The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-04-12
MISSISSIPPI PILOTS STORY.
some Facts About AIlfgafGrs as they
Were 1m The Good Ola Days.

Some EhEAS n UpuH AhknSNttES He ANOy
Were IN the Good Ola Days.
The passenger, who was going down the
big river for the first time in his life, secured
permission to climb up beside the pilot, a
grim old grayback, who never told a lie in
his life.
"Many alligators in the river ?" inquired
the stranger, after a look around.
mot 50 many now, since they got to
shooter 'em for their hide and taller" was
the reply.
USED to be lots, eh ?"
II don't want to tell you about 'em
stranger" replied the venerable pilot, signing
heavily.
''Why p
s'Cause you would think I was lynn to
you, and that's sumthin' [ never do. I can
cheat at keerds, drink whisky, or chaw poor
terbaker, but | can't lie."
''Then there used to be lots oft.them p in
the passenger.
I'm most afraid to tell you stranger, but
I've counted 'leven hundred allygaters to the
mile from Vicksburg clar down to New Or
leans, That was years ago, afore a shot was
ever fired at EN-"
"Wel, I do not doubt it," replied the
stranger.
'tAnd I've counted 3,469 of 'em on one
sandbar," continued the pilot. '1t looks big
to tell, but q Government surveyor was on
board, and he checked 'em off as I called
out"
Il haven't the least doubt Of it," said the
passenger, as he heaved a sigh.
"I'm glad of that, stranger. Some fdlers
would think that | am a liar, when I'm tellin'
the solemn truth. This used to be a perfect
paradise for allygaters, and they were SO
hick that the wheels of the boat killed and
average of forty to the mile"
els that SO ~
"True as Gospel, mister I used to almost
feel sorry for the cussed brutes, cause they
would cry out cen most like a human beings
We killed lots of 'em, as I said, and we hur
q pile more. [ sailed with one Captain who
allus carried a thousand bottles of liniment
to throw over to wounded ones Il
she did !"
'True as you live he did, l don't 'spect
I'll ever see another such a kind, christian
gentleman. And the allygaters got to KIN w
the Nancy Jane, and to know Captain Tom,
and they'ed swim out and rub their tail agin
the boat and purr like cats, and look up and
try to smile"
''They would -
'Solemn truth, stranger! And once wher
we grounded on a bar, with an opposition
boat right behind, the allygaters gathered
around, got under the stern, and jumped her
clean over the bar by a grand push It looks
like a big story but I never told a lie yet, and
I never shall. / wouldn't lie for all the
money you could put aboard this boat"
There was a painful pause, and after
while the pilot continued
sour engines gin out once, and a crowd O.
allygaters took tow line and hauled us for
ty-five niles up stream to Bismarck"
"They did,"
And when the news got along the rive
that Capt. Tom was dead, every alligator or
on the river daubed his LETT ear with mud al
a badge OF mourning, and lots of 'em pinet
away and died"
The passenger left the pilot house will
the remark that he didn't doubt the state
ment, and the old man give the wheel a turf
and replied
''There's one thing I won't do for low
nor money, and that's make a liar of my
self. I war brought up by a good mother
and I'll stick to the truth if this boat don
make a cent"