The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-10-21
ernss $500 per anmun,, in adrance.
a miss's.ipPi Rsmini.cence.
4 RACE AGAINST TIME.
From the New York tvenir Post. I

Pio"u01'o vi hiore or less exciting scenes,
particularly to the northern man, to whom
everything is so fresh and novel. 1t was lust
after the close of the war that the writer took
passage at st. Louis for Memphis, on the
steamer Marble City to whose captain he bore
a letter of introduction from mutual friend
As is usual, fresh crew Of negroes had been
shipped at st. Louis, to the number OF about
'hn'y. They frequently gathered in the bow
Vi .he steamer and sung their quaint songs
anu oahced TO the music OF fiddle. banjo and
the bones, to their hearts content.
Our arrival at the first landinu had how.
ever, put stop to all frolic, and hard work
began for the crew in earnest.
After two or three landings had been made
the mate reported to the captain that the
crew comprised some very ''hard" negroes and
he was afraid he should have much difficulty
in keeping them in order. This was iLlmedi-
ateiy after the close OF the war. and the ne
groeS had not then become accustomed to
Their liberty: OF the few who would work at all
many did so as a cover to rob and steal and,
under the belief that "The Bureau" would do
everything and anything Tor them, acted very
m uch as they pleased.
nearly sunset, when, as the captain and the
writer were seated upon the uppermost deck
o' the steamer and near the pilot house,
sudden noise and tumult, mingled with a
couple pistol shots, was heard below and on
the bow OF the boat.
Looking over, the captain seemed to COM
prehend in a minute the trouble, and at once
sprang for the companion ladder Descending
about halfway down it, he leaped thence in-
to writhns mass Of negroes who were en-
gagged in fight on the lower deck, and evil
denty were beating prOstrate man. Afer
him also plunged one of The two pilots then
at the wheel; and the other white officers of
the boat speedily coming to the scene, the ne
gloes were at once taken from the PROSTATE
man, and one. who was evidently the ring
leader, was captured with knife in his hand,
no docbt intending murder. The man rescu-
Ell proved to be the mate, who, having order
ed the captured negro to do some work, had
been sauciiy auswele ed, and st II insisting, had
been struck by the mutineer. The whole
gang at once attacked The mate, and but tor
the promptness OF the captain and officers,
would probably have killed him.
council Was held, and it was determined
to put the captured rinsleader ashore in the
woods, as the captain said that il he took him
TO the authorities OF the next stopping place,
he would probably lose several days ai his tri-
al, and would be marked man by the ne
groes.
II was now nearly dark, and word was at
once given to run the bow of the boat ashore,
which being done the ringleader Jumped from
off the bow and disappeared in the darkness.
The boat then swung off into the river and
we proceeded on our journey. But short
stay was made at Cailo, and after pleasant
journey down the river, we arrived at Mem
phis on the evening of the second day follow
ing. As we approached the evee the captain
amused the passengers with accounts OF his
previous trips to the city stree the war, and
remarked that every time he had arrived he
had found the provost marshaPs guard await
ing him to escort him to the 'office," there TO
answer some absurd charges trumped up by
the negro hands oil the previous voyages
This time he congratulated himself that the
skirts OF his coat were particularly clean, as
he had had no difficulty with his hands ON
the last two trips. and the little trouble with
the negro, as mentioned above, had been set
tied by leaving that parsonage in the woods
above Cairo.
AS we neared the shore, however, a guard
did show themselves upon :he levee, and our
captain tacetiously wanted to know which Of
his passengers or crew were needed.
As The boat was made last, the officer of the
guard approached and requested to speak
with the captain. The latter's face was treat
to see, as he took paper from the officer and
read therein ali order charging him to appear
before the Provost Marshal and answer TO a
charge of attempting to murder, three nights
previously, one Pompey Smith, ''by fierce
a wounded conoit;on and az rnioh, in he
swamps to die"
kew we mt ashore abo~e Caro- 1Ie Wew ua,, y,
ihunder did he ever get here? We are the
nar, ti'a ,' anG .neo go % W Ia;ioau, eA
wav nm The river. and haSideS ha nn1oa . n'i5 ono,
have cot ont of ibe woods so soonn
"Can't belp that sand the officer. sbut be
is at the Office awa;,;ng NO 10 Iat mo ~ ,n
ncD 49, io' "' Do so-
An the officers and nassencers rena;red 70
,ho - m,:a anu Pa9oonSoie iepalIeu W
erinpmo in Great olee at sat,"S Io "I obaaS ~
massa Cantain Somebnw h;s fsco sea,,ad
familiar tp me- more co ,ban !, shon,d bo
,~nm on,v sae;n1 ,n iu o;u, 81 'uan ,h s snGna oe
did before he was m,t ,,tf. Int these ne",oos
| were so nlen,ifnl and Somehow thev oil sao,r
| alike INF thonoh, ,;t,Ja nf :, my "'A 'Ne"'
The comnla;nt was rood anS os on;o,,, ~
swered 1ba necro could sho,, 90 n, d,eny '.a,1 Sn'
and our testimony went FAR towards es, oh,;sb-
| inc AGAINST him an a,temnt 40 Lii ;ns,.'od 81
| suStaInmo his cbar@e aoa;nst ,hs Tan,s,, ~
| So the case was at onte dismissed and the
| CaptaIn was offered a chance 70 nraiar h;s
cba,ges AGAINST Pomnev Mindtnl bowa,ar
of long DELAYS before the courts. he refnsed
aud Captain, Pompey, officers and PASSENGERS
walked out of the office toaetber.
When we got outside, tba Captain suddenIv
said, "Pompey, LII give YOU five dollars If vo,,
will tell me how YOU 90. down ahead of NV
boat" NY
Oats bully .Massa Cantainnwas tho necroa,s
really reply, q, on nut dat five dollars info die
cep'iman's hand and IN teIl Won how T cot
nown