New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-05
TIE CAkNI CHI Va.
BY II. A. BARTON:

BY H. A. BARTON:
The Carmi Chums was tie name they
went by all along the river. Most other
roustabouts had each name of his own; so
had the Carmi Chums, for that matter,
but the men themselves we're never men.
toned Individual always collectively.
No steamboat captain, who wanted only a
single man ever attempted to hire half OF
the Carmi Chums at q time-as easy would
it have been to have hired half OF the
Siamese twins. No steamboat mate who
knew them ever attempted TO tell off, the
Cbums into different watches, and any mate
who, not knowing them, commit ed this
blunder. and adhered to it after explana-
ton was made, was sure to be two men
short Immediately alter leaving the
steamers next landing. There seemed
no possible way of separating them;
they never fell out with each other in
the natural course of events: they never
fought when drunk, as other friendly
roustabouts sometimes did, for the Carmi
Chums never got drunk; there never sprang
up any GOODNESS between them because Of
love Tor the same lady, for they did not
seem to care at all for female society, unless
they happened to meet some old lady whom
one might love as mother rather than as a
sweetheart. Even professional busy bodies
from whose presence Ioustabouts are no
provoke the Carni Chums even to suspicion,
and these of them who attempted IL too pei
sistently we're likely to have difficulty
with the slighter OF the Chums. This man.
who was called Black, because of the color
of his hair, was apparently forty years OF
age, and OF very ordinary appearance, ex-
cept when an occasional turtive, frightened
look came into his face and attracted
attention. His companion, called Red. be
cause his hair was of the hue OF carrots,
and because it was occasionally necessary
to distinguish him from his friend, seemed
of about the same aye and degree of ordin-
ariness as Black, but was rather stouter,
more CHEEKY, and, ID use the tavOrit3 roust-
about simlle. held his head closer to the
current. He seemed, when Black was ab-
sent minded-as lie generally was when of
duty-to be the leading spirit of the couple,
and to be ten1erly alive to all of his pat
ner's needs; but observing roustabouts
noticed that when freigh was being moved,
or wood taken ON board, Black was always
where he could keep an eye on his chum
and when he could demand instant repara-
ton IRON any wretch who trod upon Reds
toes, or who with a shoulder-load of wood
grazed Reds head, or touched Red with
box or barrel.
Next 10 ncghborly wonder as to the
existence Ut the friendship between the
Chums, roustabouts with whom the couple
sailed concerned themselves most with the
cause OF the bond between them. Their
searches after first causes were no more
successful, however than those OF the Aa-
turaiists " " are en9eavoring u ascertain
who laid the cosmic egg they gave ont
that they came from Carmi, so, once or
twice, wnen captains with whom the ChuIRs
were engaged determined to seek Il cargo
up the Wabash. upon which river Carm
was located, inquisitive roustab0uts be
iiorl,t bpn rad MT alO 4np bn
vanity Of human hopes when the boat
reached Carmi the Chums could not be
found. nor could any inhabitant OF Carmi
identity them by the descriptions which
were given by ipQuiring friends.
AT length they became known in their
collective capacity, as one of the insttu'
tions OF the river. Captains knew them as
well as they knew Natchez or Piankishaw
Bend, aud showed them TO distinguished
passengers as regularly as they showed
General Zach Tdylor's plantation, or tue
scene of the Grand Gulf cave" where q
square mile Of Louisiana dropped into the
river one night. Captains rather cultivated
them, in fact, although it was a difficult bit
of business, fer roust abouts who wouldn't
say thank you for glass of French
brandy, or genuine, old-iashioned "planta-
ton cigar" seemed destitute of ordinary
handles OF which a steamboat captain could
take hold. Lady passengers took consider
able notice of them, and were more
successful than any one else at draw
ing them int conversation. The linguistic
accomplis nments OF the Chums were II )t
numerous, but it did enc good to see Black
lose his scared, turtivo look when lady
addressed him, and to see the affection II >
Difference with which he appealed to Red.
until that worthy was drawn into the con-
versation. When Black succeeded IN this
latter named operation, he would, by IN
sensible stages, dra Y himself away, and
give himself up to enthusiastic admiration
Of his partner, or, apparently, OF his con.
yersational ability.
The spring OF 1863 found the Chums in
the crew of the Bennett, "the peerless float
ing palace OF the Mississippi as she was
called by those newspapers whose reporters
had the freedom of the Benefits bar, and
the same season saw the Bennett staggering
down the Mississippi with so heavy load
of sacked corn that the gunwales aInidships
were fairly under water. The river was
very low, SO the Bennett kept carefully in
the channel, but the channel of the great
muddy ditch which drains half tho Union
is as tickle as disappointed lovers declare
women to be, AID it has no more respect for
great steamer loads of corn than Goliah had
for David. A little Ohio river boat, bound
upward, had reported the sudden disap-
pearance of a weOd yard little way above
Milliken's Bend, where the channel Rugged
the shore, and with the wood yard there had
disappeared an enormous 81 camOre tree,
which had for years served as tying post for
steamers. As live sycamores are about as
disinclined to float as bars of lead are, the
captain and pilot Of the Benuett were some
what concentrating the cake OF the corn
to know the exact location of the tree.
Halt a mile from the spot it became evil
dent, even to the paass gers Clustered for
ward on the cabin deck, that the sycamore
had remained quite aear its old home, for a
long, rough ripple was seen directly across
the line of the channel. Then arose the
question as to how much water was on top
ct the tree, and whether any bar had had
time to accumulate The steamer was
stopped, the engines were reversed and
worked by hand TO keep the Bennett from
drifting down stream, boat was lowered
and manned, the Chums forming part of
her crew. and the second officer. went down
to take soundiogs. while the passengers, to
WHOM even so small a cause for excitement
was Q gOdsend, crowded the rail and stared.
The boat shot rapidly down the stream,
headed for the shore end of the ripple. She
seemed almost into the boiling mud in front
of her, when the passengers on the steamer
heard the mate in the boat shout:
Back, all"' ..s.s.-te