Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1848-10-19
Jimmy Girty's Reef story.

The following story was obtained by the edito
from one of the crew. 1t took Jim Girty to show
how to hook beef in the Keelboat times
On a trip up the Tennessee river, Jim and hi.
crew got out of meat. They could not think i
fair play TO be without meat in a cane country
where there was SO many fine fat cattle.
So as usual they selcctad the and, best. fattes
beef they could find. They obtained one thai
would weigh about 700 pounds. They dressed ii
neatly and took it on board. iaoG
About three hours afterwards, fourteen came
rushing down to the boat with rifles, charging Jim
with having stolen beet.
Jim did not show fight. The crew paid no at
tention TO what was going on,--some were sitting
on the running boards, with their feet dangling in
the water several were lying up on deck on
blankets-every one seemed dull and stupi6ed.--
Jim was seated on the bow of the boat, his head
resting on his hand, when again assailed.
: i say you men have been stealing the best beef
in all these parts
There must be some mistake said Jim very
quietly -
You lie, sir. your men were seen sknning it. ,
There are strangers about here, may be-, said
Jim.
Yes, yes, we know there are strangers here,
on this very boat they have the beef on board and
we will have it off,
The boat is open, 60 and look for yourselves
gentlemen, but you will find mistake, certain but
satisfy yourselves, gentlemen, upon that head
That we viii. and in an instant have the beef
So at it they went, first having placed three men
as guard to see that the crew did not play some
trick The Others made a search by rolling and
re-roling every thing in the boat, and still no beef
was found. One fellow declared that they had
left no place unsearched where the four quarters
Of cat could not be hid, let alone a big box "a,
The same gravity was preserved BY him. He
wished the gentlemen would be satisfied
The fact was, while the crew were sknning the
beef, one ofthem discovered man watching them
from behind a tree. They took no notice of it,
bu, when they came TO the boat. they told him they
were caught. 8 7sl
He scratched his head awhile, and then pre-
pared for just such visit as he received. s.
He placed the four quarters of the beef on the
the deck of the boat and spread the hide over them
on this he spread all the blankets, and four men
lay down on these blankets. Jim, as before sta
ied was on the bow of the boat, continually wish
ing the gentlemen to be satisfied, but they would
find mistake sdrtain.' Look about, and be sat-
isfed, gentlemen - look where you please gen.
tlemen, and be satisfied, but there is one thing
must ask Of you, not to disturb them there sick
nen-we buried two yesterday with the small
pox and them there four men are very sick, very
sick indeed. gentlemen and must beg Of you not
to disturb them, it always is the worst thing you
could do to disturb a sick man, especially ifhe be
near his last-it Kind OF makes the blood fly to the
head to be disturbed &c, &c. But long before
be closed his speech, he had no listeners,
fever there was pale faces, fallen jaws, and
ghastly looks amongst a set of men. it was about.
Ifiattime and place-they moved orf without speak
ing word. Jim got clear of his visiters and kept
lie beef--Western BoatnlGn.
tthfss
~