The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-01-03
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 a remnant of past
generation, and the introduction of
steam shocked his facilities beyond re-
covery. He would say: lin the old
times, sir, vessels had to turn up here.
1t was back, fill and shiver-r-r all the
way; but now you might 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-gloved Captains
come right up to the moorings as safe
as if they were driving coach along the
road"
The first time 1 saw my poor
friend / liked him. We lived in
lonely house that stood on the
cliffs at a 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 dam
gerously the man at the tiller pla ed the
broad square stern at right angles to the
path of the travelling wave, and she
iunged forward safely. By dexterous
iockeying 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 a litt g
tea or coffee. Hot cakes and coffee
happened to be Just ready, so the fellows
| had a hearty breakfast and went away.
With prolonged clumsiness the pilot
shook the hand of the ladv 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 set of gaudy' wooden
bowls rainted black and red. These he
solemnlv presented to the lady of the
house. He had run thirty miles against
n 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 stone
work and shattering into wild wreaths
of foam on the sand. Strong men who
showed themselves outside full in the
face of the wind were blown down flat
as if they had been tottering 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 ap-
peared likely to get into the fair-way.
She showed port light for time, and
all seemed going we'll 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 a shot could be fired the nl-fated
vessel gave way totally. A great sea
rushed along the side of the pier. and
the pilot saw something black among
the travelling water. There's a mani
he shouted; and without a moment:
thought plunged in, calling on the Other
fellows to pitch him a rope. Had ht
tied a line around his waist before he
Jumped he would have heen all right
As it was, the Dutchman whom he tried
to save was washed clean on to the piel
and put safely to bed in the br gade
house. The pilot was not found unit
two days afterward.-St. james Ga
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