[Life On The Mississippi by Mark Twain]@TWC D-Link book
Life On The Mississippi

CHAPTER 11 The River Rises
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During a considerable part of the first trip George was uneasy, but got over it by and by, as X.seemed content to stay in his bed when asleep.

Late one night the boat was approaching Helena, Arkansas; the water was low, and the crossing above the town in a very blind and tangled condition.

X.had seen the crossing since Ealer had, and as the night was particularly drizzly, sullen, and dark, Ealer was considering whether he had not better have X.called to assist in running the place, when the door opened and X.walked in.

Now on very dark nights, light is a deadly enemy to piloting; you are aware that if you stand in a lighted room, on such a night, you cannot see things in the street to any purpose; but if you put out the lights and stand in the gloom you can make out objects in the street pretty well.

So, on very dark nights, pilots do not smoke; they allow no fire in the pilot-house stove if there is a crack which can allow the least ray to escape; they order the furnaces to be curtained with huge tarpaulins and the sky-lights to be closely blinded.


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