The Houseboat Book: The Log of a Cruise from Chicago to New OrleansWaugh, W. F. (William Francis)
General
The Houseboat Book: The Log of a Cruise from Chicago to New Orleans
Waugh, W. F. (William Francis)
Illinois -- Description and travel; Mississippi River -- Description and travel
After lunch we tackled Lock No. 11, and a terror it was. The walls were
so dilapidated that care had to be exercised to keep the edges of the
scow and roof from catching. Then the roof caught on the left front and
the bottom on the right rear, and it was only at the fourth trial, when
we had worked the boat as far forward as possible, that we managed to
scrape through. The wind was still very brisk and dead ahead, so we tied
up just below the lock. A steam launch, the Lorain, passed through bound
down. She filled the lock with smoke, and we realized how much gasoline
excels steam in cleanliness. A foraging expedition secured a quart of
milk and four dozen eggs, with the promise of spring chickens when their
supper afforded a chance to catch them.
* * * * *
Thursday, Oct. 8, 1903.--All night we were held by the fierce wind
against which we were powerless. The squeeze in the lock increased the
leakage and this morning it took quite a lot of pumping to free the hull
of water. After breakfast we set out, and found Lock 12 much better than
its predecessor. All afternoon the wind continued dead ahead, and the
towing rope and poles were required to make even slight headway. Then we
passed under a low bridge, and the stovepipe fell down. If we do not
reach a town we will be cold tonight. Two small launches passed us,
going to La Salle, where there is some sort of function on.
The children's lessons go on daily; with the girl because she is a girl
and therefore tractable, with the boy because he can not get out till
they are learned.
* * * * *
Friday, Oct. 9.--We lay in the canal all day yesterday, the folks
fishing for catfish. Our foraging was unsuccessful, the nearest house
containing a delegation of Chicago boys--17 of them--sent out by a West
Side church, who took all the milk of the place. The boy fell in the
canal and was promptly rescued by J. J., who is an expert swimmer. His
mother was excited, but not frightened. After tea, as the wind had
fallen, we used the launch for two hours to get through the most of the
"wide water," so as to have the protection of the high banks next day.
The lights of a large town--electric--are visible below. Very little
water that evening, not a fourth what we pumped in the morning.
On Friday morning the water is smooth and we hope to make La Salle
today.
And then the gasoline engine stopped!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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