Huntsville gazette., 1884-09-27
The HOOghIy Pilots.

Pilots for the Hoogllly do not cruise
much to pick up vessels; they have a
regular station near a lightshlp, and if
it is thick weather it is nice work to fall
in with them just right. Their vessels
have always been full rugged briggs
manned by heavy Lascar crews. and are
about the last thing ahoat to tell of the
days of the old East India Company.
Their signal is white flag with q red
cross, and they are supposed to brave
all sorts of weather, maneuver through
cyclone if necessary. Soon we had
the Eastern lightship in sight, and in
an hours time (nine a. M were close
to the brig. She hove to, launched
heavy surf or lifeboat in fine style, and
in it sa. eight Bengal sailors with their
oars peak, waiting the movements of
the pilot In the meantime we had our
mainsails brailed up and ran slowly
down by the brig. The turbaned Las
cars looked strangely through their rig
ging and over their high bulwarks at
us, and the brass-bottoned pilots and
officers took searching look at the
Conception as she forged slowly ahead.
We hauld sharp around under her lee,
laid the main and crossjack yards to
the mast and there waited with all
hands at the braces ready to fill away
as soon as the pilot came. He was now
in the boat with several others in the
stern sheets coming for u.s. They had
so much luggage that the chief officer
sang out from the forecastle deck: Il
guess they are coming to stay" 1t
was pretty sight. The noble ship,
the brig, bowling and courtesying to us,
her bright red, pure copper flashing in
the Bengal sun, the boat shooting by
our stern, the oars of eight trained oars
men keeping perfect time. My heart
took great leap of Joy but gulped it
down and hastened to the gangway to
meet my long wished for and welcome
visitors. Stand by your braces, now,
men" | said; as the boat
touched the side. A fine, intelli-
gent, bronzed faced veteran sailor
stepped over the rail with ''you are the
Captain, suppose?' Eyes, and you are
the pilot, presumed" Il am," he said,
rather showing the badge of his office,
the royal crown and anchor ''And you
are welcome to the Hooghly, sir.'
Welcome on board the Conception;
..,y name is - "And mine, sir, is
Edson." A nautical glance aloft re-
vealed the Stars and Stripes, so rarely
seen now, and he said, American, l
see. A fine ship, sir. We can always
tell them. How much water do you
drawe Twenty-Five feet, did you say?
That is, in salt water, you will draw
twenty-five six in the river; fresh water,
Il -
eager sailors were at the braces listen
ing, waiting for their orders. Eyes, you
may fill away, but we shan't get farther
than Saugor tonight. Put your wheel
up there and keep her for that buoy.
Let me introduce you to brother pilot.
who wishes to get to town; he has
ship there ready for sea-" In the mean
time cart-load of dunnagc (baggage)
had been hauled up in charge of the
pilots servant, Mohammedan, who al
ways accompanies his master. He was
a strange looking customer to our sail
ors, who had never been east of the
Cape. He had dark visage, Jet black
eyes, hair and beard. He wore a small,
black, skull cap, a long, white, tight
wasted tunic, had bare legs, with san
uilS OH LIS lcet. 1Hc pllOl spoke 10 MIN
in Bengalees, and called him Abdul.
This is my boy,' he said to me, 'who
will look after my luggage, and please
let him assist your steward in any way
he can be of any service" There was
a swinging cot bed, a bag, trunk or
box, for each pilot, and then there was
an assistant pilot, called u ''leadsman,"
a young amateur English sailor. whose
duty it was to heave the lead and there
by gain a thorough knowledge of the
soundings. preparatory to taking up the
profession of pilot. No common
sailor is trusted with the lead going up
the Hooghly, but man is sent into the
chains to help him (the leadsman) haul
the line in, on account of the exhaust
i've heat. These young men are from
good families in England, sent out after
some years of practice in training ship.
He must have ability and an irreproach-
able character, or else he is not wanted
Cor. Boston Journal.