Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-03-01
DEBORAH wINNEsHIEK COUNTY

pair of heels to every onlooker;
speeding on her way she. gallantly
outrides the storm and we anchor
in safety at the close of another
day. That night tine wind went
down and next morning the sun
rose bright and clear, kcloudless
sky overhead and the quiet waters
of the river beneath us. With all
the serenity of glorious October
morning about us we watched the
fight of large numbers of ducks and
geese making their annual passage
from the virgin lakes of the north
to the rice fields of the south. The
smoke could occasionally be seen
lazily rising from the chimneys of
isolated log cabins or stone dwell
ings on either shore, while now and
then a fisherman's house boat fas-
tened to the overhanging branch of
tree. partly concealed by the clus-
tering foliage about it, might be
seen by close observer as it lay
hard by the shore Of some one of
the numerous islands in the great
river.
We had nothing to do but to en-
JOY the day, which we did to the
fullest extent: without using either
sail or oar we quietly fioated down
stream with the current. As every
thing seemed to be favorable for a
night on the water, we resolved not
to tie. up as we had been doing, but
to run all night, SO, after q hearty
supper and a run on shore for an
hour, we fastened a red lantern to
the masthead and pulled into the
stream. In due time a watch was
set, which happened to be this old
salt. whose duty it was to promen-
ade the for-ard deck and keep a
sharp lookout till the next watch
came on, which was at eight bells,
or four O'Clock in the morning. The
others turned in and were soon
snoring at rate to awaken the
echoes along the shores and startle
the wild game from their uneasy
slumbers. All went we'll till about
three o'clock in the morning, when
something happened for which no
provision had been made on the
ships log-book. The poet Of the
crew tells of 1t under the inspira-
tion of the moment in the following
inspiring words, which will no doubt
live as long as the annals of the
river In its earlier records shan be
written and sung &c.
One sailor man .Awaach on @decRs ~
His shipmatee fast asieep-
Wiet not the danger they were in,
A sailing on the deep.
Sail. no! the lookout loudly bawls;
5 Wake up. ye lubbers, don't ye
hear
Yon steamboat, coming round the
bend,
Ny faith. she's drawing near.
Up! up! my hearties, man the yards,
Or meath these waves we sink:
For II that monster bumps us one,
She'll spill US in the drink.
Shiver my timbers! here she comes,
Hard on our leeward side;
Sheer OF! sheer on! you chuffing
beast,
The channels deep and wide.
Stand by. stand by, brave yankee
tars,
For by old Neptune's hairy lip.
BY yon foul fiend we're nearly
swamped,
Stand by, to pump the ship.
And indeed 1t was necessary for
every one Of US to move lively, for
the steamer, which was one of the
largest Of the upper river boats had
passed so close to us that the waves
from the wheels nearly filled our
boat before we could get out of her
way and we were in actual danger
Of going to the bottom of the river.
AS 1t was. however, we promptly
got the buckets at work and while
two of us bailed the boat, the other
two slowly rowed the water logged
craft to shore.
We were given no choice as to
what part Of the channel we prefer
red. The larger and stronger craft
always crowded the smaller and
weaker vessels out of their way;
they invariably claimed possession
OF the channel. The right of way
was theirs and few of the weaker
boats were disposed to question the
right because they knew they would
only be swamped II they did, so
they cleared when they saw the big
fellows coming. Possession on the
river has always been nine points
OF the law. even as 1t is said to be
elsewhere. but self possession Is the
tenth, and self possession stood us
we'll In hand that night.
On shore we spent the rest of the