, 1875-03-27

shOal soundings and marks of one trip
mixed up with the shOal SOundiDgS and
marks OF another, either, for they're not
often twice alike. You must keep the II
separate"
When | came to myself again | said:
When ] get so that | can do that I'll
be able to raise the dead, and then !
won't have to pilot a steamboat in order
20 get 4 living. | want 10 retire from
this business. | want slush-bucket and
a brush; I'm only fit for a rOustabOut. |
haven't got brains enough to be a pilot;
and if had wouldn't have strength
enough to carry them around unless |
went on crutches."
Now drop thatl When l say I'll
learn a man the river ! mean it. Ana
you can depend on it I'll learn him or
kill him"
There was no use in arguing with
person like this. promptly put such a
strain on my memory that by and by
even the shOal water and the countless
crossing marks began to stay with me.
But the result was Just the same. |
could nryJr more than get one hnotty
thing learned before another presented
itself. Now had often seen pilots gaZ-
ing at the water and pretending to read
it as if it were book; but it WAS book
that told me nothing. 4 time came at
last, however, when Mr.. B seemed
to think me far enough advanced to
bear a lesson on watcrreading. So he
began:
"Do YOU see that long, slanting line
on the face of the WatCr2 Now that's
reef. Moreover it's bluff reef. There
is a solid sand-bar under it that is nearly
as straight up and down as the side Of a
house. There is plenty Of water close
up to it, but mighty little on top Of it. Ii
you were To hit ii you would knock the
boats brains out. Do YOU see where the
line fringcs out at the upper end and be,
gins to fade away?"
Yes, sir"
'Wcll that is a low place; that is the
head of the reef You can climb over
there and not hurt anything. Cross over
now and follow along close under the
rccf-easy water there-not much cur
rent
| followed the reef along till | ap-
preached the fringed edge. Then Mr..
b - said:
Now, get ready. Wait till l give the
word. She won't want to mount the
reef; a boat hates shoal water. Stand
by-wait, wait-kecp her well in hand.
Nolo cramp her down! Snatch her! snatch
hcrm
He seized the other side of the wheel
and helped to spin it around until it was
hard down, and then we held it so. The
] l. ! To
awhile, and next she came surging TO
starboard, mounted the reef, and sent a
long, angry ridge of water foaming away
| from her bows.
Now watch her. watch her ike a
cat, or she'll get away from you. When
! she fights strong and the tillcr slips lit
| tie, in a jcrky, greasy sort Of a way, let
up on her trite; it is the way she tells
| YOU at night the water is too shoal; but
| keep edGmg her up; little by little, to-
ward the point. You are well up on the
| bar now; there is bar under every
point, because the water that comes
! down around it forms an eddy and al
! lows the sediment to sink. DO You see
those fine lines on the face of the water
that branch out like the ribs Of ian?
| Wei, those are little reefs; you Just want
to miss the ends of them, but run them
pretty close. Now look outlook out!
! Don't YOU crowd that slick, greasy look
ing place; there amt nine feet there a;
sne won't stand il. She begins TO smell
il. look sharp, | tell you! Oh, blaZes,
there YOU 90! Stop the starboard wheel:
Quick, Ship Up to back! Set her back
The engine bells jingled and the en-
! gines answered promptly, shooting white
columns of steam far alOlt out OF the
scapc pipes, but ii was too late The
hoat had "smelt" the bar in good earnest ;
the foamy ridges that radiaicd from her
bows suddenly disappeared, a great dead
swell came rolling forward and swept
ahead of her. she carccned far over TO
Iarboard and went tearing away toward
the other shore rs if she was about scared
to death. We were a good mile from
where we ought to have been when we
finally got the upper hand of her again.
During the afternoon watch the next
doy Mr. b asked me if knew how
Tn ran the next few miles. ! said:
GO inside the first snag above the
noint. outside the next one, start out
from the lower end of Higgins woodward
/ Il
That's all right. I'll be back before
Won close I'D on the next point"
But he wasn't. He was still below
when | rounded it and entered upon a
niece of river which had some misgiv-
| ings about. did not know that he was
hiding behind a chimney to see how
would perform. went gayly along
petting prOuder and prOudcr, for he had
never left the boat in my sole charge
such a length of time before. | even
got TO setting her and letting the whee
20 entirely, while Ivain-glOriOusly turned
nv back and inspected the stern marks
and hummcd tune, a sort OF easy
Indifference which / had prOdlgiOuS
" admired in B and other great
pilots. Once | inspected rather long
and when ] faced TO the front
again my heart flew into my mouth
s. suddenly that if hadn't clappcd my
teeth together I would have lost It. One
of those frightfuI blue reefs was stretch
/ ing its deadly length across our bows
Ny head was gone IN moment; L diC
not know which end | stood on;
gasped and could not get my breath;
spun the wheel down with such rapldlty
that il wove ilselftogether ike spiders
web; the boat answered and turned
square away from the reef, but the reei
: followed her! fled, and still itfolloweC
t still it kept right across my bows,
never looked to see where was going
= | only fed. The awful crash was imml
nent-why didn't that villain come! |
t | committed the crime Of ringing bel
I / | might be thrown overheard But bet
t ter than Kill the boat So in blind des
' peration l started such rafting shIy
t aree" down below as never had astound
ed an engineer in the world before,
c fancy. Amidst the frenzy Of the Dell
the engines began TO back and MI IN