True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-05-19

started BY rough hand being placed upol
his shoulder, aeSompahiedby the words
in the gruff voice Ofthe boatman:
I" say, Capt'n, here's trouble 7" ss
"Whet is it, Dick :" inquired Eugene
starting to his feet.
Don't, you see ,har's heavy foe
rising, ihat'll soon kiver us up 80 thick
that we won'tfbe able totell white mar
from q niggeri'' replied the boatman-
Dick Winter by name-a tall, bony, mus
cular, athletic specimen Of his class. 2'i
"Good heaven so there is !''iexcIaim,
ed Eugene, looking off upon the already
misty waters, I" II must have gathered
very suddenly, for all was clear a minute
ago. What is 10 be done now! This
is something I was not prepared for, on
such aanight as this" az y .eni7Q
"Itlooks troublous, Captn I'll allow .
returned Dick /" but we're in fort that's
sartIn, and l s'pose we'll have to~make
the best ont" . 'H' r
"But what is TO be done what do
you advise ~ asked Eugene, in a quick,
excited tone, that indicated some degree
of alarm. !, ~, co,., t, ,..,F, !, -,t
!" Why, ef you warn't SO skeered about
the young lady, and it warn't SO dead
agin the orders from head quarters, my
plan would be a clar and easy one--I'd
Just run, over TO the Kaintuck shore, and
lie up" = ,,.,l 49,, ,.,.,a,f
"No, no." said Eugene Eils e. positively, ptili ELI,
shat will never do, Dick, that will never
do! i would not think of such ihiig
for moment!oiWe must keep in the
current by all means - s.r ss4.
"Ef you can," rejoined the boatman ;
but when it gifts SO dark as we can't
tell one thing from t'other, it'll be power
full hard to do; and eff we don't run agin
a bar or bank afore9 morning, ino spite Of
the best O. US, it'll be the luckiest 90
that ever I had ahand in. See, Cap'n-
it's thickening up fast; we can't see
eyther bank at all, nor The water nyther
the stars is gettih' dim, and it looks as II
thar war a cloud all round us.''e yyaa6
81 see f! see r. returned Eugene,
excitedly. Merciful Heaven I! l hope 20
accident will befall US here--and yet my
heart almost misgives me for this, I
believe, is the most dangerous part of our
jonrney-lhe vicinity where most Of our
boats have been captured BY the savages."
Saying this, Eugene fastened below,
where be found The other boatmen sleep
ing SO soundly as to require considerable
effort on his part, to wake them. AT
last, getting them fairly reused, he in
formed them, almost in o whisper, for he
did not care to disturb the others, that a
heavy fog had suddenly arisen, and he
wished their presence on deck, immedi-
IA fog, Cap'nl'' exclaimed one. in a
tone which indicated that he comprehend.
ed the peril with the word. 7" 7.j ba'g
o. "Hush ~ returned Eugene 'there is
no necessity for waking the others, and
having a Scene. Up! and follow me,
Wltnoub WOru
He glided back to the deck, and was
almost Immediately joined by the boat
men, TO whom he briefly adelknownhis
hopes and FEARS 7jigiuimgl G, l,g.oya,
They thought, like their companion,
that the boat wopll be safest if made fast
to an overhanging limb Of the Kentucky
Iishore; but frankly admitted that this
could not now be done without. difficulty
and danger, and that there was . posi-
bility Of keeping the current.
"Then make that possibility certainty,
and it shall be the best nights work you
ever lpsrformed!" rejolned Eugene, in a
quick, excited tone, u;,.s,;... o.,,t, ..
""We'n do the best we can Cap'n,"
was the response; "bdt no man can be
sariin Of theicurrsnt oC this here crooked
Eslream in a foggy night.Dl gd. ni ,A,cA
FigA long silence, followed-the yoyagers
slowly drifting down through, a misty
darkness impenetrable to the ,eye-whep,
suddenly, our young commander, who
was standing near the bow, felt thesex-
tended branch of an hoyeihanging limb
silently brush his face. He started, with
an exclamation Of alarm, and at the same
moment the boatman on the right called
out: '9i4''o' aa' 4seR' eF'hl 1eiiIW
aQuick, here, boysl1wereq agin the
shore, as sure as death,r s,-I9svod
Then fplloweda a scsns Of hurried and
anxious confusion, the voices Of the three
boatmsh mihglihg together in loud quick
excited tones. 10 $50 4A odll siii s.
"Push OF the how! - cried one. aa.'i
"Quick altogether, now ! over with
her ~ shouted, another.
"The de'il's in it! she's running I
ground here on amuddy bottOm!" al
most yelled a third.
19SMsan,ime the laden boat was brushing
along against projecting bushes and
overreaching limbs, and every moment
getting more and more enAngled while;
4 the long poles and sweeps Of the boatmen,
! as they attempted 10 push her oil, were
|olten plunged. without touching bottom,
D|into wha. appeared to be soft, clayey
mud from which they were only extrica-
4 ted by such an outlay of strength ai
4 tended still more 10 draw the clumsey
I craft npon the bank they wished q
avoid. AT length, scarcely more than z
4 . J..