Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30

kies into renewed activity.
The old ST. Johns River had beer
my single-handed treadmill for 80 long
strenuous years. In the early days
had pursued the freighting life will
the long since obsolete "Wind-Jammer.
And let ME add that not infrequentl!
am 1 tempted to harken back into thu
long "reminiscences of those dear, bu
intensely exciting "wind-jammer" days
long enough, at least, to rehearse OF
paper some of the real worth-whiles O
those, early experiences.
In the early days of the combustion
engine had, fortunately, been giftee
with the foresight to build for myself
boat especially designed to meet my in
dividual needs, and which I personally
fitted up with the most efficient ma
chinery obtainable. Instead of install
ing this machinery in the customary
location, namely, amidships, which also
means amid the freight space, ven-
tured the taking of tack that prompt
ly made me the target for much criti-
ciSm.
I installed my entire equipment for
ward of my freight space. Right here
allow me to detour long enough to
state that after more than 20 years OF
constant service, have yet to expert
ence my first qualm of regret over that
"crazy act" as it was dubbed by wise
ones" On the other hand how many
times has the convenience Of that in
stallation saved the day for us.
This little ship that so meritoriously
won hundred miles of popularity was
of very unusual dimensions. Being
slightly under 40 feet over all, she
possessed beam of IA. To me, this
unusual beam possessed a very par
ticular significance. First, this spread
kept her well ION her feet" in rough
weather, while of no less Importance
was the fact that it enabled her to get
away with a dead weight cargo of IL
tons.
AS further introduction of this
faithful little ship to the reader let me
add that her very creditable record in
the files. of the United States custom
house, as well as along one of the
largest, and most treacherous of rivers
is known under the simple name OF
Jewel. A name, judging by her excep-
tlonal performance over such long
period, one would assume she had the
greatest reverence for. 1.
Every, step in the arrangement and
assemblement of the Jewel and her en-
tire equipment was of the preconceived
idea of one-man outfit.
had long possessed the "heavy-
loader" belt of my profession, and with
no expectation whatever of it's surrender
through this new departure in equip.
ment, I had provided the Jewel with ar
inclosed and nearly water-tight cabin
X x y
THE day of the opening of this little
story was the day of my tri-weekly
trip to one of the largest timber camps
in that part of the State, located a
Trout Creek, just shade under A
miles from Jacksonville. For some tim,
had transported all of the require
ments for their large commissary, anC
invariably on these trips I would catcf
either part or full cargo for the dowr
trip.
Perhaps it would not be amiss to ex
plain here that the mouths of two largt
| creeks. Trout and Six-mile, form a cir
cular bag mile in diameter. This ba.
narrows down to half mile where |
enters the river When the wind is il
the right direction. this bay serves tn
most undesirable purpose of trappin
hundreds of acres of drifting waite
hyacinths, one of the most unconquer
able curses that ever blockaded a navi
gable water
On this particular day my apprehen
sion was promptly aroused as swun
in from the river and found the ba
full to overlooking with it's million
of silent warriors, comparable only to
gigantic army awaiting the comman
to charge.
For several years the business inter
ests in the many navigable streams ha
maintained what is known as Swing
BOOM" This boom is on the orde
of a gate, and serves an indispensable
purpose as such. It is heavy affair
constructed of logs, swings at one en-
and reaches across narrow place il
the stream. The purpose of this ar
rangement is to open with the dow
tide, automatically letting out any loos
Ihyacinths OR other distractions above il
The incoming, or flood tide. as it
better known, promptly closes the boom
which prevents this much-dreaded mas
from blockading the upper stream. Thi
boom was the object of my immediat
anxiety as I made all possible haste t.
leach 1t. I we'll knew between the fresh
ening wind and the slack water tina
preceded the flood" that those curset
hyacinths were already charging tina
closed boom in countless numbers. I
this pack should become so intense a.
to make 1t impossible to force it open
there remained but two alternatives
contrive lever pole in such a way a
to sink the end of the boom and thel
force the boat over it with her power
'but, of course, at the risk of breaking
her propeller.
AS we bumped none too gently nov
against the swinging end of the boon
l felt much relieved as 1t gave way
though rather reluctantly, before tn
impact. I realized I was fortunate i
arriving AS early as 1 did, for it wa
with no little effort that forced a suf
, ficient opening and at last won our frs
skirmish. And, will add, one usual
. viewed by the average boatman as
gratifying triumph when accomplished
Not drop of water was now visibl
in the gathering darkness. Merely
two-mile stretch of formidable hya
cinths waving defiantly in that steadil
increasing south wind.
The packs rolled up before the boz
several feet in thickness. My metho
was to drop on these packs as the
, would accumulate, and, graSping tn
stem of the boat with both hands, wal
! myself downward with the pack belo'
, the water as far as my waist, when
+ would start to roll beneath the keel,
Then it would require quick action O.
my part not only to avoid gettin
caught between the boat and the me-
pack, but of equal Importance was
for me to reach the engine and releaS
the clutch in time to prevent tn
choking of the propeller. for thos
bundles invariably follow the keel o
= past the rudder.
X x X
livery minute of the next half hou
/ ~ was devoted to strenuous actor
Roadway bad gradually diminished
the barest crawl. The conflict ha