But he did.

Just as we were walking into the stern of a steamboat, he stepped out on deck, and said, with heavenly serenity, 'Set her back on both'-- which I did; but a trifle late, however, for the next moment we went smashing through that other boat's flimsy outer works with a most prodigious racket.

The captain never said a word to me about the matter afterwards, except to remark that I had done right, and that he hoped I would not hesitate to act in the same way again in like circumstances.
One of the pilots whom I had known when I was on the river had died a very honorable death.

His boat caught fire, and he remained at the wheel until he got her safe to land.

Then he went out over the breast- board with his clothing in flames, and was the last person to get ashore.