New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-31

PuOLIUg lnaC n6Q never occurred 90 me
: all. l knew that boats ran all night, b.
somehow bad never happened to refie
that somebody had to get up out of war
bed to run them. began to fear that pilo
. ing was not so romantic. as l had imagine
1t was; there was something very real an
wOrk-like about this new phase.
1t was rather dingy night, although
fair number of stars were out. The b.
mate was at the wheel, and he had the oil
tub pointed at a star and was holding NJ
straight up the middle of the river. Tt
shores on either hand were not much MOI
than mile apart, but they seemed wonde
fully far away and ever SO vague and di
tinct The mate said: i
We've got to land at Jones plantation
cir"
The vengeful spirit in me exulted. sal
to myself wish you joy OF your job. MI
B; you'll have good time finding Ill
Jones' plantation such night as this; an
hope you never will find it as long as 20
live.
Mr.. b said to the mate:
upper end of the plantation. or th
lOwerv'
Upper"
IL can't do it. The stumps there are OF
of water at this stage. It's no great dis
tance to the lower, and you'll have to ge
along with that"
IAN right. cir. If Jones don't like it he'll
have to lump it, reckon"
And then the mate lett. Ny exultatioi
began to cool and my wonder TO como up
Here was man who not only proposed t,
find his plantation on such night, but t.
find either end Of it you preferred.
dreadfully wanted to ask question, but
was carrying about as many short answer!
as my cargO-room would admit of, SO | helC
my peace. All l desired to ask Mr.. b
| was the simple question whether he was ass
enough to really imagine he was going tc
find that plantation on night when all
| plantations were exactly alike, and all the
same color. But held in. l used to have
the inspirations of prudence in those days.
Dir. B. made for the shore and soon
was scraping it, just the same as if it had
been daylight. And not only that, but
singing
Father in heaven. the day is declining" etc.
1t seemed to me that had put my life IN
the keeping ola peculiarly reckless outcast.
Presently he turned on me and said:
Whats the name of the first point above
l was gratifed to be able to answer
promptly; and did. l said didn't know
Don't know ?"
This manner jolted me. 1 was down at
the foot again in q moment. But had to
say just what had said before.
"Well. you're smart one,' said Mr..
b. whats the name Of the next
Once more didn't know.
"Well this beats any thing. Tell me the
name of any point or place l told you"
l studied awhile and decided that I
couldn't.
"Look-ahere! What do YOU start out
from above Twelve-Mile Point, to GROSS
over!"
"I-I-don't know"
"YOu-you-dOnt known mimiok,ug nv
drawing manner of speech. What do you
know"
w-I-nothing, for certain.
by the great Caesars ghost 1 believe
you! You're the stupidest dunderhead |
ever saw or ever heard of, so help me,
The idea of you being pilot-you!
Why, you don't know enough to pilot q cow
down lane"
Oh, but his wrath was up! He was q
1ervous man, and he shuffied from one side
of his wheel to the other as if the floor was
not. He would boil while to himself, and
hen overflow and scald me again.
Look here! What do you suppose l !
old you the name Of those points for!"
tremblingly considered moment, and |
hen the devil OF temptation provoked me to /
ay;
kv
This was red rag to the bull. He ragged |
nd stormed so The was crossing the river at |
he time) that l judge it made him blind.
ecause he ran over the steering oar of a
rading scOw. Of course the traders sent
p volley of red hot profanity. Never
7ss man SO grateful as Mr.. B-was
ecause he was brim full. and here were
1bjects who would talk back. He threw
pen window, thrust his head out, and
n n yVHn Fo1 7 l
efOre. The fainter and further away the
'owmen's curses drifted, the higher Mr..
lifted his voice and the weightier his
Electives grew. When lie closed the win.
DIV he was empty. You could have drawn
seine through his system and not caught |
lrses enough to disturb your mother with. |
resently he said to me in the gentlest way:
My boy, you must get a little memoran-
Inn book and every time ] tell you thing
1T It down right away. There's only one
az to be pilot. and that is to get this en-.
70 river by heart. You have to know it
at like A B c."
That was dismal revelation to me, for
y memory was never loaded with anything
It blank cartridges. However, l did not !
81 discouraged long. judged that it was
st to make come allowances, for doubtless
:: B was stretching" Presently he c
lied rope and struck few strokes on ! I
8 big bell. The stars were all gone now j
d the night was as black as ink could |
ar the wheels churn along the bark, but t
vas not entirely certain that could see G
, shore. The voice of the INVISIBLE Z
ltchman called up from the hurricane u
ok:
What's this, sir?"
Jones' plantation"
said to myself wish l might venture "
oner small bet that it isn't. But did .
chirp. l only waited to see. MIR. B. y
ndled the engine bells, and in due time p
boats nose came to the land, a torch y
wed from the tOrecastIe, a man skipped | q
lore, darky's voice on the bank said, La
imme de carpet-bag. Mars JONES'" and 81
next moment We were standing up the 10
er again, all serene. l reflected Geeply al
'hie. and then said. but not loud, we'll, IN
hnding OF that plantation was the luck ~
accident that ever happened, but it 10
idn happen again in a hundred wears.
q l fully believe it was an accident, too. 81
y, the time we had gone seven or eight a
ldred miles up the river, had learned to
'e tolerably plucky up stream steers c,
., in daylight, and before We reached ia
Louis l had made trifie Of progress in pi
Mt work. but only trifie. l had note loi
X that fairly bristied with the names of pl
ms. points" bars, islands, bends. 20
;hes, etc, but the information was to be gr
nd only IN the notebook-noue of it was on
~ head. 1t made my heart ache to to
* had only got halt of the river set tn
q; Tor as our watch was four hours off ia
four hours on, day and night, there was dit
ng four-hour gap in my book for every da
had slept since the voyage began. Bu
y chief was presently hired to 60 on a bo
New Orleans boat, and packed nv Gu
bel and went with him. She was cus
I'd affair. When 1 stood in her pilot los
70 !! was so far above the water that l
led peIched on q mountain: and her ey,
IS stretched so far away, fore and aft. an,
me, that l wondered how / could mig
> considered the little Paul Jones Iarpe | wO