Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-09-22

lied then cried the young captain, VIII
leant over the stream to see better
III The beacon remains stationary, an
the sands advance, observed Jacques il
I my time the course Of the barge mai
was not marked with willow branches
we knew how 10 read IL in the water
To the left now; avoid the left Do vol
not see the water which whirls and tn
scum which marks the sand-bar? ? Thesl
signs are not of the hand of man; they
l never deceive.
The barge-men obeyed this time, anC
| their poles removed the boat from the In
] dicated accumulation. The old man con.
tinued thus to govern 10 crossing twenty
times the line Of beacons, without Other
I guide than the report of the currents
4 His companions, struck with surprise
| looked At him In silence, and executed
instantaneously his slightest order. They
attained finally the edge Of the passage
at the extremity Of the two isles, and en-.
tered the great bed OF the Loire, when
calls for help came from the ftitrealf and
! caused them TO turn their heads.
| When Miru had seen the strange
! manouvre Of Master jacques, who abafl-
doned the passage traced to throw him.
self in shallow water, he had mounted
on his bench, and for some time had fol-
! lowed him with his eyes without UNDER
| standing 1t. The barge7knan bearing on
their iron poles had asked themselves.
with what intention he thus went before
danger; but the most astonished of all
was Francois, who thought his artifice
discovered. Apart from the severe pen
alties he would incur by the laws of nav
| igation, he knew with what shame II
would cover him in the eyes of the
whole marine OF the Loire and
would particularly excite the indig-
nation of his uncle Miru, il he
was ever apprised of it. These eonside-
rations which had not stopped him,
while he thought his secret secure,
ssssiled him all at once, when he feared
discovery. Pale and trembling he left
the oar to one of the barge men, and ran
to the head OF the Jlstredu to follow better
the audacious navigation Of the char
TdyOnne, knowing no longer whether he
wished its success or its loss. During
this time the barge-man who was at the
helm continued to guide the flitreau in
the channel marked by the false beacons
Suddenly a shock raised the prov a
grinding of stones was heard, which
crushed the keel, and water ggshed in
the interior, between the forced weather.
Without presenting serious perils for
the crew, the situation was embarrassing
The stream, stronger in this place, flowed
rapidly, and carried the fatreau further
on the sands; the barge commenced even
TO lean over, and it was to be feared that,
ia this state, she could net long Withstand
the violence Of the water. The first at
tempts of the barge nlen to diseBgsge her
were fruitless; it was necessary to de-
mand help of Andre and his crew.
At the first call the young captain IN
derstood what had happened, and has
tened to rejoin Meru in his ships boat.
They had Just taken the sail OF the fu-
trea4, which delivered it from the action
of the wind, and it had stopped. The
young man assisted in stepping the leaks,
tied the masts, sheet anchors and oars TO
ropes which he threw in the river to
tighten the barge, then pushing on the
bottom with his men, he succeeded, after
long efforts, in forcing it over the strand
and in launching il again in the channel.
He himself then pilOted it as he had seen
his father do, and led it alongside of his
boat, which he entered
Mem, somewhat huIaiIiated bV theaid
he had been compelled TO accept of him, !
him briefly, and occupied him !
self in clearing deck to set sail again, |
while the chdrreyOnne raised the grapnel |
and continued her course.
The manner in which Master Jacques /
has just proved his capability, had gained I
him the entire confidence Of Andre; so /
In taking back the helm he asked mod 1
sstly come Iessons of the old man. This |
LAST taught him to know the depth Of the .
bed and the approach of concealed strands /
by the color Of the water and its boiling.
Thanks to his instructions Andre could 1
avoid, ear off ths heaeaped channel,
1Ouble the shslloW waters, and every
where take the short Onts. His father
seemed to have q map Of the Loire en-
yraved in the most profound folds of his
brain; he knew, to drop, the volume Of
waters of each pass according to the sea-
lOn, told the rate Of the current, knew
he best basins TO choose in case of a
)resk up, named the smallest hamlets
amazed but Andre showed himself the
most surprised Of all. Little instructed
IbOut what concerned his family, he had
)ut just learned his father had formerly
barge on the Loire, He
wished to question him son the past of
which he was ignorant; but the anima-
ion Of Master Jacques had already faded
way. He had taken his seat at the
tern OF the boat, his arms crossed over
lis breast and his head lowered, and only
eplied by mOnosyllahles, like a man
lslf asleep. However, when his son
Isked him what could have caused him
o renOunce following which he knew
o thoroughly, be appeared to start up as
from sleep; his looks travelled over
hose who surrounded him with a kind
Il alarmed wildness his lips half an
pODse expired unartieulated his head
ell forward on his breast, and Andre un-
erstooi tiGt be oaght pot TO push the
fsrthef.
l) The bsTge men who conduct a barge eat
together, but Il is the Captain who says grace
nd first helIs himself from the dish.