MEN PROMINENT IN THE RAFTING INDUSTRY 237 



hunting or trapping. He told me Joe gave him many a 

 licking for running away from school. 



But if Cyp did not learn much in school he learned 

 a lot outside. Perfectly at home in the woods, he knew 

 more about animals, birds, fishes, flowers and plants 

 than any one I ever had the good fortune to know. 



When only sixteen he began his work on rafts, pull- 

 ing an oar for David Cratt on a lumber raft to Saint 

 Louis. He quickly learned the river and began piloting 

 himself. His first practice running a raft was when he 

 and Jack Walker chartered the little "Novelty" in the 

 late sixties. 



Then he and his brother Joe went on the "Clyde" for 

 three seasons. 



In the spring of 1877 he came out as master and pilot 

 of the fine, large, powerful raft-boat "B. Hershey," 

 built at Kahlkes yard in Rock Island for the Hershey 

 Lumber Company of Muscatine, Iowa. 



For twelve successive seasons he ran their logs from 

 Beef Slough, West Newton and Stillwater, making a 

 record that nobody could beat. 



Then the Valley Navigation Company was formed 

 by Captains Cyprian, Joe and a few others. This com- 

 pany bought the "B. Hershey" of the Hershey Lumber 

 Company, the "C. W. Cowles" of Fleming Brothers 

 and the "Lafayette Lamb" of C. Lamb and Sons and 

 Cyp remained on the "Hershey" for eight years more 

 running logs for Hershey Lumber Company on con- 

 tract, making twenty years of service on the one boat, 

 clean, skillful, satisfactory service, all of it. 



Then he wanted a change and going to Dakota he 

 tried farming six years, but the lure of the river brought 

 him back and he put in a few seasons rafting, working 

 government boats, had charge of the steamer "Helen 



