Captain Bayley's Heir:

t was out of England; but he was determined, if possible, to work his passage, so as to leave the sum of money in his pocket untouched until he got to his destination. He went on b

the well-known and favourite clipper would sail for New Orleans on that day. He walked on board and went up to t

want a h

ll two or three hands short, but they have promis

en boat, and am ready to make myself u

lace at New Orleans, and probably have to pay more wages there than I could get one for here. Still, likely enough, they may send me down at the last moment two or

ikely sort,"

ed off his coat and waistcoat, and stowed them, with his portmanteau, out of the way, and then set to work with a will, the whiteness of his shirt, and his g

es put on. The landsmen who had been employed went on shore, an

have been accustomed to,

don't care if I never eat better. How long do you

lor answered, "may be a month, may be t

"I am only workin

place where you want to have a knife or pistol ready at hand. Lor', I

ed, "I suppose I shall

w that the time allowed them would be short, and began casting off hawsers, coiling down ropes, and preparing for a start. The bell was

these swung open, and the vessel slowly made h

ken to him at dinner, and followed him up the shrouds, and, imitating his actions, he was soo

r a green hand as any I have come across; I had my eye on you, and you'll

the first coat of dirt which they had acquired in the docks; ropes had to be coiled and tidied up, and the many articles lying loosely about the deck to be put in their places and lashed in readiness

k threw himself at once into the bunk which had been allotted to him. He had not closed an eye the night before, and was worn out by emotion and fatigue, and sc

e, your watc

had been now three hours under weigh. She had passe

of the men said, "we shall be out

y a match for any of his messmates in chaff, and he soon became a favourite in the fo'castle. He was always ready to take his share of the work, and was soon as much at home on the yards as the rest

er a few miles below New Orleans. "No, even an American may confess that there ain't much beauty about this river. It's

earn my living on the water for a few months, till I have time to look round and see what is best to be done, I shall be well satisfied. I h

y to you, and should be glad to do you a good turn if I can. I have been in and out of this port for some years, and know Orleans pretty tidy, and I can tell you that there ain't a por

hand, Orleans is a place where a steady industrious fellow, with his head screwed on right, has a good chance of getting on. The trade up the river is immense, and will be far greater than it is now; an

ork; still, a few months at it will open your eyes and put you into the ways of the country, and, once at home, I tell you there's money to be made on the river, heaps of it, and when it's seen that you

rd and unloaded her, and the crew had comparatively little to do; the three or four passengers who had come out in her w

to the boat along with me, and I will

ce, the mate presently entered a small wo

rty years of age, who was dressed entirely in white, and was sitting smo

s the mate entered. "I saw your sh

sn't care about stopping at sea. He's of good family in the old country, as one can easily see. I expect he has got into some scrape, and has had to make a bolt of it; however, that's no business of mine. He's as strong as a horse, and as active as a squirrel; he can handle an oar and sail a boat. I didn't like the thought of his landing here and getting into bad hands, so I thought I would come straight to you. He said what he wanted to do was to work

l except finding the sober and steady decent man to put him

e went to the door and called Frank in. "This is

hear you want a berth on board a tug

, sir," Frank said; "I am a pretty good hand at sailing

lp to load and unload at each landing-place, and to pole off in shallows. However, I will put you on boa

well," Frank said. "Whe

can go aboard at once. One of the flats

greatly obliged to you, Mr. Alderson

th," the mate said. "Now I should rec

re going on shore the following day, the captain gave him a certificate, saying t

duct on board the ship, and I am only sorry you are leaving us. I think it's a pity you don't stick to it, for it is clear that you are well educated, and would b

d good-bye t

rgest tug and flat owners in New Orleans. He keeps his eye on his men, and will push you forward if he sees you deserve it. He has the name of having the best of captai

rfully; "our own bargemen on the Tham

ey you have in your pockets the better. You have no occasion for it on the river, and there are loafers hanging about at e

ewell to the mate, and a cordial one to his late shipmate

TO MR. HIRAM L

aid, as he entered; "just give a

ng him to keep them for him, and then went to the door. On a log close by a

cond hand. I have good accounts of him as a sailor, so you won't have to teach

id, "and will teach him as much as I

d, as you know, I would have given you the command

hem puffing things. They have their uses, I am ready enough to allow, when the current is swift and the wind light; I am glad enough of a cast now and

was not a flat such as now are in general use, but a large boat some forty feet in length by fourteen wide, almost flat-bottomed, and capable of carrying a cargo of eight or t

ast was lowered; if it fell calm when they were coming down the stream they drifted with it, if when going up, they either anchored or poled her along in the

he stopping-places of the steamers were at wide distances apart, and the number of steamers themselves very small in comparison with those now afloat on the great ri

s head above a scuttle in the bow of the boat, and then emerging, pushed a plank

. It's only the trouble of dropping the grapnel over on the outside in addition to the hawser ashore, and then there's never no trouble when you get back and have to report as how you have lost some of the bales. It ain't as how we carry up many things as would pay for taking; soft goods for the stores up the river mostly goes by steamer, but them as ain't hurried, and likes to keep their dollars in their pockets, h

ive feet high, but was large and roomy, and Frank saw with pleasure that it was neat

ere except to bring the food and take it away again; I can't a-bear niggers messing about a place. Victuals of all sorts is provided. You can do as you like about liquor. I keeps a keg of rum on board, and I likes my glass at night

eep his side of the cabin as tidy as the other. In a few minutes the negro brought in the meal, which consisted of a ste

," Frank said, as he and his companion, havin

e drifting backward instead of getting forward. That's what you have got to learn. Fortunately the wind generally blows up the stream; when it don't it's a case of down anchor. There are places where one can hardly get along unless the wind happens to be unusually strong, and there I generally get a tow. The boss has got about twent

ised to see how fast she sailed, although the wind was but light. The work was easy, for the wind was steady and they seldom sailed at night, the

ey were more than a month from the time they started before they reached the spot at which they were to take in the cargo for their return voyage.

me to time directing the boat's course by the use of the sweeps. The moon was nearly full when they started, and they continued their voyage by night as well

d direct the course without assistance; but as soon as the splash of oars was heard on the

h the water running through it like a sluice. When the water is in flood there is no fear of shoals, but you have got to look about, for it is full of floating trees and logs; when thes