River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-07-02
some Aquatic Observations.


1t only requires that the traveller
keep his eyes and ears open to see and
hear much that is interesting and
entertaining in the realm of any IN
dustry whose business it is to move
men or merchandise from point to
point, whether it be by primitive
stage coach or modern railway.
Especially is this true OF river, lake
or ocean transportation. Contact
with the most treacherous of elements
seems to have the contrary effort OF
educating a class OF men whose char
acters are the opposite of the element
upon which they live. 4our sea
faring man" is a genus by himself.
His principal characteristics are kind
ness, affability, generosity, love for
children, and a chivalric regard for
woman which is nurtured by his $50
lation from home life, and which
leads to higher estimate of woman $
society than Grandchildren" always
have.
Pope says that "the proper study of
mankind is man. so, as we journey,
not only will one be educated in his
senses by the beauty of the natural
surroundings, but be better educated
in the knowledge of men by observing
the characteristics of classes OF men
as separated by lines of calling and
profession.
AS upon the ocean the officers of a
ship are autocrats from whose com
mands there is no appeal, SO, IN less
Ell degree, upon the Mississippi steam
er the officers are autocrats. This is
from no superior physical strength.
AS there is a divinity which doth
hedge a king SO is there magic in
the name of ''mate' 10 move "A hun
dred wills, each rs rough and stubborn
as the inhibited colt. About the trst
incident after reaching our boat 1T 81.
Paul was an incipient riot among The
"rousters" on the dock. one had
challenged another, who IN turn nad
sought achievements, and IN an
instant two long knives and Il cooked
revolver were flourished, and murder
seemed imminent. Now appears
authority In the person of our mate,
who takes in the situation at a glance,
| hut islnno wise moved. "Put up those
tools and start the lumber" is suili-
| GENTLY vehement to arrest hostillties
| and splice the broken line of labor.
Not much of the old time method
which used to obtain upon the fore
| castle is observable nowadays. The
nearest we came to a practical reyela
| ton of the old style was while the
| Morton was trying to pick up barge
| load of wheat anchored in the lake of
Lake City. There was gale of wind
| l. "A u
LAYING her alongside the barge with
out serious collision. After missing
| it twice the steamer was the third TIME
laid softly alongside, and the 'roust
| ers'' were orderd TO take i'll and tak'
out sundry lines by which the barg'
had been anchored, or was TO b.
towed. one colored ''rouster failet
to properly handle his line, and for
moment there was danger that tn
whole move would be rendered abor
tive through neglect to secure TIN
lines. Then the captains voice was IT
ed up upon the roof the pilot rang bell
as fast as he could pull the ropes, th
engineer shipped up" and backe'
or went ahead with clang of iron rod
and hiss of escaping steam from IN
waste cocks, while the mate sang al
oblirato which was heard above all
the purport of which was to ''knoc
that id niger overheard and &c
a turn with that line.'' 1t reall
| sounded, for minute, like a section
of 1857 projected into 1885. A lad
from the east whose early education
had evidently been neglected wa
shocked beyond expression, and won
dered how it was permitted that
mate should address a member 0
his crew IN such a precipltate maj
ner and in such parliamentary lal
guage. In 81 the mate would hay
probably knocked the colored derellc
overheard himself, whether he &C
turn with the line or not. In
breeze was over in an instant, hoWev
er; all the lines were fast, the ancho
, hove apeak, the bouy iished, and IN
big steamer going ahead full speed
.hooked back" the pilot hummln
"ShaH we meet beyond the river!
the captain hugging his tWenty-yea
old meerschaum, and the mate saun
ering up the gangway to the bollC
deck for his watch off, as calm AS
mill pond.
"Pigs-eye" bar used to be a terrc
to pilots and in spite of the grea
: amount of work expended upon 1t b
the government, it resolutel
refuses to be Strengthened. Th
channel is about the shape of
letter s, with it's turnings littl
more acute, nearly like big L wit
an S on top of it. Our pilots twiste
our big stern wheeler throughout It
conyolutions without touching bo
tom, either going down, which is tn
hardest,o or comming up; but there wa
a good stage of water. In low waite
it is feat to brag of, even in thi
day.
We saw Maiden Rock, the Lover
! Leap and we believe the girl di
: lump into the water. 1t was a goo
while ago, however. The Mississippi
is gradually drying up. 1t is not S
much of river as it was tWenty-fOu
years ago. The legend does not clair
that the occurrence celebrated III til
story was of very recent date.
NAV have been matter of two thous
and years ago, when the big rive
rolled a flood a hundred and fit
feet deep and five miles wide froI
| bluff to bluff. In those days tn
water Tapped the base of the roc
where it now recedes in grass-clad
tree-clothed slopes, five hundred fee
TO the beach. She could let go an
tumble into the water then. No gil
could lump 1t now. The water ha
receded too far, and narrow skirts
which are now fashionable, imped
locomotion. q. B. NJ.
AGAIN