Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-09-22
AT THE POST OF DUTY.

The caprui1 stood another instar
in profound thought, during which hi
quick and fearles, mind haG cOnsidere
all tic contingencies, and, without
wOrd 10 the three men that were wit
him, be started for the deck and th
pilot-house. lie summoned the chic
engineer and his officers around him
and stated what he had discovered
laid the whole subject in a few tiers,
words before them, and said
"Gentlemen, in FIVE minutes tn,
saloons will be like an oven, and IT.,
windows Of this pilot-house viii "
cracking. Have You anything tt
suggest :"
The first officer, a sailor from boy
hood, whose head and beard wer,
already gray, said promptly:
Captain We must beach her" The
others booked their assent.
Its our only course" said the
captain. "Pilot," said be. turning 10
the man whose eve was on the look
. ont, "can you beach her ," The her
deIibcrated moment, and said:
Captain, am ready to take anv
responsibility that man in nv posi-
ton should lake. | am ready to exc
cute any ord you give; but | will
not take the responsibility Of running
this steamer. with six hundred pas
Sengcrs on board, On to a coast that
know nothing Of beyond the knowl-
edge ! have Of the lights. the reefs aud
The harbors. 1t would be mere chance
If | got her within half a mile Of the
shore"
The captain actually groancd. lie
saw and admitted the force Of the
pilots assertion. For a moment not
Word was spoken, while the shin
went tearing through the water. and
the premonition of rising tumult cane
to their cars from below, showing that
the passengers were already on the
move. lie looked an instant into
each face befo'e him. lifted his hand
and wiped the great drops Of sweat
from h!s fOreheai and said.
"Gen,lomen, what shall we do9 :
feel the floor under NV feet heating,
he passengers are moving out of the
!. What we do must be done
quickly. We are over loaded, Our
boats wouldn't accommodate half and
besides boat couldn't live in iha,
Ca. What shall we Go:"
Not man spoke. They Glt as if .
he horrors of death were shutting
Town around them. They were brave,
hey were calm. They showed no
evidence Of fear. They could meet
lea'h as men should meet it: but
hey could not tell how TO escape il
Suddenly The captains face lighted
With light which was the reflection
# hope, Of conjecture, Of
possibility. He darled out Of the
iloi-house, swung himself down
nohS the crew, who were busy with
be pumps and the hose, and shouted
With the concentration of voice that
enetrated the roar of the storm Ike
knife
is there man here who knows
bis COAST"
When the captain dropped among ,
ben the men stopped their work and I
TODD staring at him. Only the old
'apper and Herbert, eacl. of whom !
-ood above the forward bach. hose ,
hand, directing the stream that the !
nnps sent through he swelling tubes
Onward, kept their position. The t
lp'ain waited a moment, while the :
ght faded from his coun,enauce os
response came, and then, as if in =
cry despair, he shouted
is there man here who knows /
lis coast ?" .
Again no reply came, and be was =
'on the point of turning away, when l.
c lad who bad been kne, ling under
e protection of the buIwark, irving g
stop rent which The pressure had
ace In the hose that the old trapper |
as tending, rose ogt If the shadow ~
ID approaching the captain said: q
YES sir. | know the coast" r,
"Who are you" said the captain. /
hat claim such knowledge? Are n
u not the youth | saw with the old Ii
inter at the table tonight? How si
ould you, born in the interior, know II
ytbing about the coast ~ n
l was not born in the woods" o.
,pondcd the lad, Il was born within :;
! miles Of where We are, aud |
ow every rock and reef and point NJ
have fished on them all; and
CIV every beach, for used to plav ,c
them when boy" :,
The captain looked incredulous lie ii
d associated him with the hunter ir
d the wilderness and it seemed y
,redble that he should have been n
rn where he said he was born. and
It he should be on that boat that GO,
yht, and be discovered by the merest bi
;ideDt at ;be very instant of supreme W
ril. to
Captain" said the old trapper, who
d drawn nigh, "cap'n, whatever TIE III