The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-04-11

feeble phrase, II think )" he always ssys,
1 know" He has cultivated his memory
antil it retains every trivial detail Of
twelve hundred miles Of river. he
must know it, in order to keep his
steamer out Of trouble, and he must 50
know it that nothing shall shake his
confidence in his knowledge.
When pilots "cub," as his appren-
;ice is called, has become so thoroughly
acquainted with the river that he can be
trusted to steer the boat alone, the pilot
plays friendly swindle upon him. His
purpose is to test the cubs confidence
in his own knowledge, and to train him
10 calmly look danger in the face.
Mark Twain tells, in his "Life on the
Mississippi" how he was once thus
trained by his pilot-boss, Mr.. Bixby:
"Iam going below q while, said Mr..
Bixby. II suppose you know the next
crossing?"
"Know how to run it? Why, 1 car
run it with my eyes shut"
"How much water il there in it?"
"Well that is an odd question.
couldn't get bottom there with cl,urcl
steeple."
"Iou think so, do you?"
The very tone of the question SHOOK
my confidence. That. was what Mr.
Bixby was expecting. He left without
saying anything more. began to i'm
agine oil sorts OF things.
Mr.. Bixb:, unknown to me, sem
somebody down to the forecastle will
Eome mysterious instructions to til;
!eadsmen, another messenger was sent
to whisper among the officers, and the,
MIR. Bixby went into hiding behind q
emOke-stack where he could observe re.
butts.
Presently the captain stepped out or
the hurricane deck; next the chief mate
appeared, and then clerk. Every mo.
ment or two straggler was added to
my audience; nnd before I got to the
head of the island, had fifteen o,
twenty people assembled down there
unuef my nose.
l began to wonder what the trouble
was. As I started across, the captain
glanced aloft at mo, and said, with q
sham unensiness in his voice.
Where is Bixby?"
"Gone below, sir"
But that did the business for mo. NV
imagination began to construct dangers
out of nothing. All my confidence in
that crossing vanished.
1 seized the belt-rope; dropped it.
ashamed; seized it again: dropped ii
once more: clutched it tremblingly once
again, and pulled it so feebly that ]
could hardly hear the stroke myself.
Captain and mate sang ont instantly,
and both together, "Starboard lead
there! aud quick about it'll"
This was another shock. I began tc
climb the wheel like squirrel; but ]
could hardly get the boat started to port
before would see new dangers on that
side and away 1 would spin to the other,
only to find perils accumulating to star.
board, and be crazy to get to port again.
Then came the leadsman's sepulchral
cry, "D-e-e-p four"
Deep four in u bottomlcss crossing
The terror of it took my breath away.
Mark three! Mark three
twainS ~ @'' ''' '-"''
This was frightful 7 seized the bell
ropes and stopped the engines.
"Quartcr twain! Quarter twain
Mark twain!"
1 was helpless. I did not know what
in the world to do.
"Quarter less twain! Nine and a
half"
We were drawing nine! NY hands
were in nerveless futter. I could
not ring bell intclligibly with them
flew to the speaking-tube and shouted
to the engineer
20 Ben, if YOU love me. back her!
Quick. Ben! Oh, back the soul out of
her!"
I heard tho door of the pilot-house
close gently. / looked around, and
there stood Mr.. Bixby, smiling bland,
sweet smile. Then the audience Oh
the hurricane-deck sent up a thunder
gush of humiliating laughter.
I saw it all, and l felt meaner than
the meanest man in human history.
set the boat in her marks, came ahead
on the engines, and said,-
ut was fine trick to play on me,
wasn't it? suppose I'll never hear
the last of how Twas ass enough to
heave the lead at the head of &c."
well, / hope you won't, for l want
you to learn something by that experi-
ence. Didn't you know there was no
bottom in that crossing?"
"Yes, sir, : did,"
every wen, then. You shouldn't Z
have allowed mo or anybody else, to
shake your confidence in that knowl-
edge. Try to remember that. And
another thing; when You get into a
That isn't going to help matters anv. !"
1t was q good enough lesson, but
Dretty hardly loarnod