The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-07-04


and | can bring one down from just as big
distance as he can.
| took the Kentuckian's rifle in my
hand, and after feeling the weight of Il,
handed it back to the stranger.
Love me, love my dog!' said he!'-'ha,
ha! | had a hearty laugh to myself the
other day. Them Frenchmen, you don't
think they are civilized, stranger, do you?'
| 'Civilized!-why they think themselves
the most civilized nation in the world.
We'll, they're mistaken, that's all-it's
counfounded easy for man or men TO
get mistaken in themselves-I was read
! ing the other day how some Frenchmen
tried to blow Napoleon up with what they
called an internal machine Bah, it's the
most foolish contrivance | ever heard of.
1t put me in mind of the Irishman who
went to spear fish wi tn a scythe, and
cut his own head off. Ha, but let them
put me in fifth or tenth story, and where
| can see his majesty's nose as he goes by
! in his carriage, L don't care if fifty horses
are going it at leap and he behind them
! it amt as fast as bird on the wing is't,
or worse than squirrel on the top of a
/ tree; well just let him show his nose, and
I'd put bullett between the peppers of
the lords annointed, certainly
Yes, expect you could
'And no mistake no sir, because
! Frenchmen teach dancing you call them
civilized, why stranger I've been among
/ various folks, and the Indians dance more
| than the French do. Fire arms is the in
vention of civilization, amt it.
Yes, [ understand So
'Well the rifle is the best kindsof fire
arms-it's the highest point of civilization
maintain. Hal there she comes-this
boat can't stand it with the Shelby
By this time all was excitement on
board the Fort Adams, The Shelby was
a larger and faster boat, and she was pres
sing MS hard. | could hear the bar-keeper
call out to the steward for more ice-and
as | glanced towards the bar, | observed
i crowd of persons in excited talk, drink
ing; among them was the captain.
Come, let's go on the hurricane deck,
said Old Kentuck, sand see how matters
look there"
AS we entered the cabin to 60 forward
and ascend to the hurricane deck that
way, number of ladies rushed from their
cabin towards us, eXclaiming-'Ge entle-
men, they are racing; they'll blow US all
up, gentlemen
ladies don't be frightened said Old
kentuck, IN manner of exceeding cour-
| tesy, at the same time taking off his fox
skin.
'Oh, SIR exclaimed beautiful delicate
looking lady to him, in an agony of ter
ror,-"don't let them race, | had 4 brother
and sister lost on the Mozelle.'
Don't be frightened my good lady,
don't be frightened, rejoned the Kentuck-
ian-and shaking her hand he proceeded
to the hurricane deck.
The Shelby was barking after us like
a blood hound from the slip. There was
quite an expanse of water in this place,
but as | learned from the Kentuckian,
who was an old pilot and acquainted with
every foot of water in the river, the chan
mel here was very devious and dangerous.
! The captain came to the Kentuckian's $
! side with flushed cheek and asked:
'What do you think of it, Samson?'
IF had the strength Of my namesake'
replied the Kentuckian, I'D swim out and
chuck that boat, cargo, passengers and all
ashore-as it is, she is to fast for us, and
l always knew it told you Bob Albert
the pilot there, has been on bust this
week past-they sent their yawl ashore
'i'io W IGdIu SOtllClillI0
about another pilot; Beattie's sick-and |
saw then Albert was tight, he swore YOU
should not them if they blew every
thing uP!Ten you capting its my opin-
ion they'll be into us-the channel is too
narrow here for them TO pass us-and
they're got such head of steam on, and
they are so much bigger than we are, that
If they come against us we are gone
'kentuck,' called out Rogers from the
wheel house, Just step here a moment
you know the channel better than | do
| wonder what those rascals mean
The meaning seemed to be to nv eve
a resolve to run us down-the smoke as
cended black and sui phury from her
schimneys, with occasional flashes of vol
canic fire, that showed she he'd all the
steam on possible. He gained on us evil
IDENTIFY, while the excited crowd on her
/ hurricane deck and guards repeatedly hur-
| ried, as by the orders of the mate they
stepped TO the centre of the boat to keep
her rIghted.
The noise they made and their evident
approach, with the fearful trembling of
our boat, for we had all steam on too, so
alarmed the ladies that following impulse
| rather than reason, for they would nave
J been safest perhaps in the cabin, they hur-