United States or Iran ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
And on the few surviving steamboats those lingering ghosts and remembrancers of great fleets that plied the big river in the beginning of my water-career which is exactly as long ago as the whole invoice of the life-years of Shakespeare number there are still findable two or three river-pilots who saw me do creditable things in those ancient days; and several white-headed engineers; and several roustabouts and mates; and several deck-hands who used to heave the lead for me and send up on the still night air the "six feet scant!" that made me shudder, and the "M-a-r-k twain!" that took the shudder away, and presently the darling "By the d-e-e-p four!" that lifted me to heaven for joy.
'Starboard lead there! and quick about it! This was another shock. I began to climb the wheel like a squirrel; but I would hardly get the boat started to port before I would see new dangers on that side, and away I would spin to the other; only to find perils accumulating to starboard, and be crazy to get to port again. Then came the leadsman's sepulchral cry 'D-e-e-p four!
'Starboard lead there! and quick about it! This was another shock. I began to climb the wheel like a squirrel; but I would hardly get the boat started to port before I would see new dangers on that side, and away I would spin to the other; only to find perils accumulating to starboard, and be crazy to get to port again. Then came the leadsman's sepulchral cry 'D-e-e-p four!
And on the few surviving steamboats those lingering ghosts and remembrancers of great fleets that plied the big river in the beginning of my water-career which is exactly as long ago as the whole invoice of the life-years of Shakespeare numbers there are still findable two or three river-pilots who saw me do creditable things in those ancient days; and several white-headed engineers; and several roustabouts and mates; and several deck-hands who used to heave the lead for me and send up on the still night the "Six feet SCANT!" that made me shudder, and the "M-a-r-k TWAIN!" that took the shudder away, and presently the darling "By the d-e-e-p FOUR!" that lifted me to heaven for joy.
Word Of The Day