Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-04-16
A Mississippi Steamer.

A Mississippi steamer is built far shallow
water and an early death. 1t has neither lower
cabin or held. The main deck is occupied by
the boilers, the two engines, hunks for the
crew, the fuel, and freight. Over it is the
cabin, long passage fanked on both sides by
state-rooms. Above this is the hurricane deck
on which are the most comfortable berths in
the boat. Higher still is the pilot-house. If
you make friends with the pilots, you will
find it the best place for lounging and sight
seeing. They are very companionable full of
incidents, and worth studying. They know
the Mississippi as Boston boy does Boston,
aud receive from $3.50 to 5000 per month, besides
the $500 or $500 from their helpers, to whom
they teach the river. As a class they spend
their money freely, though some save enough
to retire, after a few years service. on farm.
A lookout, from their perch, will prove to you
that "the longest way round is the shortest way
home, for the boat, in order to reach a point
four miles off twists and turns in the crooked
channel until she has sailed eight
A fellow student in the seminary was accus-
toned to maintain that the words of Job Al:
1921, were prophetic description of Missis-
sippi steamer. / was reminded of them one
night by the lurid glare Of the open furnace,
the chimneys belching forth fire and smoke,
and the asthmatic cough of the steam pipes
By his nessings a light doth shine, and his
eyes are like the eyelids of the morning Out
of his mouth go burning lamps. and sparks of
fire leap out Out of his nostrils goeth smoke,
as out of seething pot or cauldron. His
breath kindleth Goals, and fame goeth out of
his mouth"
noticed on each side of the bow large spars,
with heavy tackle attached, hung to stout up
right posts. "What are those for?" / inquired
of fellow-passenger.
To spar. the boat off a sand-bar. reckon
you III see before we get through"
L did see that night. 1 was lying in my
berth, and heard dull grating sound, and
then the boat stopped. Whats that?'
Nothing. Run on bar, 1 reckon, replied
my room mate"
Going on deck, 1 found that we were aground
on the worst bar in the river. The pilot rung,
the engineer backed, and the mate assisted
him, but still the boat moved not. Anup boat
tried to pull us off but run herself aground.
"Call all hands, lower the spars man the
bars" The spars were grounded on the bot
tom, the tackle of one wove round the windlass,
and all hands heaved at the bars spurred by
mates" heave away; lively, men; why don t
you heave?"-till the blocks met, when the
spar was hoisted, the other heayed upon, and
SO On amid oaths (they can swear some on the
rlverl and blows, to quicken the laggards, for
nine hours. As our windlass worked by hand
instead Of steam, it was difficult and tedious
process. At last the leadsman cried five feet
and we were ahoat. Slowly through the
crooked channel we steamed, backing, crossing
to one side, then to the other, guided by the
ory five feet, sea nt -four feet, large, F." .ssx
feet, five feet, )" seven feet, ;" "nine feet, -"
..quarter past twaine," and we were clear
1his last expression is the river term for twelve
feet. As the price Of the passage includes
board, and they feed we'll, the passengers took
their detention as an ordinary occurrence not
worth grumbling at. On the Mississippi the
boats are sometimes detained for several days
and are actually lifted over the bar.