The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-05-28
THE STEAMBOAT CAPTAIN WHO WAS
AyERSE TO RACING.

her appearance at the Levee, opposite the
flourishing city of Cincinnati. Gilt edged
covers, enyeloping the captains respects
accompanied with invitations to see her
throu h. upon her first "trip down the river,
were forwarded to the editorial corps in
that vicinity and the chalked hats were nu-
merous on that OCCASION. 1t was a grand
affair, the debut of floating palace, which
has since maintained her repute untarnished
rs the scrack boat, par excellence, upon
Che Western waters. Your humble servant
was among the invited guests'-and nice
time he had of it! 80
found myself on board this beautiful
craft in close communion with a score of
unouestionable beauties The company
proyed to be.a heterogeneous conglomeration
of characters--made up of editors, lawyers,
ai,ctioneers, indescrbables, and fancies'-
with q sprinkling of mon such's.' There
was stray parson, too, in the crowd-Dut
ma his leisure time = between meals was
spent in trading horses, We dispensed Wild
his scrace before meals.'
We left our moorings an hour before sun,
act. upon a clear cold afternoon, and passed
rapidIy down stream for considerable ois-
lance, without experiencing any out-oi-'he,
wov occurrence. The sons of temperance
and the parson aforesaid, amused them
selves over smok ng whiskey toddy-tae
. bows we're relieving each other OF their su-
perduous dimes and quarters at euchre, when
n tall gentleman who was some (when be
was sober, stepped suddenly into the cabin
md impaired the information that we'll
known fast boat had just hove in sight, at
tho mouth of the Kentucky river. The
cards were dropt' instanter,-the punches
disappeared-and the 'mourners' were soon
distributed in knots upon the promenade
deck. to watch the progress OF events.
Our bully boat sped away like bird,
md the craft behind gave US early evidence
that she should offer no child's play. Tho
sfat was in the fire. at onc--a large column
Of black smoke curled up in the clear atmos-
nhere-an extra turn or t,co was visible up.
on our own bout, and away we went. good
deal of excitement existed among the party,
ns tho rival steamer was clearly gaining upon
us. A craft like ours, with such company
and such captain, mustn't be beaten.
A the boat behind us fell in under our
stern. and we could count her passengers
n sort of impression come over US, that, by
soma mistake, we got on the wrong boat At
least. such was the expressed opinion Of the
narson, as he threatened to go down stairs
md take another drink. Our captain was
noble fellcw-he paced the deck quietly,
with constant eye to wind'ard but be said
nothing. A bevy of the mourners stepped
up to him, with
'What speed, cap'n"
~Fair, gentleman may say rery fair.'
.sSmart craft, that, behind ventured
sVery.' responded the captain, calmly,
A, he placed his hand upon small
brass knob at the back of the pilot house
This movement was responded to by the
faint tingling of bell below, followed i'm
mediately by rush Of ciDders from the
smoke pipes, and an improved action OF the
paddles.
Now we move again.
sSome,' was the response, and momen-
tary tremor pervaded the boat Us she slid
along right smartly.
But the craft in our rear moved like our
shadow on the calm waters, and rs We shot
down the river, it seemed as if we had her
Sin tow so calmly and uniformly did she
follow in our wake. The excitement of the
congregation upon deck had by this time
become intense, and it was pretty plain that
the boats must shortly part company, or
'split somethingn The rascal behind US
took advantage Of turn in the channel and
shelm starboard = was clearly heard from
the look out Of our rival, as she hove off,
and suddenly fell along side US! The par
son went below at once to put his threat in
TO execution, us we came up into the current
nran, meek and neck and when he re-
turned we were running n twenty-five Knot
a. IN do
'She's goins-goin' Co., muttered an
auctioneer to himself.
"A perfect nonsuit,' remarked lawyer.
sBcaten, but not vanquished,' added
politician; and away we scudded side by
side for half mile.
'Wouldn't she bear little more meekly
asked the parson.
sShe's doing very well,' replied the cap
tain. 'Don't get excited, gentlemen, my
boat is n new one-her reputation and mine
is at stake. We mustn't rush her-racing
nl,rays INJURIES a boat, and | am averse to
it, saving which he applied his thumb and
finger to the brass knob again-the bell
tinklcd in the distance-and our rival pilot
shortly had an opportunity to examine the
architecture Of our rudder post!
/ was acquainted with the engineer. |
stepped below, (believing we should be beat
.en at our present speedy and entering the
engine-room-
.Tim,' said |, swe'll be licked-give her
another turn, eh p
& raythcr think she moves some as it Isl
said Tim.
Eyes, but the c. is hard on US
give her little, my boy-just for--
s.Step in here moment remarked lin
its ali mum you know-nothln' to be said,
CHI Quict-there don't she tremble
some!'
noticed for the first time that our boat
did labor prodigiously.
'But come around here,' continued Tim :
Aiook there ,-mun,'s the word you know
stepped out Of that engine-room (Tim
said afterwards, that 'sprang out at one
bound but he lied y in hurry. The SOL
der upon the connection pipe had melted
and run dorn orer the seams in dozen
places, from the excessive heat-a crow bar
was braced athwart the safety-valve, with
fifty six upon one end-and we were
shooting down the Ohio, under u head of
steam chock up to 81 40!
My sleeping apartment was we'll aft.
entered state room-got over upon she
back side of my berth-and stufing the cor
ners of the pillow into my ears, endeavor
to compose myself in sleep. 1t was out of
the question. In attempting to right my.
self | discovered that my head ras rtthin
sir inches Of the piNoc!
tossed about till daylight, in momenta-
ry expectation of being landed in Kentucky,
Cor somewhere else y but we got on finely.
We led our rival haIf an hour into Louis
willie: and | imme lately sworc upon my
nightcap that would never accept another
invitation, for pleasure trip. from a steam
boat captain rho ras adrerse to racing.
CY An old sailor, at the theatre, said
H. supposed that dancing girls wore their
dresses at half-mast as mark of respect to
departed modcstv.