Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-05-15
THE CUB PILOT.

When Mark Twain was "cub pilot,
or pilots apprentice, on the Missis-
sippi river, he met with ssme adventures
which he is now telling. One of them
was as follows: Nothing delights cub SO
much as an opportunity to go out sound
ing. There is such an air of adventure
about it; often there is danger; it is SO
gaRdy and man-of-war-like to sit up in
the stern-sheets and steer o swift yawl
there is something fine about the exult-
ant spring of the boat when an expe-
rienced old sailor crew throw their souls
into the oars; it is lovely to see the white
foam stream away from the bows; there
is music in the rush Of the water; it is
.deliciously exhilaratihg, in summer, to
go speeding over the breezy exPanses Of
the river when the world of wavelets is
dancing in the sun. 1t is such grandeur,
too, to the cub. to get chance TO give
an order; for often the pilot will simply
say, "Let her go about !" and leave the
rest to the cub, who instantly cries, in
his sternest tone of command: "Ease
astarboard Strong on the larboard
iStarboard give way With a will, men"
The cub enjoys sounding for the further
reason that the eyes of the passengers
are watching all the yawl's movements
with absorbing interest, if the time be
daylight; and if it be night he knows
that those same wondering eyes are
fastened upon the yawl's lantern as it
glides out into the gloom and fades away
in the remote distance.
One trip pretty girl of sixteen spent
her time in our pilot-horse with her
uncle and aunt, every day and all day
long. i fell in love with her. So did
Mr.. T. s cub, Tom G. Tom and 1 had
been bosom friends until this time; but
now GOODNESS began to arise. 1 told
the girl a good many of my river ad-
ventures, and made myself out good
deal of hero; Tom tried to make him
self appear hero, too, and succeeded
to some extent, but then he always had
way of embroidering. However,
virtue is its own reward, SO was o
barely perceptible trife ahead in the
contest. About this time something hap.
pened which promised handsomely forme
the pilots decided to sound the crossing
at the head of Twenty-one. This would
occur about nine or ten o'clock at night
when the passengers would be still up
it would be Mr.. T. watch, therefore
my chief would have to do the sounding
We had perfect love of sounding
boat-long, trim, graceful, and as fleet
as q greyhound; her thwart3 were cush-
ioned; she carried twelve oarsmen; one
of the mates was always sent in her tc
transmit orders to her crew, for ours
was steamer where no end of style
was put on.
We tied up at the shore above Twenty
one, and got ready. 1t was foul night
aud the river was so wide, there, that {
landsman's uneducated eyes could discern
no opposite shore through such gloom
The passengers were alert and interest
ed; everything was satisfactory. AS
hurried through the engine-ro om, pic
turesquely gotten up in storm toggery, l
met Tom, and could not forbear deliver
ing myself of a mean speech:
CANT you glad you don't have to g,
out sounding"
Tom was passing on, but he quiekl,
turned, and said:
"Now, just for that, you can go ant
get the soundingpol yourself. 1 wa
going aftor it, but I'd see you in Hall
fax, new, before I'd do it"
"Who wants you to get it don't
It's in the sounding -boat.
"It amt, either. It's been new
painted; and it's been up on the ladies
cabin guards two days, drying"
/ flew back, and shortly arrived anon
the crowd of watching and wonderin
ladies just in time to hear the command
"Give way, men %
/ looked over, and there was the ga
LIANT sounding-boat booming away, tn
unpriRcipled Tom presiding at the tilIel