Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-12-09
THAT'S a tall ride,' said I.

nearn tell OF Captlng Scott, who was such
tall shot that the coon came down ss soor
as he saw him and give in, haven't you p
Il have repliedI.
'Well, this is the rife that did it Cap.
ting Scott wouldn't have been anything
without the rife, wou Le2 | don't say
ever had talk with a coon, but do say
that this rife can talk to them, and that
can bring one down from just as big dis
tance as he can.'
took the Kentuckian's rifle in my hand
and after feeling the weight of it handed it
back to him.
'Lovs me, love my dog said he-sha, ha,
| had hearty laugh to myself the other
day. Them Frenchmen, you don't think
they are civilized, do you?'
'Civilized-why they think themselves
the most civilized nation in the world
We'll, they're mistaken that's all--it's
confounded .easylfor man or men to get
mistaken in themselves. / was reading the
other day how some Frenchmen tried to blow
Napoleon up with what they called an sin-
fernal machine. Bah. it's the most foolish
contrivance ever heard of !; it put me in
mind Of the Irishman, who went to spear
fish with scythe and cut his own head off.
IIa, but let them put me anywhere In fifth
or tenth story, just where can see his ma
jesty's nose as he goes by in his carriage !;
don't care if fifty horses are going it at a
leap and he behind them. Well, just let
him show his nose, aud Id put bullet
between the peppers Of the Lords appoint
ed
'Yes, expect you could
'And no mistake. No, sir, because
Frenchmen teach dancing you call them
civilized. Why, stranger, I've been among
various folts and the Indians dance more
than the French do. Firearms is the inven-
ton of civilization, maintain. Ha 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
larger and faster boat, and she was pres--
ing hard. / could hear the bar-seeper call
ing out to the steward for more ice and,
as glanced towards the bar. discovered
crowd of persons in excited talk, drinking;
among them was the captain.
'Come, let's 60 on the hurricane dec',
said Kentucf, 'and see how matters loos.'
As We entered the cabin to go forward
and around to the hurricane decs that way,
q number of ladies rushed from their cabin
towards us, exclaiming
Gentlemen, they are racing they'll blow
Us all.up, gentlemen
Ladies, don't be frightened, said Old
kentuci, in manner of exceeding courte-
sy, at the same time taxing off his fox skin.
'oh! sir, exclaimed beautiful, delicate
looAing lady to him, in an agony of terror,
don't let them race had brother and
sister lost on the Moselle.'
Don't be frightened, my good lady, don
be frightened, rejoined the Kentuckian
and shaking ber hand, he proceeded to the
hurricane deck. ~
The Shelby was 'barb ing after us like a
bloodhound from the slip. There was quite
an expanse of water in this place; but, as
learned from the Kentucliaa, who was an
old pilot, and acquainted with every foot Of
the river, the channel here was very devious
and dangerous. The captain came to the
kentuc ian's side, with flushed chees,
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 too fast for us, and
l always knew it. ! told you Bob Albeit,
the pilot there, has been on a bust for this
week past; they sent their yawl ashore
when they saw me in the morning, wanting
to learn something about another pilot.
Beattie's sick, and saw then Albert was
tight he swore you should not beat them
if they blew everything up. tell you,
capting, it's my opinion they Il be into US;
the channel is too narrow for them to pass
us; and they've got such head of steam
on, and they are so much bigger than we
are, 1 at if they come agin as we are gone.'
'Kentuck,' called out Rogers from the
wheelhouse, 'just step here a moment
You know the channel better than do.--,
wonder what those rascals meani'
The meaning seemed to be, to my eye, a
resolve to run us down the smoke ascended
black and sulphery from her chimneys, with
occasional flashes of volcanic fire, that
showed he had all the steam on possible. -
He gained on US evidently, while the excl
ted crowd on her hurricane deck and guards
repeatedly hurrahed, 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 alarm
ed the ladies, that, following impulse rather
than reason, for they would have been safest
perhaps in the cabin, they hurried on to the
hurricane deck; and the one | have before
spoken of rushed to Samson, who was at the
wheel, and begged him not to race any
more.
'Kentuck,' said Rogers, they'll be into
us. It's my opinion they mean to run us
down; they must be all drunk there
i