Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-13
A Mississlppi Pilots Feat.

Coming upstream the pilots did not mind
low water or any kind OF darkness nothing
stopped them but fog. But downstream
work was different boat was too nearly
helpless, with stiff current pushing behind
her so it was not customary to run down.
stream at night in low water.
There seemed to be one small hope, how
ever if we could get through the intricate
and dangerous Hat Island crossing before
night, we could venture the rest, for we
would have palmer sailing and better water.
But it would be insanity to attempt Hat
Island at night. So there was deal of look
ing Mt watches all the rest of the day, and a
constant ciphering upon the speed We were
making Hat Island was the eternal sub
ject sometimes hope was high and some
times we were delayed by bad crossing, and
down it went again. For hours all hands
lay under the burden of this suppressed ex-
citcment it was even communicated to me,
aud got to feeling so solicitous about Hat
Island and under such an awful pressure of
responsibility, that | wished | might have
five minutes on shore to draw good, full,
relieving breath, and start over again. We
were standing no regular watches. Each of
our pilots ran such portions of the river as
he had run when coming up stream, because
of his greater familiarity with it but both
An hour before sunset, Mr.. Bxby took the
wheel and Mr.. W-stepped aside. For the
next 30 minutes every man held his watch in
his hand and was restless, silent and uneasy.
At last somebody said. with doomful
sight
"well, yonder's Hat island-and we can't
make it."
All tine watches closed with snap, every
body sighed aud muttered something about
its being too bad. too 5ad-ah, il we could
only have got here half an hour sooner" and
the place was thick with the atmosphere of
disappointment. Some started to go out but
loitered, hearing no bell tap to land. The
sun dipped behind the horizon, the boat went
on. Inquirlng looks passed from one guest
to another; and one who had his hand on the
door knob ,and had turned it, waited, then
pleasantly took away his hand and let the
knob back again. We bore steadily down
the bend. More looks were exchangd and
mods of surprised admralion-but no words
lnsensibly the men drew together behind
Mr.. Bixby, as the sky darkered and one or
two dim stars came out The dead silence
and sense Of awaiting became oppressive.
Mr. Bixby pulled the cord, aud two deep,
mellow notes from the big bell tloated of on
the night. Then pause, and one more note
was struck. The watchman's voice followed
from the hurricane deck
"Labboard lead, there . Stabboaid lead !"
The cries of the leadsmen began to rise
out of the distance, and were gruify repeat
ed by the word passers on the hurricane
deck.
"M-a-r-k three !......M-a-r-k three !........
Quarter-less three ....... Half twain .....Quar-
ter twain .....M-a-r-k twain !......Quartcr-
less"
MIR. Bivly pulled two bell-ropes, and was
answered by faint jinglings far below in the
engine room, aud our speed slackcncd The
steam began to whistle through the gauge
cocks. The cries of the lcadsmcn went on
and it is a weird sound, always, in the night.
Every pilot in the lot was watching now, with
fixed eyes, and talking under his breath.
Nobody was calm and easy but Mr.. Bxby.
lie would put his wheel down aud stand on
Il spoke, and as the steamer swung into her
Ito me) utterly invisible marks-for we SEEM
ed to be in the midst of wide and gloomy
sea-he would meet and fasteu her there.
Out of the murmur of half-audible talk, one
caught coherent sentence now and then,
such as "a
There she is over the first reefall light !"
After pause another subdued voice -
"iler stern's coming down just exactly
right. by Georgc."
"Now she's in the marks over she goes"
Somebody else muttered-
"Oh, it was done beautiful-beauliIul :"
Now the engines were stopped altogether.
and we drifed with the current. Not that
could see the boat DRIFT, for | could not, the
STATS being all gone by this time. This
drifting was the dismalcst work it held ores
heart still. Presently discovered blackel
gloom than that which surrounded us. Ii
was the head of the island. We were closing
| lr,fr a. ~ ,t.
shadow, and SO imminent seemed the peri
that was likely to suffocate and had tn,
strongest impulse to do something, anything
to save the vessel. But still Mr. iiixby s,oo,
by the wheel silent, intent as Il cat, aud al
the pilots stood shoulder to shoulder at hi
back.
"Shcll not make it," somebody whisper
ed.
The water grew shoaler aud shoaler, b,
tue leadsmans cries, till it was down to
"Eight-and-a half ..,... Eight feet
...... Eight feet. ...... Seven-and-"
Mr.. Bixby said warningly through hi
speaking-tube to the engineer;-
"Stand by, now!"
"Aye, aye, sir "
"Seven and half Seven feet Six
and"
We touched bottom! Instantly Mr.. Blk
by set lot of bells ringing, shouted through
the tube. "Now, let her have it-ever,
ounce you've got!" then, to his partner
Put her hard down snatch her snatcl
her! !" The boat rasped and ground her wa
through the sand hung upon the apex o
disaster a single tremendous instant, an
then over she went! And such shout u
went up at Mr. Bixby's back never loosene,
the roof Of pilot-house before!
There was no more trouble after that. MI
Bixby was a hero that night and it wa
some little time, too, before his explol
| ceased to be talked about by river men.
"No," said the ligh-school girl to he