high as the mouth of the Yellow
Stone River, where they built fort for the
purposes of trade and security. From
this place, small detachments of men, ten
or twelve in company. were sent out to
hunt and trap on the tributary streams Of
Missouri and Yellow stones. Mike and
company dug hole, or cave in the bluff
bank Of the river, for a winter house, 10
which they resided during the winter
Here Mike and his friend Carpenter quar-
relied a deadly quarrel, the cause Of which
is not certainly known. but was thought TO
have been caused by rivalry in the good
graces of squaw. The quarrel was sm",h-
cred for the time, by the intefposition OF
mutual friends. On the return OF spring,
the party revisited the for, where Mike u
Carpenter, over cup of whiskey, revived
the recollection of their past quarrel and
made a treaty Of peace, which was to be
solemnized by their usual trial Of shooting
the cup of whiskey from of each others
heads, as their custom was. This was at
once the test Of mutual reconciliation and
renewed confidence. A question remain
ed to be settled who should have the first
shot. To determine this, Mike proposed
to sky a "copper" with Carpenter; that
is, to throw up u copper. Carpenter
seemed:fully aware Of Mikes unforgiving
temper, and treacherous intent, for he de-
clared, that he was sure that Mike would
kill him. But Carpenter scorned Life too
mach, to purchase it by breach Of his
solemn compact, in refusing to stand the
test. Accordingly. he prepared to die
He bequeathed his gun, shot pouch, and
powder horn, his belt, pistols and wages
to Talbot, in ease he should be killed
They went to the fatal plain, and whilst
Mike lOa1aI h;~ rsAn auI nick al his flint