The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-01-08

dare tackle it meaning the Amar-
anth.
In another instant the Boreas plum
ged into what seemed crooked creek,
and the Amaranth's approaching lights
were shut out in a moment. Not a
whisper was uttered now, but the three
men stared ahead, into the shadows, and
two of them spun the wheel back and
forth with anxious Watchfulness while
the steamer tore along. The chute
seemed to come to an end every fifty
yards, but always opened out in time.
Now the head of it was at hand.
George tapped the big bell three times,
two leadsmen sprang to their posts,
and in moment their wierd cries rose
on the night air, and were caught up
and repeated by two men on the upper
deck
q" Moo bottom T.
"De-e-p four p
"Half three -
"Quarter thrse r.
MARK under wa-a-ter three !"
50 Half twain %
"Quarter twain -"
Davis pulled q couple of ropes
there was iingling of small bells far
below, the boats speed slackened, and
the pent steam began to whistle and the
gauge cocks scream.
"By the mark twain p
QuAr-ter-her- -er-less twain -
"Eight and half r.
"Eight feet !''
"Seven-and-a-half =
Another jingling of little bells and
the wheels ceased turning altogether.
The whistling of the steam was some
thing fIightful now-it almost drowned
all other noises.
"Stand by to meet her !"
George had the wheel hard down and
was standing on spoke.
"All ready r.
The boat hesitated-seemedt to hold
her breath, as did the captain and pilots
and then she began to fall away to
starboard, and every eye lighted.
'.NooO then meet her meet her
Snatch herp'
The wheel few to port so fast that the
spokes blended into spider web-the
swing of the boat subsided-she stead
led herself
"Seven feet p
"Sev-six feet and hag'"
"Siu feet -! Six f."
Bangl She hit the bottom George
shouted through the tube:
"Spead her wide open Whale IL Al
her :"
Pow-wow-chowl The escape pipes
belched snowy pillars of steam aloft.
the boat ground and surged and trem-
bled-and slid over into
MARK twain p
"Quarter-heT--"
"Tap tap tap p CtO signify " Lay
in the leads.'O
And away she went, flying up the will
low shore, with the whole silver sea ot
the Mississippi stretching abroad OIL
every hand.
No Amaranth in sight
"Ha ha, boys, we took couple o.
tricks that time !" said the captain.
And just at that moment red glar,
appeared in the head of the chute ant
the Amaranth came swinging aftel
them
"Well, swear p
"Jim, what is the meaning of that p
"Tn tell you what's the meaning o
it. That hail we had at Napoleon wa
Wash Hastings, wanting to come t,
Cairo-and we didn't stop. Hes il
that pilot house, now, showing thos
mud turtles how to hunt for easy water
"That's it I thought it wasn't an.
slouch that was running that middl
bar in Hog-eye Bend. If it's Was
Hastings-well, what he don't kno'
about the river amt worth knowing
regular gold leaf, kid glove, diamon
breastpin pilot Wash Hastings is. w
don't take any tricks off him, oil
man 70
"I wish I'd a stopped for him, that
ALL"
The Amaranth was within three bur
dred yards of the BOreas, and still gair
ing. The "old man spoke throug
the tube;
"what is she carrying now ?"
"a hundred and sixty-fve, sir -
"How's your wood?"
"Pine all out--cypress half gone
eating up cottonwood like pie y
Break into that resin on the mai
deck-pile il in--the boat can pay fC
itl"
Soon the boat was plunging, an
/ quivering, and screaming more madl
/. than ever. But the Amaranth's hea
: was almost abreast the Boreas' stern.
a Flows your steam now, Harry ?"
. Hundred and eighty-two, sir Z"
Break up the casks of bacon in u
forard hold Pile it in Levy on tn
turpentine in the fantail-dreneh evei
stick Of wood with it 70
4 The boat was a moving earthquake
this time.
= How is she now ?"
q "a hundred and ninety-six and still
/ /. Al. --,v.,