The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-05-02
HOGG:s EXPERIENCE.
ny JOHN FLEMING WILSON.

Once year profanity reigns from the Co
lumbia river to the Golden Gate. 1t is when
one of the big timber RATS leaves Astoria
in tow for San Francisco.
Not many years ago an attempt was made
to raft down sawn lumber in the same man
ner. 1t was not success, SO they say, fnan-
cially, but it was, in some peoples eyes,
worth the expense, for Amos Hogg became
son of the west.
Amos Hogg was 5O-odd-he talked freely
of himself-with the figure and 1.-the, easy
carriage of man who had never worn sus-
penders. For a year he had hung around
the Portland wharves, occasionally working
little, frequently drunk and always loose
of tongue. His constant attitude was that
of lofty patronage. He had done most
things, had seen all he cared about and
knew everything. II tell We" he would say,
GIVE lived on the Ohio smart spell, and
this country is mighty poor Ye reckon
ye're just about it, but we kin learn lot
from us that have run from Pittsburg down.
Now We think that stack of lumber there is
a raft. It's no such thing. I've RATED on
the Ohio, and they'd laugh at We. There
they don't tie up few million feet into
bundle like shingles. They know how to do
things back east"
him on the perls of coastwise navigation.
They used strong language, but he turned
their words aside with pontifical sublimity.
Trough, We say? Yell never see anything
SO rough as the Ohio in freshet. I've RATED
down when tell We it took nerve. The Pa
citic is a pond. No curves, no bends, no falls,
no perils of any sort. It's easy, dead easy"
Amos talked too much, and by some mali
rlous scheming it was brought about that
the superintendent hunted out the Ohio
craftsman and proposed that he go down the
coast on this raft. "It's not exactly safe"
concluded the superintendent, "but the tugs
will take you off if you signal"
The old man smiled easily. "Ye've come
to the right man. I'll snake her down as
slick as grease. It's no trick to me. Though
/ must tell We, we've put her together
wrong
So a strong little house was built amid
Ehips, and Amos Hogg was installed. Two
days afterward l watched the unwieldy
monster wallow out across the Columbia
river bar, and then left for San Fran
cisco to await its coming. Twelve days
later the tugs dragged through the gate
disreputable bundle of blackened lumber,
which proved to be the forward end of the
raft. l learned that the rest was not to
be expected.
hunted out Amos and found him in
strange state. Pride and disappointment
were mingled on his countenance, and quite
evidently he was ready to talk.
'How do you feel!' | asked, presently.
Like a pipe that's been filled, but not
lit" This was profound, and l waited He
seemed disinclined to proceed, and 1 ven
tured again, somewhat stupidity: "How
about the raft!"
He put his thumb over the bowl of his
pipe, as shoemaker does over the butt of
his awl, and responded: eye recollect?
said didn't like the way it was put to-
gether. Well, it opened out like bale of
hay when ye cut the wire. calculate there
must be wooden lid on the whole Pacific
by this time, and the fish feel like chickens
in coop. There was powerful sight of
lumber in that pile"
Tell me about it, urged, as though the
loss had been wholly mine, and wished to
know the worst.
He slouched down little and looked at
me alphabetically. 81 know We weren't
onto the keller of rafting, and I'll tell We
SO yell know next time
"When we left the river the sun was
gone and new moon was shining like a
street lamp. 1t was most powerful big and
dark outside, and the lights on the raft
looked like tirefies. 1t wasn't long before
things commenced to squirm. No harm
done s'long as we went straight out, but
when we turned the corner and started
down the coast it was mighty strange. On
the Ohio I've taken RATS through in all sorts
of weather, but I never did see such can
tankerous, ornery affair as this thing was
Anyway, fried my slice of bacon, drank my
coffee, took peek at the flares, and then |
went to sleep.
"About midnight smart lot of water
came through the roof of my shanty, and
thinks /, it's started to rain. snoozed off
again, but presently some more came down
and it didn't taste like rain 1t was nasty
/ climbed out, and it was a clear sky'and
the raft was twitching like horses coat in
f1ytime. l hadn't been out there long be-
fore something peeked over the edge of the
raft, and, seeing me, came on in. 1t was
the darndest lot of water ever saw in one
bunch, and when | got my wind again my
shanty was nodding at me like it was sick
too. That wave had knocked it off its pins
This was the beginning. The wind blew
like factory whistle on Saturday night
the waves were mountainous and your raft
just sort O. sifted itself apart The sea
hung waiter over lue WuOle business the way
you throw your coat over gate post. Them
boards hoped UP under me, teetered me
over on my head, knocked me dozen yards
and spanked me when was down. The big
ger ones appended like a mule going dow1
a steep road, or slashed around like snake
in lime pit. For two days, l tell We, never
set my foot down without whatever l set il
on leaving it in the air. reckon that raj,
was three blocks long, and it just canterec
all over the ocean.
Gas l say, it was two days before those
darned tugboat captains took me off, though
tagged 'em every time | got both feet to
gether to stand on. They knew what wa:
going on, too, for the waves picked thai
raft like a woman picks goose.
Maybe you think | had a good time
Young Teller, I'm done diddling with the
Pacific. I've danced once too often to it:
tune, and my feet are tired. l want to raf
somewhere where | don't get knocked of
every five minutes, and have to run to catcl
it again"
'Bwt you said you had tough times or
the Ohio, Amos" / retorted, severely.
Amos Hogg put out his hand for my tobac