The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-07-21
The Ocean Pilot.

A pilot IS man who has made himself
/ thoroughly acquainted with certain wa
tiers where navigation is dangerous and
who directs vessels in safety throuoh
those bad places. A Ship Captain may
understand perfectly the proper course
from one continent 10 another and how
to handle his vessel in the open sea. but
he is interpreted to know every rock
and sand-bar crouching under the treaci-
erous waves, and all the twistings and
! Instructions of the narrow entrance into
foreign harbor. Indeed, the naval
regulations viii not permit captains 10
act, though they may think they know
the channel, since if an accident happens
when there is no pilot on board, the in
suranee money will not be paid
Pilots. then, are important men. and
they know it so well that they chxge
very high prices for their services
orally rated according to the draft &c
vesseD, and admit few young m 20
! their ranks to be trained. a
Their method of work IS very ex IN
A dozen or so together will foff y
crew of a trim, stauneh schoOneiE
! visioned for fortnight or more, In
can outsail anything but a racing 80
and is built to ride safely throu.
/ highest seas.
But these fine schooners and the re
men they carry are rarely in e.
( Their time is spent far in the oiliIkpf
! the harbor, cruising back and forVin
wait for incoming ships, and thf New
/ York pilots often 20 two and thre nun
bred miles out TO sea. There areother
pilot-boats waiting, also, and thdook-
/ out at the Keeling masthead mustkeep
/ the very keenest watch upon the hGizon.
1 Suddenly he catches sight of awhlte
! speck which his practised eye tes him
is a ships top-galiants, or a blurupon
/ the sky that alyertises a steamers ap-
proach The schooner head is i1stant-
IL turned toward it, and all theeanvas
is crowded on that she will bear, for
away off at the right a second pilOFboat,
hull down. is also seen to be aiming at
the same prize, and trying hard % win.
The man whose tum it is to 90 on duty,
hurries below and packs the littlevalise
which holds the few things ne wants TO
take home, and the crew 5 letters;n 1t Is
a steamer which is living there with
slowly turning wheels and signals fly
ing, he shaves hirself and puts on a
clean white shirt; bit common sailing
vessel is not SO honred.
The storm may b bowling in the full
force of winters 1ry, and the waves
running mountais high as we say,
but the pilot must get aboard by some
means. 1t takes rugh weather tomake
: Fit impossible for hia1ates to launch their
yawl and row hin 70 where he can
Chamber up the strager's side with tho
aid of a friendly roe send. But often
this is out of the question. Then a
whip IS rugged byond the end of a
lee-yard arm, caring a rope drove
, through a snatch-bek. and having a
, bowline at its end The steamer slows
her engines, or thoship heayes to, and
the Dilot-schooner under perfect con-
troll, runs up undo the lee of the big
ship, as near as he dares in the gale.
Then. Just at the riht instant, man on
the ships yard hus the rope. it is caught
by the schooner. le pilot slips one lee
through the bowlie-noose, and Il second
3 afterward the schooner has swept on and
he is being hoistet up to the yard arm,
but generally notn time 10 save himself
a good duclling ilthe combing of some
big roller.
Now the pilot master-stands ahead
of the Captain een-and his orders are
absolute law. f. inspects the vessel to
; form his opinio1of how she viii behave,
and then goes the wheel or stands
where best he en- give his orders to the
steersnlan and , the men in the fore
chains who artheaying the lead. lie
must never abadon his post, he must
never lose hissontrol of the ship, OF
make Mistakes to its position IN re-
speet to the leeihore, or fail to be equal
to every emergacy. Ifitis too dark and
foggv and story TO see. he must feel,
and II he cannt do this he must have
the faculty of cling right by intuition
life. This is WAT is expected of apilot
and this Is whatthey actually do III
hundred cases. ne fun details of any one
of which would lake a long and thrill
ing tale of adventurous fighting Tor ne,
-Ernest Hsger8. IN Uide Aaoade,