46 A RAFT PILOT'S LOG 



Captain Hill was glad to call all hands to "splice the 

 main brace" before supper, and all trouble was over. 

 Mr. Tromley was in many ways the brightest and most 

 interesting character I met in forty years on the river, 

 three of which were spent under his tutorship in learn- 

 ing the river. 



Some years later Pilot Tromley was running on the 

 rafter "Silver Crescent." Captain Mitchell, a much 

 younger man, was very excitable and one day after 

 striking the LaCrosse bridge he got terribly worked up. 

 Mr. Tromley took charge of the affair and in a few 

 hours the crew had the raft in good shape again and the 

 "Silver Crescent" was shoving it full head toward its 

 destination. 



After clearing up, Captain Mitchell went up to the 

 pilot-house and sat down quietly holding his face in his 

 hand, for several minutes. 



Then, rousing up he said, "Mr. Tromley, I believe 

 I'm going crazy!" 



Mr. Tromley turned around and with that merry 

 twinkle in his eyes and in the kindest manner said, 

 "Why my dear friend! Are you just find that out? 

 There's a many people on this boat could told you dat 

 good while ago. 



"Now captain let me tell you someting! It ain't no 

 use to get so dam excite. I been on this river long time; 

 more than you have; and have had all kinds of trouble 

 raf's broke up, raf's 'ground on san bar, hit bridges, 

 caught in fog or storm but I never yet heard of a saw 

 log come up in pilot-house and kill a pilot." The cap- 

 tain laughed heartily and it really helped him. 



