t him up. I said: "We will put our
guns in the bar, and have it out just as you like it." We went in
the bar, and he handed over his young cannon, and then I put up
Betsy Jane. I told my partner to get the Captain and tell him to
land the boat, and he would see some fun, for I knew he would rather
see a fight than eat when he was hungry. So just as we got our
guns behind the bar the Captain walked in, and some one said "Here
comes the Captain." The Texas fellow said, "To h--l with him; I
don't care a d--n for any captain." That made old Bill hot, and
he wanted to know what was all this racket about. I told him the
big fellow wanted to lick me. He said, "I'll soon settle this;
you will go ashore." The big fellow said there was not men enough
on the boat to put him ashore. The Captain then sent word to the
pilot to land, and also sent for the mate and some of the deck-
hands. The pilot ran the boat up on a point, and she got aground.
I jumped off as soon as she struck; and the mate, assisted by two
big deck-hands, soon had Mr. Texas off. The passengers were all
out on the guards, for they had heard the racket, and wanted to
see the fun. I pulled off my coat, and told Texas to clean himself
and come a-fighting. He was just as sure of licking me as I was
of catching him for a sucker, but he had forgotten "Nothing is sure
that grows on earthly ground." He was onto me in an instant, and
if he had hit me just where he aimed, he would have hurt me, for
he was a hard hitter; but I gave him my dear old head, and he hurt
himself very bad; but I did not care if he did. I then ran in
under him, and had him down on his back before he recovered from
the blow he struck against a rock (as he afterward called my head).
After I got him down I gave him one just between the eyes, and he
saw stars (although there were none in the sky just then). I gave
him one more punch, and he said, "That will do." I let him up,
and he was so dazed that he staggered and fell into the river.
They pulled him out, and I heard some one remark, "That's the
biggest sucker ever caught in this river."

While the fight was going on, they were trying to get the boat off
the point; but I guess they did not try very hard, for as soon as
they fished out the sucker, the Captain called for me to come
aboard. I said, "Captain, it is only three miles to Donaldsonville,
and as I want a little exercise, I will walk; but take good care
of my 'big sucker.