The Story of Paul Boyton | Page 5

coal was

sent flying into the air. The cry "Snag! Snag!" was heard on all sides,
the big engines of the "Red Lion" were stopped and reversed and the
headway of the fleet was checked, as it slowly swung to the shore. All
hands rushed to the damaged barge and found that a snag, a sunken log,
had penetrated the bottom. Fearing that she would go down and drag
other barges with her, she was detached and a line passed to the shore,
then luckily near. A crew shoveled the coal from the ugly rent. The
snag was cut away and vain attempts were made to pass a tarpaulin
under and so stop the hole. Paul stood near his friend Tom, and
suggested that he dive under, take a rope with him, and so enable them
to pass a canvass below.
"Do you think you can do it without drowning?" said Tom.
"I am certain," was the response.
Tom handed him the end of a rope. Without hesitation Paul sprang into
the water and dove under the then sinking barge. The rope was hauled
up and another passed to him with which he repeated the operation.
Two ropes were fastened to the tarpaulin, two more fastened to the
other corners. The canvas was lowered into the river and the men on
the opposite side hauled it under the ragged hole. As the canvas
covered it, the inflow of water was instantly checked. With a loud cheer,
the crew sprang to the pumps. When the water got low enough, the
carpenters nailed planks over the hole. The barge and the valuable
cargo of coal were saved. In less than three hours from the time the
snag had struck, the injured barge was again lashed to the fleet and on
her way down the Ohio. Paul was the hero of the hour. The Captain of
the "Red Lion" solemnly transferred him from his damp and grimy
quarters on the head to the comfortable cabin and pilot house. He
confessed to the kind Captain that he had run away from home and how
anxious he was about his mother. That day the Captain wrote a glowing
letter to Mrs. Boyton and posted it at Paducah, Kentucky. From that
time, he took great pleasure in teaching Paul how to steer, and many
other arts in river craft. Paul keenly enjoyed this first voyage down the
Mississippi. The strange scenes on the river were of deep interest; but
he never tired of watching the slaves, either at work in the fields, or at

play on the banks of an evening.
At last the "Red Lion" and her tow were safely moored at New Orleans.
The Captain found a letter waiting from Mrs. Boyton requesting that
Paul be sent back by the first mail packet. While waiting her departure,
the Captain took Paul out to see the great city. Among many places of
interest they visited that day, the slave mart at the foot of the fine statue
erected in honor of Henry Clay, lived long in Paul's memory. Numbers
of slaves were to be sold. The Captain and Paul pushed their way well
to the front, so that they stood near the auctioneer. With feelings hard
to describe, Paul saw slaves disposed of, singly and in parties. Fathers,
mothers, sons and daughters were bid for and sold, and the critical
purchasers examined them as if they were prize cattle. While the sale
proceeded, Paul spelled out the inscription on the monument which
said "that if he (Henry Clay,) could be instrumental in eradicating this
deepest stain, slavery, from our country, he would be prouder than if he
enjoyed the triumphs of a great conqueror." Even to his childish mind
this seemed sadly inconsistent with the surroundings. The auction
concluded with the sale of three boys, who seemed to be brothers, or at
least close friends for they wept bitterly when parted. As they moved
away, Paul's eyes were full of tears at the agony of the unhappy
creatures, and turning to the Captain he said:
"Do you think this is right?"
"No," responded the Captain, "I'm darned if I do. It is an outrage and a
shame that human beings should be sold like cattle, but--Great Scott!
Did you notice what big prices they brought?" then added reflectively;
"I'm blessed if it wouldn't pay me better to run a cargo of them down
from Pittsburgh, than a tow of coal barges!"
Late that evening the Captain and Paul returned. As they approached,
they saw an excited crowd, pushing their way through near the boat.
They met the mate on the gang-plank keeping the people back.
"What's the matter?" demanded the Captain.
The mate explained that there had been a fight on the levee, and that

big Tom had