Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-02-15

my VIRUS i'Sht AWAY W iccWhiu, anu
he sheered off presently, though /
could see he was little suspicious.
"Well, away we went, sight too
closehauled for the course we was
holding, but he handled her well,
considerin', and evidently knew the
channel, for he lay her close along
the shore Of Mud Island, as far as
Girard's Point, and then he began for
to toot on the fsh-horn for 'em to
open the draw of the lower bridge,
which as you know is about three
quarters of mile above the Pint.
The wind was dead up stream carry
ing the sound with it, and the bridge
keeper was uncommon lively.
"Anyhow, she was wide open when
we got there, and the Polly flew
through that there draw as if the
furies was astarn of her. could hear
the bridge-keeper halloo at the steers
man before we got abreast of him,
and you can just bet my new hand
gin it back to him beautiful.
"Of course | pitched in too and
yelled, help, and 'mutiny,' and mad
man. as long as we was within ear
shot. They couldn't do nothing, of
course, for we was going at least ten
knot, but / was in hopes they might
telegraph to the upper bridge. or
send tug after US, or something.
However, they was left astarn of us
in no time, and away we went bilin.
with clear course before us for near
five miles, to Gray's Ferry bridge.
The river makes several sharp turns
in that distance, and l hoped he would
run her ashore on some of EN-.
"Then began to pitch into him
for his seamanship, called him land
lubber, and asked him why didn't he
slack away his sheets when he was
runnin' free. T'wa'n't no good, tho.
He knew his only show to get round
them bends singlehanded, was to keep
her sheeted home and jibe her round.
The first bend changed the course
from north to east, and made it neces-
sary to shift from the port to the
starboard tack. We were under such
tremendous Roadway that she minded
her hellum like "a cat-boat, AID the
only danger was that she would start
the traveller or a cleat when the
booms went over.
81 assure you / got SO interested in
his handlin' of her, that ! forgot to
hope something would part when she
jibed, and sure enough it didn't.
The change of course gin her good
beam wind, and we passed tug
bound down, a-kiting. and present
ly heard her whistling for the draw.
[ guessed the bridge-keeper might
send her back after us, but at this
rate she would have all she wanted to
catch us. Another jibe followed
within ten minutes, and then we
swept round on the port tack into the
mile reach below Gray's Ferry.
The wind came dead aft again, and
now my maniac seemed to think the
enemy was in sight.
"'Pipe all hands to quarters he
shouted. Man both batteries, and
serve for short range! Slack away
fore and main sheets ! and when he
saw his orders were not CARED out,
he left the wheel, cast off the foresheet,
letting the boom 60 clean against the
stays, and was back again before she
had time to come up. and crowding
the hellum to port till he could jibe
the mainsail over and get her wung
out afore the wind. This done, he
grabbed the fsh-horn and began to
blow for the draw.
by lifting my head could see
commotion on the bridge, and the
draw was swinging open but with
our spread of boom / didn't think it
possible we could get through with.
out hitting something. However, he
held her stddy for the center of the
east slip, and at full speed we went
for it. The foresail-boom struck one
pier, and the main-boom the other,
but nothing parted except topping
lift, and amid the yells of small
crowd and few revolver-shots from
policeman, we continued our course.
I've learned since that two small
boats tried to board us below the
bridge, hut one got run down for its
pains, and the other couldn't catch on
before we was past.
"Just above Gray's Ferry there
was an awkward bend to the BASTARD,
but my maniac managed to get in a
little slack and made the mainsail
draw the foresail, for wonder,
didn't get took aback, and we squar.
ed away, wing and wing again as we
neared the railroad bridge opposite
the Almshouse.
81 now began to hear the whistle
of pursuing tug, but knew she could
hardly catch us in time.