Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-04-22
ONE OF THE MYSTERIES OF MISSISSIPPI
RIVER NAVIGATION.

There used to be All excellent pilot
on the river, a Mr.. x. who was 6
somnambulist. 1t was said that if his
mind was troubled about a bad piece
of river he was pretty sure to get up
and walk in his sleep and do strange
things. He was once fellow pilot fol-
a trip or two with George E., on 6
great New Orleans passenger packet
Late one night the boat was approach
ing Helena, Ark; the water was low
and the crossing above the town in {
very bad..c .ndition. x had seen ths
crossing since E - had, and as the
night was particularly drizzly, suller
and dark, } E. was, considering
whether he had not better have X
called to assist in running the place
when the door opened and X. walked
in. 80
"Let me take her, Mr.. E; I've
seen this place since you have and it i.
50 crooked that I reckon | can run i
myself easier than could tell you how
to do it"
SIT is kind of you, and l swear an
willing. | haven't got another drop O
PRECIPITATION left in me- l have beer
spinning around and around the whee
like squirrel. 1t is so dark I cam
tell which way she is swinging till she
is coming around like a whirligig.'
SO E--took a seat on the bench
painting and brcathless. X as
sumed the wheel without saying any
thing, steadied the waltzing steamer
with turn OF two, and then stood al
ease, coaxing her little to this side
and then to that, as gently and as
sweetly as if the time had been noon
day. When E observed this mar
vel of steering, he wished he had no,
confessed! He stared and wondered
and finally said:
"Well, | thought l knew how to steer
steamboat, but that was another mis-
take of mine.
X said nothing, but went serenely
on with his work. He rang for leads
he rang to slow down the steam; he
worked the boat carefully and neatly
into invisible marks, then stood at the
centre of the wheel and peered out
blandly into the blackness, fore and
aft, to verify his position as the leads
shoaled more and more, he stopped the
engines entirely, and the dead silence
and suspense of drifting followed
when the shoalest water was struck he
cracked on the steam, carried her
handsomely over, and then began to
work her warly into the next System
of shoal marks the same patient, heed
full use of leads and engines followe |
Il e boat slipped through withou
touching bottom, and entered upon
the third and last intricacy of the cross
ing; imperceptibly she moved through
the gloom, crept by inches into her
marks, drfted tediously till the shoal.
est water was cried, and then under a
tremendous head of steam, went swing
ing over the reef and away into deep
water and safety! -.-....
E let his long pent breath pour
out III long, relieving sigh, and
said:
"That's tie sweetest piece of pilot
ing that was ever done On the Miss
issippi river! l wouldn't have be
lieved 1t coald be done if | b: DIT seen
it,"
There was no reply, ard he added:
'.Just hold her FIVE minutes. longer,
partner, and let me run down and get
a cup of coffee"
A minute later E was biting
into pie down in the ''texas," and
comforting himself with coffee. Just
then the night Waterman happened in,
and was about to happen out again,
when he noticed E. and ex-
claimed
"Who is at the wheel, sir?"
sX--."
"Dart for the pilot house quicker
than lightning
The next moment both men were
flying up the pilot house companion
way three steps at a jumpl Nobody
there! The great steamer was whist
ling down the middle of the river at
her own sweet will The Waterman
shot out of the place again; E.
seized the wheel, set an engine back
with power, and held his breath while
the boat Reluctantly swung away from
a 'stowhead" which she was about to
knock into the middle of the Gulf of
Mexicol
BY and by the Waterman came back
and said: 'k
Didn't that lunatic tell you he
was asleep when be first came up
here?' Eu
"No,"
ssWell, he was. | found him walk.
ing along on top of the ratings, just as
unconcerned as another man would