Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-02-06

trying. She don't dare tackle lt!'
meaning the Amaranth.
In another instant the Boreas
plunged into what seemed crooked
creek, and the Amaranth's approach
ing lights were shut out in a mo-
ment. Not 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 watohfulness, while
the steamer tore along. The chute
seemed to come to an end every fif
ty yards, but always opened out in
time. Now the head OF it was al
hand. George tapped the big bell
three times, two leadsmen sprang
to their posts, and in moment their
weird cries rose on the night air,
and were caught up and repeated
by two men on the upper deck:
"No-o-bottom"
"De-e-p fourw
"Half three!'
"Quarter three!'
"Mark under wa-a-ter three!"
"Quarter twain!-"
Davis pulled a couple Of ropes
there was a jingling Of small bells
far below, the boats speed slacken-
ed, and the pent-up steam began to
whistle and the guage cocks scream:
"By the mark twain!'
"Quar-ter-her-er less twain"
Slight and n half"
eight feet!"
even-an-a-half!-"
Another jingling of the little bells
and the wheels ceased turning alto
gether. The whistling Of the steam
was something frightful, now-it
almost drowned all other noises.
"Stand by to meet her!"
George had the wheel hard down
and was standing on the spoke.
"All rcadyw ..s..
The boat hesitated-seemed to
hold her breath, as did the captain
and pilots-and then she began to
fall away to starboard, and every
eye lighted.
"Nosc, then!-meet her! meet her!
Snatch her!"
The wheel flew to port SO fast
that the spokes blended into a spi-
der web-the swing Of the boat
sabsideG-shc steadied herself
"Seven tcet"
"Scv-six and n hdLf"
"ISir feet! Six f"
Bang! She hit the bottom! Geo.
shouted through the tube:
"Spread her wide open! Whale
1t ut her."'
Pow-wow-chow! The escape
pipes belchcd snowy pillars of steam
aloft, the boat aground, and surged,
and trembled-and slid over into
MARK twain!'
"Quarter-her-"
"Tap! tap! tap" Ito signify clay
in the leads.")
And away she went, flying up the
willow shore, with the whole silver
sea Of the Mississippi stretching
abroad on every hand.
No Amaranth in sight!
'Ha-ha, boys, we took a couple
Of tricks that time!" said the cap.
tain.
And Just at that moment q red
glare appeared in the head of the
chute, and the Aramanth came tear
ing after them!
"Wcll, ] swear!'
"Jim, what is the meaning Of
that?"
"l'll tell YOU what's the meaning
of it. That hail we had at Napo-
leon was Wash Hastings, wanting
to come to Cairo, and we didn't
stop. He's in that pilot-house nov
showing those mud-turtles how to
hunt for easy water"
"That's it! l thought it wasn't
any slouch that was running that
middle bar in Hog-eye Bend. If
it's Wash Hastings-well, what he
don't know about the river amt
worth knowing regular gold
leaf, kid-glove, dlamond-breasted
pilot, Wash Hastings is. We won't
take any tricks off Of him, old man!''
81 wish I'd a stopped for him,
that's ALL"
The Amaranth was within 800
yards of the Boreas, and still gain
ing. The "old man" spoke through
the tube:
"What's she carrying now?"
"A hundred and sixty-fve, STRIP
SLOWS your wood?"
"Pine all out-cypress half gone
eating up cottonwood like pie!"
"Break into that rosin on the
main deck-pile it in; the boat can
pay for i'll"
Soon the boat was plunging, and
quivering, and screaming more
madly than ever. But the Amar-
anth's head was almost abreast the
Boreas' stern.
SLOWS your steam, Harry?"
"Hundred and eighty.two, sir"
"Break up the casks Of bacon in
the forrard hold! Pile it in! Levy
on that turpentine in the fantail-
drench every stick Of wood with it!'
The boat was moving earth
quake by this time.
"How is she now?"
"A hundred and ninety six and
still swelling-water below the
middle gauge cocks-carrying ev.
cry pound she can stand-niggel
roosting on the safety valve"
"Good! How's your draftp"
"Bully! Every time nigger
heayes . stick Of wood into the fur.
] mace he goes ont tho chimney with