The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-02-13
the false point below Boardman's Isl
and, this morning?"
ssWatar inst tnl1chinrHhe roots. "

plunged into what seemed crooked
creek, and the Amaranth's approach
ing lights were shut out in moment.
Not a whisper was uttered now, but
the three men stared ahead in 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 leads
men sprang to their posts, and in a
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 bottomw
"D-e-e-p fourp'
"Half three!'
"Quarter threel'
"Mark under wa-a-ter three!'
"Quarter twain!-"
Davis pulledsa couple Of ropes
there was a jingling of small bells
far below, the boats speed slackened,
and the pent steam began to whistle
and the guage-cocks scream.
"By the mark twain"
"Quariter-her-er-Ie$S twain.
"Eight and a half"
"Eight feet!"
"Seven-an-a-half -"
Another jingling of little bells and
the wheels ceased turning altogether
The whistling of the steam was some-
thing 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 readyp
The boat hesitated- seemed to hold
her breath, as did the Captain and
pilots then she began to fall
away to starboard, and every one
lighted.
"Noao, then!-meet herl meet her!
Snatch herR'
The wheel flew to port so fast that
the spokes blended into a spider web
the swing of the boat subsidized
she steadied herself
"Seven feet!'
"Sev-six and half"
"Sir feet ! Six f"
Bang! She hit the bottom! George
shouted through the tube:
"Spread her wide openl Whale it
at her ~
Pow-wow-chow! The escape
pipes belched snowy pillows of steam
aloft, the boat aground, and surged
and trembled-and slid over into
"M-a-r-k twain p
"Quarter her"
CLAP 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 couple of
sticks that time' said the Captain.
And just at that moment red
glare appeared in the head OF the
chute, and the Amaranth came
springing after them.
"Well, I swear"
"Jim, what is the meaning of
that?"
"I'll tell you what's the meaning
of it. That call we had at Napoleon
was Wash Hastings, wanting to come
to Cairo, and we didn't stop. He's
in that pilot-house, now, showing
those mud-turtles how to hunt for
easy water"
''That's it! I 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-a regular gold-leaf, kid
glove, diamond -breastpin pilot, Wash
Hastings is. We won't take any
tricks off him. old man.
''I wish I'd stopped for him,
thats all" =
The Amaranth was within 800
yards of the Boreas, and still gain
ing. The "old man spoke through
the tube:
"What is she carrying now?"
ga hundred and sixty-fve sir"
GGJo1,-', ,rO,,,, ,,rCo19"
"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
it"
Soon the boat was plunging and
quivering and screaming more madly
than ever. But the Amaranth's S head
was almost abreast the Boreas' stern.
"How's your steam, Harry
Hundred and eighty-two, sir!"
''Break up the cakes of bacon in
the forrad holdl Pile it inl Levy
on that turpentine in the fantail-
drench every stick of wood with It'll"
The boat was now moving earth
quake by this time.
"How is she now?"
GA hundred and ninety-six and
still swelling-water below the mid
die guage cocks-carrying every
pound she can stand-nigger roost-
ing ON the safety yalver'
"Good! How's your draft?"
"Bully! Every time nigger
heaves a stick of wood into the fur
mace he goes out of the chimney with
itp
The Amaranth drew steadily up
till her jack-staff breasted the Boreas'
wheel-house-climbed along inch BIZ
inch till her chimneys breasted it
crept along further and further till
the boats were wheel to wheel
and then they closed up with heavy
Jolt and locked together tight and
fast in the middle Of the big river,
under the flooding moonlight! A
roar and hurTah went up from the
crowded decks of both steamers-aH