The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-03-29
FlatbOat Days,

That brave old warrior, General VIM.
0. Butler, who died not long ago at hia
home i'll Kentucky, at the advanced ago
of CiGhtY-sGren, was something more
than n soldier. He WAS a poet, and had
at times given undoubtcd evidence OF
possessing the divine afllatus. His poom
commencing,
go boatman, wind that horn agsiU
For never did the listening air
Upon Its lambcnt bosom bear
80 wild, SO soft, 80 sweet strain"
will long hold its place among the gemsr
of American poetry. But the days wben
the only means Of transportation on Du
great Western rivers was the hatboat
have passed away 1t may almost lsc
said to be thing of the past, and hep.a
the fine flavor of General Buffers poem
is lost to IA great degree to generation
who only know of it by tradition.
A voyage from Pittsburg to New Or
leans by tlatboat was an enterprise once
of greater peril than tour around the
world is now. 1t was certain to be full of
adventure. 1t required months for it's
accomplishment A shot FROM the shore
by somo Indian or reckless desperate
might terminate abruptly the voyage and
Che lives of the navigators in blood 4
moments neglect of the stecrsman might
WYNN 'iiS iilil dll Tic
hopes of ito owners, hundreds of miles
from home and in IN inhospitable wilder
| ness. There was danger cverywhere-in
the currents. eddies, whirlpools, bayous
and snags Of tho tortuous Father of
Waters; but there was no less danger
from the half civilized dwcllers OH the
banks. The outluwed criminals and the
desperate advcntureIs from civilization
BkullIcd along the shores, or prowled
with light canoes among the bayOus and
creeks watching for chances to plundcr,
even II murder was necessary to aid them.
A ilatboat voyage down tho great rivers
was pcrilOus enough from natural causes,
even if mans inhumanity to IN in had not
Increased the peril. In those days the
government had not thought of snag-
boats, and the Mississippi was full of half
hidden dangers. The current was con-
stantlX changing. 1t was easy TO be de-
c@ivcd into an old channel from which
there was no return. Bnyous were often
tral>S---wat1ry uls-de-sac-lcading no.
where but to ruin. The organized river
pirates and wrCckorS were always on the
lockout for unwary vOyngers, SO that n
slight mishap generally ended in COM
plcto disaster. If, under such circum-
stances, the tlatboatman reached his dis
lillI nome, lOOl@1GO ana weary DQt DGnDl-
less, months after leaving it, no was
lucky. In the early days of fntbonting
n safe roturn, even when the venture had
not proven financially profitable, WAS II
grand event, and tho occasion OF tumult-
uous JOY. The business bred special
class who sought it for its adventure and
dangers as much rs for its profits. The
river pirates met in the hatboatman of
that early day class ready, eager and
willing for the fray-a class which, like
the rancheros of the plains, accounted
trip tame and spiritlcss If unattended
with danger. They were rough and
ready, careless and carc-free. Dreamily
floating slowly down the Ohio, they
whilcd away with song and dance the lazy
hours. The boatman's horn walked tho
echoes from distant hills moro musical
than steamboat whistle or that cards
tracing horror, the calliope. 1t was o
romant &c life, bcftting tho grand scenery
and rude timo. Ninety days and slow
moving tlntbont, tho scenery constantly
changing but ever wild and beautiful
was thing never to be forgotten Tho
spice of danger in it only gave it zcst
An occasional adventure with river
sharks only relieved monotony and ad.
! ded mtcrcst.-I'tdj0n0DoH8 Jotrn0t.