Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-06-25
Adventures of a FIatboatman.


Chattanooga correspondent of the Louisville
CYviar-Jouraal is responsible for the following
Tennessee story:
One Of the most notable instructions upon the
Upper Tennessee river has been what is called
the Pot, which was peculiarly annoying because
il was only dangerous TO navigation during high
water, when the other distractions had ceased
TO eyist The Pot was whirlpool caused by
points of rock jnttng out into the river and
causing cross currents and the higher the wa
ter the Aercer the whirl. In very high floods
nothing could pass the whirl, and its vortex was
large enough to engulf the larger of the river
boats IN ordinary high water its passage was
very difficult and dangerous, while at common
boating stages fatboat would be carried round
and round by the current, and a steamboat
found much trouble in pMsing through.
Some amusing tales are told in reference to
this locality and the troubles of the early nav-
gators here during the balmy days of fatboating
1t is related of an inexperienced fatboatman. .
who was going down the river in those days,
that one dark night be saw a log cabin on the
shore, from which proceeded the sound of music
ana dancing. Being of jovial disposition, he
tied his boat and went in to take drink
lie was urged to stay and spend the night, but
PLEADED an anxiety to be on his way, though he
didn mind taking drop or two to cheer him
on bis voyage So he united his boat and pur-
sued bis course. In about ten minutes be came
as he thought, to another cabin, where they
were having a still more Joyful time than at the
one where he had taken a few drinks a little
while before. He did not get off this time, as
he did not believe in drinking be tween drinks
but continued to journey on for ten minutes or
more, when 10 another scene of reyelry ap-
peared.
"Well," he soliloquized " this here is
mighty lively country. | believe I'll go and see
this frolic."
As he entered be thought he recognized some
fAces that he had seen at the last stopping place,
hut as they were so near together he supposed
they had come over on visit and so our payi-
gator imbibed pretty freely with them to a re-
newal of friendship and again pursued his voy-
age pleading want of time, as before for his
excuse il declining other invitations to stop all
night
At regular intervals of ten or fifteen minutes
lie passed two or three more log cabins, whence
the inspiring sound of the fiddle and the cheer
ing clinking of bottleswas borne to his ears.
But be felt too tired to stop again and so re-
mained reclining on his boat in stupefed amaze
ment while as he journeyed along all night
there came to his continually broken
snatches Of the FIsher's Hoynpipe, Old Dan
Tucher and the Irish Uasherwoman, and his
wonderful eyes beheld at every quarter of a
mile log cabin, where the livelest kind Of
trolic was going AT length morning dawned,
ana he saw on the shore "A cabin whose proprie-
tor WAS just going down to the river to wash his
lace, looking very much as thOhgh be had been
up all night indulging in dissipation. Him be
hailed
Hello stranger was you on a frolic last
night, too T'
You'd think it," was the reply.
Well, I'll be dogoned if this aren't the live
liest country have ever saw What State is
this, stranger?"
Tennessee, Marion county"
Tennessee, hey? Marion county? Well it
are merry nm. Stranger, it just beats every
thing ever seed in my born days. | was raised
up here IN Jefferson, where they are some on
troliching, but this here jast knocks the centre
plumb out OF that. Why, stranger, I've been
travelling down this river all night. | must
have come thirty miles at least, and I'll be
darned If there wasn't cabin every half mile
ana the biggest kind Of froic going on in ev-
cry one Of them-whsky and fddln and dan
Gin till you couldn't rest. It's just the dog
gonedest country ever seed p
BY this time the owner Of the cabin had fin
ished his ablutions and stood attentiYely regard
ing him.
" Whar did you say you was raised, stranger?"
" Up here IN Jefferson, on the French Board.
II S mighty hne country, stranger but it can
hold candle to this"
" Wei, you wasn't made for a traveller. that's
certain ANY man that!l quit a crowd like we
had here last night, to go floating round and
round on this cussed Pot instead of sticking
like a man to his whisky and dancin' can look
to 90 on much in the world. How far did you
say you came last night?"
4" Thirty miles, if it's a foot'
And how many cabins did you see with erol-
les going OnY
There must have been A hundred sure 7"
Well, | wille9e doggoned Stranger You
didn't travel half mike last night. The only
cabin you saw this here one of mine You
come ashore twice, and took some mighty good
horns Of whisky and apple brandy, but they
waru't enough to make man so drunk as you
must have been to make a hundred cabins outun
this un
A light began to dawn upon the vision of the
voyagers from the French Board
Have just been floating round and round
here all nightY'
A." You just have"
Stranger, come aboard here, and take
drink Of Old peach and then lend me a hand to
get out Of this. 1t amt such id lively coun-
try after all"
This was in the old times, which will never
come back again. and the discontinue of this
unlucky hatboatman never again be the
fate of other voyagers the Tennessee river.