The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-10-01

captain, addressing chap who sat on The
guard near the boy with cane rod in his
hand.
1.-Two joints!n was the response of the
fellow as he stuck the cane down as though
gigging an eel.
81 thought she was rubbing and sticking
along, and be d--d to ker,n rejoined the
captain. "Why in the name of h-lrs
etc. La flint doa't the engineer pitch in
more pine knots and crack on more steam?
Let her rip"
The fires were punched and replenished,
the pine knots were pitched in, a dense
black smoke came beiehing up from The
pipes, the Buzzard worried, ploughed, and
Struggled ahead, and was soon fairly afoat
again. Once more the captain sung out to
The man on the guard with
s'How much wafer now.s"
"Three joints largen'
s'There il is again. snapped the captain,
looking tomahawks and bowling tigers at the
pilot. "What are you way out here in deep
water for? s'pose you think you're on the
Uncle Sam, don't YOUR
[The Uncle Sam, in those days, was
monster, decidedly the largest boat on the
w fern rivers, and the captains remark
drew shout from every soul on board."]
But am spinning out without telling the
story set down TO relate. One day the
Buzzard entered the lower end of long,
straight reach in the river, where there was
plenty of water, and, as all hands thought,
tolerable plain sailing. The engineer now
set his engine, proceeded to the cabin, took
a ''smal smien of whskey, and commenced
dealing faro; the pilot lashed his tiller hard
down, lit pipe, and started after the engi-
neer to bet against him; the captain gave
The deck hands cursing all round, took
fresh chew of tobacco, and started after the
pilot, bent upon the same errand, that of CIV
ing the engineer a turn; the passengers
disposed of themselves in different ways,
some planting themselves upon the hurri-
cane deck, where they discussed the diff
cult question as to whether the boat moved
or not. while others took their stands around
the engineer, watching the "run of the
cards." and putting down an occasional
small bet .'just to make the game interest
ing''
Such was the picture in that part of The
cabin known as the ''social hall;n the owner
of the boat, all the while but half recovered
from the thrashing he had received that NOR
ming from the captain, was seated aft in the
ladies' cabin, consoling himself with plan
tive air on the fiddle. In slang parlance
he was great on 'Virginia hoe downs" and
old sscorn field shuf1ers,'' and could Grape
aud dig out very fair specimens ofsuch airs
as "Robn Adar'' as we'll AS have be-
fore stated, he was real genius on the vio-
lin; had natural turn for it, and, for SELF
taught artist, executed with great skill as
well as sweetness and feeling. He took no
notice of the game going on forward, but
appeared completely absorbed with his own
playing aft.
The Buzzard, left TO her own guidance,
was going ahead slowly on her own account
while these scenes were being enacted in
the cabin. She had ploughed her way
through one shute, and was about entering
another when the current gave her a sheer
which carried her off into still water, Scarce
ly had she entered it ere she shot away with
uncommon velocity for her; but her wheels
had not made thirty revolutions before
crash! her bow struck a snag with a force
that knocked hole in her as large as
hogshead, the shock upsetting the faro bank
and those around it, and causing general
confusion and CONSERVATION among all save
the owner, who having righted himself in
his chair, commenced his tune where he
left off, and went on as though nothing had
happened.
'sShe's snkin'!" shouted an Arkansas
man. dressed in a hickory-bark coat. who
was making his way out of the cabin with a
pair of ssdde-bags on his arm. ''Toma-
! hawk me if she amt sinkin' sure!'' The
owner heard it but iddled away with as lit
lie concern as Nero at the conhagration of
Rome.
"Fhree feet water in the holdi Run the
id old Buzzard ashore if you cant"
shouted the captain. These startling words
reached the ear of the owner, but he con-
tinued to saw away. A passenger ran TO
him and bawled out
ssDid you know the boat had snagged?"
81 suspected something of the kind
coolly answered the owner, as he laid his
lett ear upon his violin, a Ii Bull, and APP
peared perfectly enchanted with his own
strains.
"She'll be lost in FIVE minutes" continu-
ed the passenger.
ashes been losing concern these FIVE
years." responded the owner, as he drew a
most excrusiating note from his fiddle.
81 can feel her settling now," responded
the passenger.
81 wish she'd settle with me for what I've
lost by her before she goes down, and be
, ID TO her!" was the only answer, as the
, owners right hand still moved backwards
, and forwards over his instrument.