The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-11
RED RIVER DAYS.
TIE story Of "a sail shnky Cran Up
Mysterious Strenn.

10
tho prairie. dozen Glcngary and lnvcrary
cap. hung over the deck rail ns we approached.
The, were ucrchcd at various angles OF impn- |
ti,n.c and discomfort on the hcads OF British !
and Canadian tourists. who ike ourselves.
were bound to Winnipeg. who had waited for |
Wis und who doubtless. after insular md colo |
nini formulas. cursed us in their hearts as
dave ing and dilutory Nankccs, whose delay |
hat prolonged thrir sojourn in place fertile. |
frlc 2. In mosquitoes md reputcd 10 bc not !
d.. 'utc ~ catfish. hut vacant OF other sources
of.irrc4t or n.tNhy.
company numbered moro than SCORE
o. .omc time WIS consumed in transform ing
our lmpcdiMcnta io the boat. adjusting the con-
DIT ma % our Judgment and making other
nrr ngcmonts which prospective journey OF
r',.r 0l DAYS seemed to render necessary The
r,a' belonged 70 venerable and now almost
Obsolete order " river craft. having neither.
middle. and an upper deck. n single broad pad
do wheel Mt iis stern and system " frall
Cai ms which tremhled with every revolution Of
q & rude but powerful instrument Of propul-
s.ou. 1t seemed as II tho transmission 10 1t OF
an impulse Of unusual energy might shake tho
cri re- structure into n chaos OF its elements.
nni leave it adrift in loose and ruinous confu-
sion upon the waters Of the river. The slum
hrr VI an accidental cat upon tho snfety valve,
a. Needless ovcrsupply Of comhustihles TO tho
furnace might have been fraught with tho dis
o-trous consequence Of destroying tho ontiro
cor MERGE " the river. Tho boat really pos
&C. .el more steadiast Conference and tenacity
o. organization than il seemed to do. and not
with~tanding its antiquity was in "a respectable
dr.rcc river worthy 1t was spoken OF by its
captain in n tone OF measured but evidently
ain ''re appreciation which inspired confidence
md gave us welcome feeling Of security.
Il was his fond belief that II even
po-srssed n latent quality OF speed. though
OF this II gave no visible sign. and what
ever credit Of the sort a generous credulity
might ascrihe to II would have rested upon his
Interested and unsupported averment 1fthere
haJ been upon the river a rival craft do not
doubt that spirited sense OF the responsible
ties o his position would have impelled him 10
uut % 10 it, trial. and to have either shown II a
dcrsive rear view OF his own victorious pad
de wheel. or sent the digectd mepibrd Of him
sell. his crow. and passengers flying into the
air snld the broadening vapors and scattered
fragments Of his exploded boiler. But II was
n .''itary upon the winding waters AS the craft
81 Jason amid the huflcting pillows Of the mys-
tci .us sea upon which he advcnturcd.
/, seemed somewhat untimely that the captain
should embrace occasions on which the boat
hpl run aground TO enlarge upon her sailing
pow r.. such intervals Of enforced leisure. in
vcr-ution. bl' they could not propitiate n favor
aNlc hearing ior claims which rested on such
sl'ui'r basis ~ performance. Her draught Of
WIT WIS very slight. hardly exceeding the ver-
O. .d extent 81 the cooks demijohn or the pilots
- .t 'uipe hat. which was Il antique elevation.
an -i'lad backward from brow on which
moisture contrnled with meditation. and both
VIII Noes. Bat eveu 90 this moderate displaco-
n"nt ihe m i-ummer depth % thu river was at
ti'' uno inhl. ami tho captain was frequently
compelled 60 ct overheard AMI wade
forward wiki q sounding rod in his hand
in search q an available channel At
such times he dil not resemble Ulysses
or Christopher Columbus. or any Of the
great sailors who adorn the legends OF an
uWity. or the records Of more authentic peri
Ok; Lat what li- work ia 'kcd in imposing out
ward circumstances Of dignity was recon-
pensol by is conscientious simplicity and di-
r. fn'ss o. purpose. and hy is obvious useful
ness and rores-ity. When. anrr prolonged
search. lac hal found dcep channel. he WIS
no above falling into II; nor dil he at such
tire, di-lain the occasional assistance Of the
matr Nho WINS wont. in serious crises II immer
SION to il-h him ont with a boat hook and hang
him ACROSS the boiler 90 dry.
our destination WIS due north: tho might
Gr,s which drew Ms burned In the constellation
# 'hr Boar lut the Flagstaff on our bow with
sNlyinl iueoustGuev. marked In Its progress
each -iAn II the zodiac. Sometimes 1t rose
Ae inst the fame OF the wcstering sun and cast
It's long shadow backward again the golden
gloho upon liz summit burned in the east or set
IL luminous sphere like an errant harvest
lIoon casually adriit ON duylt Spaces upon
Inc russell warmth of the southern horizon or
che cold gray - the north. The river winds
auj doubles upon itself as II moved by
troubled spirit Of changing purpose or AS IL