Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-04-07

" Al
The following story in the Home jour
nal is related by Barnard, the distin-
/ uuished American painter-who has i'm
mortalized himself by his representation
Of the Mississippi. It is certainly rich
;oke, and as the first is approaching, ii
comes in good time.
! BA1vARD tells the following good joke
Of fooliug a Mississippi steamboat. He
was lying to, wind bound, with a small
trading boat at the head Of the chute of
Prophet island, and it being the first of
April, bis hands were determined to have
a lark Of some kind. During the day
they had observed a aGaryer close in shore,
about half above where The fat lay
I This sawyer had been continual bobbing
lis head up and down all day long; from
this, taking the hint, they procured some
Of tn cir old clothes, and stuffed them with
/ the Spanish moss, which they drew from
\ a neighborinE tree, then making a paper
! fac, and surrounding the whole with
palmetto hat, they made quite a respect
able looking backswoodsman. After sun
( down, near dark. they took this imitation
Of humanity up the river 10 where the IN
\ GustrIOus SAWYER was working. AS prob
ably many of our readers do not exactly
understand what Mississippi sawyer is,
We VIII say for their information, that 1t IS
! merely loose sRgg hich is kept in mo-
ton, swinging up and down, by the force
Of the current, not unlike a person saw
ing.l When opposite the sawyer they
drove two upright stakes into the earth,
and drew the pantaloons of the figure O.
yer them, SO as 10 make 1t stand pCrpen-
dlcuiar; then tying the unlIghted torch IN
lis hand, and placing a couple of empty
boxes and a keg near to give the appear
ancc of p.uaLer, they had quite q res ect-
able passenger. AlithIngs prepared, they
sat down 10 wait for the steamer. 1t was
not long before they heard one 'scra ping
round the point, and coming into the
chute. 'Incy then kindled 4 fire near
by, liz the torch IN the figures hand, con-
vcycd a small string from the hand that
he'd IL, otcr light limb out to the snar
or sawyer, and made it fast. The motion
OF thc snaG kept the ;orcn in the figures
hand waving up aud down exactly like a
person RailIUg steamer. The warrish
boatmen then jumped into their skitf and
pulled of into the shade of an adjacent
cove, 10 watch the result.
Soon the steamboat came in sight
The captain, seeing the light,supposed, of
course, II was a hail, -as the protector
intended he should once commenced
ringing ms bell 10 answer. and gave or
ders 10 lay over towards Nj Stutv, as
the men had named him, who was busy
shaking hIS torch. Stop herr shouted
the captain. 'Dng-a-hng went the bell.
and tue engines ceased their notion
Open he fire doors - shouted the engin-
ecT, and away streaked the light from the
Acry furnaces, lighting up the surround
ing gloom, and hiss went the escape steam,
reyogheraIng through the everlasting cot
ten wood forests; and there was as much
i hustle and noise on board of the Clipper
Tor that proved 10 be her name, as If she
was going 10 take on twenty cabin pas
SenEcrs. Stand by the vawl, there 2 the
captain ordered. Soon the vawl was oil.
wl,h TWO deck hands pulling, and the mate
IS IS usual, standing up IN the stern, steer
ing, making for Mr. StufTv, Stop shaking
your hght-don't YOU think we see you
shouted the mate. from the yawl. Get
your plumber down under the hank, there
II YOU want to come on board sung out
the captain, from the deck of the steamer,
Or we viii put out again and leave YOU
But stutfy heard not. There he stood
waving up and down the fire brand he
held IN has hand. The fellows cross,
said the captain. Hes 4 fool muttcred
tue mate with an oath between his teeth
+ No ne amt said one of the hands; but
he Is drunk see. be has tumbled down
, the bank there. Just at this moment the
: yawl run IN near the shore, and passing
between the Sn2g, under the line attach
ed to the figure. II caught under the mates
chm throwing him back in the boat, at
the same time jerking Mr. StufTv over the
/ bank. and ne rolled INTO the river. Man
! overheard was then the CIV. and the
passengers rushed from the cabin TO be-
hold the said catastrophe. Catch hlm,
quick. shouted several voices 1T once, or
he will be drownedp y few hurried
strokes brought the yawl 10 the drown