Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-12-01
An Old-SchOOl Pilot.

My particular friend among the pilots
was very big man, who used to amuse
us much by the childish gravity of his
remarks. He was remnant of a past
generation, and the introduction of
steam shocked his facilities beyond re-
covery. He would say: "In the old
times, sir, vessels had to turn up here
1t was back. fill and shiver-r-r all the
way; but now you m ght as well have
sets of rails laid on the water and run
the ships on them. There is no sea-
manship needed. He never quite for
gave the Commissioners for deepening
the river. AS he said, in his trenchant
manner: There used to be some cred
it in bringing ship across the bar when
you were never quite sure whether she
would touch or not; but now YOU could
bring the Duke of Wellington in at low
water. These kid-glovcd Captains
come right up to the moorings as safe
rs If they were driving coach along the
road"
The first time 1 saw my poor
friend L liked him. We lived in
n lonely house that stood on the
cliffs at bleak turn of the coast.
One wild morning a co5le beat into our
cove. 1t looked as though the sea must
double on her every second; but just
when the combers shot at her most dan
gerously the man at the tiller placed the
broad square stern at right angles to the
path OF the travelling wave, and she
lunged forward safely. BY dexterous
jockeving she was brought close in, and
the men came through the shallow
water in their sea boots. They were
blue with cold, and begged for lit e
tea or coffee. Hot cakes and coffee
happened to be just ready, so the fellows
had n hearty breakfast and went away.
With prolonged clumsiness the pilot
shook the hand of the lady who had en-
tertained him; and in two days after the
boat sailed into the cove again amid
nasty weather, and the master came
ashore with a set of gaudy wooden
bowls Tainted black and red These he
solemnly presented to the lady of the
house. He had run thirty miles against
northerly sea to bring them.
He met his end like brave man in
the great October gale which all of us
remember. He was down on the pier
smoking with his friends in the watch
house and looking out occasionally for
distressed vessels. The great seas
were hurting themselves over the stonS-
work and SCATTERING into wild wreaths
of foam on the sand. Strong men who
showed themselves outside full in the
face of the wind were blown down fat
as If they had been lettering children.
The wind sounded as though it were
blown through huge trumpet, and the
sea was running nine feet on the bar.
A small vessel fought through, and APP
peared likely to get into the fair-way.
She showed port light for time, and
all seemed going well. Suddenly she
opened both her red and her green
lights, and it was seen that she
was coming dead on for the pier
Presently She was struck hard, within
thirty yards of the stone-work. There
was wild excitement amongst the brig
ade men. for they saw that she must be
smashed into matchwOod in five min
utes. The rockets were got ready; but
before shot could be fired the Inflated
vessel gave way totally. A great sea
rushed along the side oil. the pier. and
the pilot saw something black among
tho travelling water. There's nanr'
he shouted; and without a moments
thought plunged in. calling on the other
fellows TO pitch him a rope. Had he
tied line around his waist before he
jumped he would have been all right.
Asst was, the Dutchman whom he tried
to save was washed clean on to the pier
and put safely to bed in the brigade
house. The pilot was not found until
two days afterward James Ga.
gcttS-