Washington telegraph., 1856-09-03
From the Caddo Gazette.
Rules and Regulations.

haICS anu hSS uIdtlOuS.
From the many anecdotes in circulation
concerning them. the names of Captains
Scott, Swon, and Billy Forsyth are '.famil-
lar as househ id words" to travellers on
the Western rivers; and rom like cause,
the name of Captain Blanton McAlpin
obtained asiniilar notoriety on our Southern
waters, and more particularly those of Ala
lsIvely- During a violent attack of the
Captain fever "a disease very fatal to
the pocket he purchased the steamer
Little Harriet, boat about the size of the
Ecllpses yawl, and placed her In the pas
senger trade between Mobile and the
watering places on the Eastern shore of
the bay Fully impressed with the dignity
OF his new position and the solemn respon-
sibilIty Herewith assumed he called his
officers together and thus addressed them !:
''Gentlemen, in taking command of this
steamer, / am aware of the responsibilities
| incur, and of the difficulty of running a
boat as she should be run. On steamer
engaged, as the Little Harriet is, in the
passenger trade, order and regularity must
be obtained above all things, and to estab-
lIsh this, there must be head J. as
Captain of the boat, am that head, and
desire that nothing be done without my
orders Mr.. Porter Ito the pilot | will
tell you when to start the boat, and when
to stop her, and you will then ring the
necessary bells. Mr.. Cameron, will tell
You when to get up steam, and how much
to carry; and Mr.. Jones, you as mate of
the boat, will look to me for orders con-
corning anything within your province"
The officers, rather surprised by this
unusual address, delivered with all the
solemnity of a Commodore on taking com
mand of hissquadron, promised compliance,
and kept their promise most religiously.
The boat started out with a number of
passengers aboard. and when nearing her
wharf at Mobile, Captain Blanton, who by
the way was a Jealous politician, was SO
engrossed by an argument with some po-
lltlcal opponents that he paid no attention
to the course of his boat. The passengers
saw that she had passed her usual landing
place and was heading up the river. but
supposed that, emulating the example of
the ''crack boats" she was merely going
up to make '.round turn and show off.
and when Tie 'head" did lock around he
was rather surprised to see his boat pound
ing away up the river.
"Mr. Porter" said he, '&herc are we
going2'
q don't know, SIR was the answer,
''up the river'I suppose"
''iStop her, sir the engine was stopped
-''back her down.
The pilot rang the bell and she com
menced backing down, and Captain Nc. 4
recommended his political discussion. and
was interrupted by one of his passengers
asking him "if he designed running up
and down before the city all day, in which
case he would be obliged for the loan of
the yawl to 90 ashore in
"Mr- Porter, what do you mean? you
are beIol- the wharf now
II see L am, sir, but you didn't tell me
to land anywhere"
''Very WELL sir, You will land at cur
wharf Immediately
Gay, ay." and Mr.. Porter, having orders
to that effect, landed her. !
The next morning Captain Blanton sud
to his pilot, '|Ir Porter, nay hour for
starting is nine o'clock precisely, and [
wish YOU to remind me when it is near
that time''-''very well, sir, and accord
ingly at FIVE minutes to nine he informed
him that it wanted but five minutes of the
hour. The bell was rung the usual mum
Der of times, and precisely at nine the
Captain najestically waving his hand after
the approved fashion, gave the order to
..go ahead Mr.. Porter rang the 90
ahead bell but the engine did not move
did You ring the bell to go ahead 2''
enquired the Captain.
''Yes, sir, rang it, but the engineer
did not answer it.
Ring it again, sir, perhaps he did not
hear it.
Again the bell rang and still no response
to it.
'.It's very strange that Mr.. Cameron
don't answer the bells,'' said the Captain.
"Ask him what's the matter"
The pilot hailed the engineer through
the trumpet to know why he didn't 90
ahead on herr
''How in the thunder can l 90 ahead
without steam? / have had no orders to
raise steam," was the reply.
Captain Nc. acknowledged having ne
elected to issue the necessary orders, and
blandly requested Mr.. Cameron to raise
steam as soon as possible In short time
steam was up and the ready bell rang.
'sGo ahead now, Mr.. Porter" ordered
the Captain
This time the engine went ahead at the
ringing of the bell, but the boat did not.
hat is the matter now ?' asked the
perplexed commander. ''She cannot be
aground here can she ?'
81 reckon not" answered the pilot,
'plenty of water here, SIR
'.Then stop her and try her back
The engine was reversed and the boat
moved back slight distance and brought
up with surge, and so for half an hour
she worked first ahead and then back,
with the same result
MIR Porter said the sorely perplexed
II