Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-03-30
repeated by two men on the upper deck

Quarter three !
Mark under wa-a-ter three !
Half twain -
Davis pulled a couple Of ropes there
was jingling of small bells far below,
the boats speed slackened, and the pent
up steam began to whistle and the gauge
cocks to scream
BY the mark twain 7
Quar- her -er-less !
Eight and a half I
Eight feet T
Seven -ana-half -
Another jingling of the little bells
and the wheels ceased turning altogeth-
er. The whistling of the steam was
something frightful, now. 1t almost
drowned all other noises.
Stand by to meet her ?
George had the wheel hard down and
was standing on spoke.
All ready !!
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
Now, then meet her Snatch her
The wheel flew to port so fast that
the spokes blended into spider web
the swing of the boat subsided-she
steadied herself
Seven feet p
'Sev-six and half =
Six feet Six f-?'
Bang She hit the bottom George
shouted through the tube:
Spread her wide open Whale it at
her =
Pow-wow-chow The escape. pipes
belched snowy pillars of steam aloft, the
boat ground and surged and trembled-
and slid oyer into
Mark twain !!
Quarter her.
Tap tap ! tap p Ito signify lay 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 captain.
And just at that moment red glare
appeared Ill clIU neau VI Une onurU vsIIU
the Amaranth came springing after them
We'll. | swear =
Jim, what's the meaning of that p
Fll tell you what's the meaning of it
That hail we had at Napoleon was Wasl
Hastings, wanting to come to Cairo
and we didn't stop, He's In that pilo1
house now, showing those mud turtle
how to hunt for easy water
That's it ! | thought it wasn't an,
slouch that was running that middle ba
in Hog-eye Bend If its Wash Hast
ings-well, what he don't know abou
the river amt worth knowing regu
lar gold leaf, kid glove, diamond breas
pin pilot, Wash Hastings is. We won
take any tricks of him. old man =
i wish I'd stopped for him, that
all.
The Amaranth was within three hund
red yards of the Boreas, and still gain
ing. The old man. spoke thro' the tube
What is she carrying now 2
"A hundred and sixty-fve, sir
'How's your wood q
Pine all out-cypress half gone-eat
ing up cottonwood like pie ?
Break into that rosin on the mai
deck-pile it in, the boat can pay for it
, Soon the boat was plunging and qui,
| ering and screaming more madly tina
ever. But the Amaranths head was a
most abreast the Boreas' stern.
.How's your steam now, Harry p
Hundred and eighty-two, sir !!
( Break up the casks of bacon in til
forrard hold! Pile it in ! Levy on tn;
| turpentine in the fantail-drench ever
= stick of wood with it =
: The boat was a moving earthqual
by this time.
} How is she now =
"A hundred and ninety-six and still
t swelling !-water below the middle gaue
f cocks-carrying every pound she ca
4 stand ?-nigger roosting on the safet
S valve ?
Good How's your draft q
V Bully ! Every time niger heav
e stick of wood into the furnace he go
5 out Of the chimney with it 2
The Amaranth drew steadily up ii
the jackstaf breasted the Boreas' whee
t house-climbed along inch by inch Ii
: her chimney breasted it-crept alon
b further and further, till the boats we
It wheel to wheel-and then they clos,
? up with a heavy jolt and locked toget
f er tight and fast in the middle of Il
It big river under the flooding moonlight
: A roar and hurrah went up from t
it crowded decks of both steamers
: hands rushed to the guards to look al
d shout and gesticulate-the weight c
n reened the vessels towards each other
Is officers flew hither and thither, cursil