The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-24
RIvERMEN'S SUPERSTITION.
Stories From the Logs of Missis.
sippi Stea mbOats.

. 9 o . . o . 8 9 9 o o 90 . 8 o 8
From the admiral on a man-o'-war
to the roustabout on a Mississippi
steamer, there is scarcely man on
the water who is without the vein of
superstition. Any old tar you might
chance to pick up could tell you
stories from his personal experience
that would convince you of the inter-
vention of supernatural forces. Phan-
tom ships that presage disaster, lights
that glow suddenly on the masts, and
dreams that have been fulfilled to the
minutest details, he will relate; and
there is not negro roustabout on the
river that could be chained to his boat
after the rats had left her.
Only few years ago, when one of
the New Orleans packets was making
landing little way below St. Louis,
moss-backed, gray-whiskered rat
marched pompously up the gangplank,
paused and lifted himself on his hind
legs, emitting a peculiar squeal, and
then scurried up to the bank. In five
minutes there was CONSERVATION on
the lower deck. says the St. Louis
Globe-Democrat, and the mate was
compelled to use his ak to prevent all
his men from leaving him. That rat,
they declared, was the old man of the
boat. They all knew him.
The thing that happened that night
would in all probability have happened
just the same II Mr.. Rat had made the
journey as usual. So at least the ra-
tional land lubber would say. The
river was high and the pilot, relieved
of the necessity of picking narrow
channel, had difficulty in keeping out
of the way Of driftwood, for there
must always be something to worry
the man at the wheel. Toward MORN
Ing, when the surface of the stream
looked as innocent as a babe, suddenly
the Prov of the vessel struck some
thing. There was ripping sound,
terrific shock and for a few minutes
1t seemed that the boat was seized
with swamp chill. She had run into
a submerged snag and had torn a hole
IN her hull through which you could
have thrown a mule.
All the roustabouts said. 81 told you
so," that is, all those who were still
capable of utterance. No one was
drowned. and before the end of the
season the boat was running again.
When the disaster was found not to
be so great after all the friends of the
Old man declared they knew it would
not amount to much, for he would
have taken all the rats with him If the
steamer had been doomed. He only
lett in order to escape the shock to
his nerves.
The rat is common property with all
on board. but the pilot has his own
private hoodoo that is of a much
higher order. 1t is called the pilot
mousse specter, and it looks very much
like and other self-respecting ghost.
1t never presents itself directly in
front of the pilot, preferring to occupy
position at his elbow. SO that 1t can
dodge around behind hi mas he turns.
On one occasion the specter was i'm
personated by being who was still
In the flesh. and 1t required the inter-
vening Of vast concourse of genuine
spirits to save the pilot from greater
disaster than the real specter had
ever threatened. 1t happened oppo-
site Fort Pillow, down the river. an
Old stone fort that was made mem
orable by the massacre of a whole
regiment of negro soldiers during the
war.
At certain seasons of the year lights
are seen fitting about in the marshy
ground below the fort, and during the
day veil of smoke hugs the earth.
JACK Whitten had studied physical
geography, and consequently knew all
about the marsh lights and the ten
dency of smoke to collect in damp ra-
venes, so the ghosts of Fort Pillow
presented no terror to him. One night
ne was alone in the dark wheelhouse.
approaching the accursed spot, when
ne felt that there was someone with
MIN. He was sure he had seen a queer
shape moving noiselessly about Like
the orthodox specter, 1t kept itself
carefully out of his range of vision.
Suddenly he turned and leaped aside,