National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1874-01-16
I wish I'd stopped for him, that's

The Amaranth was within three hui,
dred yards of the Boreas, and still
gaining. The "old man " spok
through the tube.
"Wha. is she carrying now?"
VA hundred and sixty.fve, sir |"
"Hows your wood?"
"Pine all out-cypress half gone
eating up cottonwood like pie p
Break into that rosin on the mair
deck-pile it in, the boat can pay fol
it p
Soon the boat Was plunging and
quivering, and screaming more madly
than ever. But the Amaranth's head
was almost abreast the Boreass stern.
How's your steam, Harry?"
Hundred and eighty-two, sir |"
"Break up the casks of bacon in the
forrard hold Pile it in 4! Levy on that
turpentine in the fantail-drench every
stick of wood with it p
The boat was moving earthquake by
this time.
"How is she now?"
GA hundred and ninety. six and still
swelling-water below the middle gauge
cock-carrying every pound she can
stand-nigger roosting on the safety
valve !"
"Good How's your draft ?"
Bully Every time niggerheaves
a stick of wood into the furnace he goes
out the chimney with it !"
The Amaranth drew steadily up till
her jack-staff breasted the Boreas's
wheel house climbed along inch by
inch till her chimneys breasted it ];
crept along further and further until
the boats were wheel to wheel, and then
they closed up with a heavy jolt and
locked together tight and fast in the
middle of the big river, under the
flooding moonlight ! "A roar and hur-
rah went up from the crowded decks of
both steamers all hands rushed to the
guards to look, and shout, and gesticu-
late; the weight careened the vessels.
The boat was straining and groaning
and quivering like a monster in pain.
Both pilots were at work now, one on
each side of the wheel, with their coats
and vests off, their bosoms and collars
wide open, and the perspiration flowing
down their faces. They were holding
the boat SO close to the shore that the
willows swept the guards almost from
stem to stern.
"Stand by! whispered George.
"All ready" said Jim, under his
breath.
"Let her come p
The boat sprang away from the bank
like deer, and darted in a long dag
onal toward the other shore. She
closed in again and thrashed her fierce
way along the willows as before. The
Captain put down the glass.
"Lord how she walks up on us. ]
do hate to be beat"
"Jim," said George, looking straight
ahead, watching the slightest yawing
of the boat, ant. pro,artly meeting It
with the wheel, "how'll it do to try
Murderer's Chute p
"Well, it's-it's taking the chances.
How was the cottonwood stump on the
false point below Boardmans Island |
this morning q
"Water just touching the roots"
swell, it's pretty close work. That
gives six feet scant in the head of Muir
derer's Chute. We can just barely rub
through if we hit it exactly right.
But it's worth trying. She don't dare
tackle it'-meaning the Amaranth.
In another instant the Bsreas plunged
into what seemed crooked creek, and
the Amaranth's approaching lights were
shut out in n moment. Not whisper
was uttered now, but the three men
started 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
n moment their weird cries rose on the
night air, and were caught up and re-
peated by two men on the upper deck
"No-o bottom p
"De-ep four !"'
"Half three I"
"Quarter three p
"Mark under wa-a-ter three p
"Quarter twain p
was jingling of small bells far below,
,he boats speed slackened, and the
oent-up steam began to whistle, and
jne gauge COCKS scream
"By the mark twain !"
"Quar-ter--her- r-er-Iess twain p
"Eight and half p q.
"Eight feet I"
Seven-an' '-a-half !"
Another jingling of little bells and
;he wheels ceased turning altogether.
The whistling of the steam was some- !
hing frightful now-it almost drowned
Ill other noises. ,
"Stand by to meet her p
George had the whee! hard down and
vas standing on the spoke. ;;
"All ready |"
The boat hesitated-seemed to hold l
Ter breath, as did the captain and pilots :.
and then she began to fall away to !
tarboard, and every eye lighted.
"Now, then meet her meet her n
snatch her II i
The wheel flew to port so fast that Z
he spokes blended into spider web
he swing of the boat subsided-she U
teadied herself G
"Seven feet !" e
"Sev-six and half !" Il !
"Six feet ! Six f" G
Bang She hit the bottom Geol ge ! !
houted through the tube =
"Spread her wide open Whale it =
t her %
Poxv-wov-chow Tho acoopa pi,ooo