Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-02
THE GREAT NAVIGATOR ARRIVES IN THE
CITY YESTERDAY.
A Pleasant Cha. With the World Famed Captain
Few Of HIS EIpsrisncss-Hs Will
Make A.Othsr Trip.

proportion OF the population which had
assembled on the levee to see him land.
The Captain delivered o very entertaining
lecture at the Opera House at that time,
md continued his journey down the river.
It could not be expected that so wide a
Lotoriety as that gained by Captain Boy
tOn would be entirely free from erroneous
impressions. One Of the most common er-
rors is the idea that the Captain Is nearing
a ripe old age, when the contrary is the
fact, and those who meet him for the first
time are astonished to see q youthful, Wig
orous man, standing i've feet ten and a
half inches, with a complexion bronzed
by the sun Of many climes; dark, fine
hair, large blue eyes, broad shOuldered
and athletic, afable and agreeable in
uanner, speaking five different languages
fiuently. 1t would be impossible for an
old man TO withstand the hardships to
which he is constantly subjecting himself,
His appearance here at this time Is
doubly interesting from the fact that 1t Is
lust upon the heels Of his terrible ex-
p~erience ON Lake Michigan last Tuesday,
when he went out for q little paddle, go'
loet in a fog and was swept fifteen miles
{ ON shore on sn ice foe. Although lie
had started out early in the morning, he
was unable to take his bearing| until the
moon arose in the evening, al he had lost
his compass All this time the Captain
a compelled to keep il motion to pre-
terye the temperature and keep from belnt
frozen. When he got an idea OF his posi-
ton, he pushed vigorously toward Chicago
and reached the water crib, about thre'
miles from shore. He was Just about ex
hausted and was compelled TO remain
there ali night. Had he remained on the
| ice foe he would have been swept proba'
hly thirty miles from shore, in which eNel
lie would no doubt have never reached /
alive.
A REGISTER reporter called on Captain
Boyton last evening and found him to b.
m afLable gentleman and an entertalnIDi
talker, and he reiSted some Of his eXperi
euces in q very interesting manner, Witha
the Captain is 4 very modest, unassumin!
gentleman, aud it is like reading a book u
listen to HIM.
"What is the object OF your visit here a
this time, Captain" queIied the reporter
.'Well, | have been ont of practice 10
some tiIne past" sAid he, "and as th,
water in the lakes is too cold aud sill
took a notion several days since to max
suother trip Oh the Ohio, 80 ! picked NJ
nv duds and came 10 Wheeling"
what is your object in making an OH:
trip"
81 want 10 get myself down to work
leg trim. During my inactivity hav
gained considerably tor much hesh, ~
want TO dispose Of some OF it. l nov
wtRh 1s3 pounds, aud it 10 my intention
10 make q voyage of about GUO miles
from here 10 Evansville or Whereabouts
which will reduce my ~avordupois abou
twenty five pounds. Yes, / can guag
mysalf pretty well in this regard"
when DO you intend starting on tn
trip"
"well, / have to get a small tende
made before | 20, aud suppose THAI VII
take several days. ! shell probably &c
away By Friday or Satnrdsy The tende
is to carry provisions, &C., and 1t Is Com
posed OF metal. The u 1 have, nsmtt
the Baby Mine IL OF IRON and modelled
after the hull Of en- iron clad. She l
! thirty inches in length, twelve inches II
width, with a depth of hold OF about tel
inches. She is completely decEed over
with the exception of q hatch which !
protected with a water-tight cover. Thi
. little craft has accompanied me in most O
my voyages. Secured by a light line at
tached to my belt | tow the little boa
along hanling her up ~slOngside wheneye
| nave occasion 10 draw upon ne store u
supplies. In her hold are stored sigus.
rockets, thermometer, barometer, chrome
meter, maps, charts, revolver, shotgun
ammunition, Ratchet, rubber cement ant
patch cloth, bowie knife, small spiri
stove, note book, pen and ink, cup, knife,
fork, spoon, c0hee-kettle, frying.pan
quiuine, cigars. brandy and ten days
provisions. On her deck are fasteneC
headlight, compass and watch. Every
thing is in the most compact form, so a
10 occupy the smallest possible space.
"But the Baby mine Us a little to-
large for a quick "trip and l must have on,
built on the same principle only smaller
Have You ever been in danger from
being shot at for a sea serpent or some
thing OF that sort while making one o
your trips, Captain
20, yes; | have experienced numer
Gus incidents Of that kind aud have beeI
shot at several times, but | generally
mansge to make known what sm befOr,
being hart. | remember AL incident thai
occurred 10 me between here and Marietta
during my last trip down The Ohio. II
was early in the morning and while / was
trying to work through a gorge Of ice
heard a woodlands axe ringing out upon
the crisp air. When ] looked up for the
cause of the sound | saw a tall country
man looking down at me from the bank
with staring eyes. The next thing he
dropped his axe and made for the cabin,
supposed for o gun, but I blew several
blasts on my horn and he came 70
a ~standstill. Then he came down the
bank, got in q flatb2at and pushed himself
out TO where / WAS. He never said a
word but stared st me fNedly; then re-
turned to shore, when he said:
"'Mister there's just one thing l want
to know-be you stuffed with cork OF
wiDd?'"
~ made no attempt to explain to him
and went on. While yoyaging down the
Mississippi once, l ran out Of coffee, and
reaching a plantation ] blew vigorously on
my busle to attract the attention of the
residents. Presently l heard a cracking
noise above me, and just as / looked up
the bushes parted and the head OF veneer
able old darky appeared. His eyes almost
popped from their sockets when he saw
me, and after he had recovered q little he
got down on his knees, laid of his hat,
clasped his hands and looking up 10
heaven, said:
HE blowed his trumpet On de waters;
praise de Lord, praise lie Lord"
II got the coffee, however. The Mis-,
souri, river is the most peculiar stream /
ever nayigated. Instead OF the water
flowing around bends, whenever it comes
to a point it just cuts its way right through
the land. As | reached n OF these cuts
I met q man moving HE household furni-
ture in 0 boat, and asked him what was
wrong?
"'My farm is washed away said be,
and | am moving. Stranger, | have no
doubt but that God made this river, but ]
feel pretty sure he hasn't succeeded in
locating il yet"