Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-23

A BEAR SToRY.-Ihe old saying, a rolling stone
gathers no moss, may hold good in some instances,
but in others, it about three cents in the
dollar. So much for the beginnng-at least such is
my experience; and in giving it as SUCH hope the
reader will pardon me for dealing in mysteries /
have aversion to mysteries. &c, &c. but when rare
chance offers, and moral can be drawn therefrom,
may be excused for giving Jim Higgins account of
the mysterious Pilot, which is the best of my
belief and knowledge
"After the steamboat come in fashion,, said jim,
''old Bill Reese and myself used take least
trip Orleans once year on fdts-cariying with
such articles turkeys orbacker, and the produce of
our section of the State. We always together,
so that when of us would git into bad drive we
could whip ourselves out without trouble. We had
been down with load, and made considerable of
speculation on purchases. Knowing the trade
would keep up good for more'n a short season, we
started back home TO buy up another cargo. We had
over fifteen hundred miles walk and knowing that
we sot our roters to work and in less than six DAYS
we reached home, and
Guess you were a little tired about thenl" inter-
rupted one of the passengers.
Tired! ha! ha! ha! out oft my darlin! We COM
menced buying up produce, and the end o. days.
we had two new boats built, and filled with such ar
ticles as we wanted and foated down the river with
colors histed. When we got TO the Mississippi, we
just let flats smooth the surface of the ac-
cordin to their own action. l think we had been in
the river two days. running sometimes over twenty
miles hour, when my boat aground o.
them cursed banks and there staid for more'n
week. 1 was out hunting one day, jest for amuse-
ment, and tried one the or fullest bars ever raised
! n bard firbt
aboard, and tied him to a big cable. had old id-
die aboard and was given i'm lessons in dancin day
or two afterwards, when looked up the drink, and
saw
"What7" chimmed several voices, saw what9"
1.-The fust steam boat that ever futtered wheel on
the Massip2i and if you'll believe me-
/ ''What nex?"
"Why, sirs, Ibelieve she was driven every fish
and alligator in the river before her. My bar mp
ed overboadr and was near foerin as the steem fl K
in rid by me; but just then somehin jerked my lal
plum use from the island and she took rite after the
seem criter fast the mater ofhe OCCASION would lei
'er. Well srs! we soon cotch up, and for hour OIL
two we had it interestingly the steamboat was bill
in and the fiat! dontm it! She darted before
easy the wind and the way the critter pulled anc
bowed arter US, wasn't fast enough to ketch up!
What was the matter win my craft, didn't know
She was rdinlike dancin fether, and throwing the
water from one bank to the other, l begun to ge
skeered, but KNOWN l could cut the cable afore she
could run to the Gulf of Mexico, thort I'd let he
rip. jest back, turned my fiddle, and played tc
kill time. 1t was the pureyest wether in the world
and enjoyed it amazingly. The breezes stretched
my colors budfully and the moon would peep dowr
once in awhie to see what was drivin at! | was
alone, but had no use for company. The fiat wa.
now urnn the most dangersome bend in all the riv
er, whar Iknowd she'd be apt to agin O. the
free and Independent snags, and sure enuff-r
'She dd!' exclaimed several Of the listeners
'.And sure enuff, afore had time to say Jack Rob
inson, or draw my bow across my fiddle, | saw one
: snag and another just below it, and
''She busted herself agin 'em?' said one or two
"When she got to 'em' continued Jim, ''they was
Mt thar; found 'em about fur ahead as they wa:
:. when fust seed em. In the morning looked ou
and thar they was jest far apart--a splittn the
I water like alightnin pole. "What was they!n ask
ed myself but it's use; that evening, my boat was
piloted to Orleans, and she up the leus handsome
ly, bein only few hours from the sand-bar, and
eatin the steamboat day and half, now gentle.
) man all said-afer this beautiful instance of nv
{ mysteriously out-running steamboat-what power
doyou suppose carried it along
THE tide forced by the fish and allygators?n said
knowing jake
"Murder!" said Jim, ''take down your Sign
"A sudden rise, them" roared another.