Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-03-30
Mississippi Steamboat
Racing.
A VIVID PICTURE.

pilot took his glass and looked at it
steadily for moment and said, chiefly
to himself
1t can't be the Blue Wing She could
not pick us up that way. It's the Amar-
anth, sure
He bent over a speaking tube and
then said
who's on watch down there?
A hollow, unhuman voice rumbled up
through the tube in answer:
i am. Second engineer
Good You want to stir your stumps
now, Harry-the Amaranth's just turn
ed the point, and she's just a-bumping
herself, too
The pilot took hold of a rope that was
stretched out forward, jerked it twice,
and two mellow strokes of the big bell
responded. A voice out on the deck
shouted :
Stand by, down there, with that lar
board lead =
No, [ don't want the lead, said the
pilot, Il want you. Roust out the old
man-tell him the Amaranth's coming.
And 90 and call Jim-tell him
Aye, aye. sir
The old man was the captain-he is
always called so on steamboats, and ships.
Jim was the other pilot Within two
minutes both of these men were flying
up the pllot-house stairway, three steps
at Jump. Jim was in his shirt sleeves
with his coat and vest on his arm. He
said:
4 was just turning in. Where's the
glass p He took it and looked.
Don't appear to be any night-hawk
on the ack-staf-its the Amaranth,
dead sure !!
The captain took good long look
and only said
'Damnation =
George Davis, the pilot on watch,
shouted to the watchman on deck :
'How's she loaded 2
Two inches by the head, sir
faint enough =
The captain shouted now
sUaII The maUe. rcll 1r1m " Ueel1 oil
hands and get lot of that sugar forrard
put her ten inches by the head. Live
ly now !!
Aye, aye, sir.
A riot of shouting and trampling float
ed up from below presently, and the un-
easy steering of the boat showed that
she was getting down by the head
The three men in the pifot-house be-
gan to talk in short, sharp sentences,
low and earnestly. As their excitement
rose their voices went down AS fast a;
one of them put down the spy-glass, an
other took it up-but always with. ;
studied air of calmuess. Each time tht
verdict was
She's gaining.
The captain spoke through the tube
What steam are you carrying 2
: "A hundred and forty two, sir Blu
she's getting hotter and hotter all tn
, time
The boat was straining and groanin|
! and quivering like monster in pain
Both pilots were at work now, one ol
each side of the wheel, with their coat
, and vests off, their bosoms and collar
e wide open, and the perspiration fowin
S down their faces. They were holdin
i the boat so close to the shore that tn
, willows swept the guards almost fror
n stem to stern.
Stand by = whispered George.
All ready said Sam, under his breatl
Let her come 7
= The boat sprang away from the ban
d like a deer, and darted in long diagC
n nal toward the other shore. She close
G in again and thrashed her fierce wa
n along the willows as before. The cal
Il tain put down the glass
IS Lord, how she walks up on us d
Il hate to be beat 7
n Jim,' said George, looking straigl
d ahead, watching the slightest yawing
:, the boat and promptly meeting it wit
v the wheel, how'll 1t do to try Murderer
st Chute p
,e well, it's-it's taking chances. Ho
e. was the cottonwood stump on the falls
st point below Boardmans Island tn
n morning 2
sr Water just touching the roots
N We'll, it's pretty close work. Thi
le gives six feet scant in the head of Mu
to derer's Chute. We can just barely II
ID through if we hit it exactly right B,
it it's worth trying. She don't tackle it
be meaning the Amaranth. In anoth
ne instant the Boreas plunged into VIII
a. seemed crooked creek, and the ANA
er anth's approaching lights were shut o
is in an instant. Not whisper was ute
" ed now, but the three men started abe;
lie into the shadows and two of them spl
w the wheel back and forth with anxlo
nd watchfulness while the steamer to
be along. The chute seemed to come to
he end every fifty yards, but always open
he out in. time. Now the head of it was
:: LarA Goo,o.o t.,,ar,1,d th1o hior hall tlr