Up the River; or, Yachting on the MississippiOptic, Oliver
General
Up the River; or, Yachting on the Mississippi
Optic, Oliver
Mississippi River -- Juvenile fiction; Yachts -- Juvenile fiction
"I should like to get near enough to her to watch her movements," I
added. "I think if we crowd the Sylvania for six or seven hours we
shall get a sight of her. I am inclined to hurry her."
"I am decidedly in favor of it, for she may escape her owner altogether
if we don't follow her up."
"Eight bells! All the port watch!" called Buck Lingley, who had been
relieved at the wheel.
I went on deck, and when Ben Bowman came up I told him I wanted him to
give the vessel all the steam she would carry. There was a light breeze
from the westward, but not enough to help the speed of the steamer, and
we did not put on any sail. I took my place at the wheel while Hop
Tossford was the lookout on the topgallant forecastle.
In a short time the screw began to buzz, and when Buck and Dyer Perkins
went below, after heaving the lead, the Sylvania was making eleven
knots. I expected her to do better than this. At four o'clock in the
morning, when the starboard watch were called, we were off Indian River
Inlet. Nothing had been said about trying the fish since we left
Jacksonville. There was not water enough in Indian River to float the
steamer, and I gave up all thought of renewing the exciting sport we
had had in these waters when we came over from the St. Johns. At four
o'clock I turned in and slept till eight.
I found the barometer had been dropping again, and the wind came from
the eastward, which was not a good way to have the wind while we were
off the coast. While I was eating my breakfast, the Sylvania came up
with Jupiter Inlet, where Washburn changed the course to south,
three-quarters east. The log-slate showed that we had made eleven and a
half knots. I figured up the distances, and concluded that the Islander
must be about twelve miles ahead of us. I did not give the other
steamer the credit of making more than ten knots an hour.
The wind had freshened considerably since I left the deck early in the
morning, and I ordered all sail to be set. Soon after the log showed
that we were making twelve knots, which was about the best speed we had
ever made. We kept her going at this rate till noon, and I had the
wheel during the time. In the course of the forenoon we had visits from
all the passengers, but the wind was raw and cold, and they did not
remain long on deck.
"Sail, ho!" shouted Hop Tossford, from the topgallant forecastle.
"Where away?" I asked, looking ahead, though as it was not clear I saw
nothing distinctly.
"Sharp on the weather bow," replied the lookout.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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