ashing all
around me. The pilot threw her into the bend as quick as he could,
and then let on she took a sheer on him and nearly went to the
other side. The shooting brought the niggers from the fields to
the bank of the river. I hallooed to them to get a long pole and
pull me out, for I was stuck in the mud. They did so, and I got
up on the bank and waited for another boat.

I was always very stubborn about giving up money if any one wanted
to compel me to do it, but I wish I had one-quarter of what I have
given back to people that did need it. I have seen many a man lose
all he had, and then go back into the ladies' cabin and get his
wife's diamonds, and lose them, thinking he might get even. But
that was always a good cap for me, for I would walk back into the
cabin, find the lady, and hand her jewels back; and I never beat
a man out of his money that I did not find out from the clerk if
his passage was paid. If not, I would pay it, and give the man
some of his money to assist him to his destination. By so doing
I was looked upon as being a pretty good robber--that is, if you
call it robbing; but I tell you that a man that will bet on such
a game as monte is a bigger robber than the man who does the playing,
for he thinks he is robbing you, and you know you are robbing him.

THE CHICKEN MEN AND THEIR SILVER.

At one time, before the war, silver was such a drug in New Orleans
that you could get $105 in silver for $100 in State bank notes;
but the commission men would pay it out to the hucksters dollar
for dollar. They would put it in bags and label it with the man's
name and the amount. At this time I was coming out on the steamer
_John Raine_, and, in looking around for customers, I found fifteen
chicken men on board, who had sold their "coops," and had their
sacks of silver setting in the office, as there was no room for it
in the safe. After supper I got my men in the barber shop, pulled
out my three cards, and began to throw them, at the same time
telling the men I had lost $1,000 at the game, and that I was going
to practice until I could throw equal to the man that had beat me
out of my money. They all took a great interest in the game, and
could turn the right card every time for fun. About this time the
"capper" came up, and said he was positive he could guess the card,
and kept insisting on betting me $100; so at last I concluded to
bet him, and he lost the $100. Then the fun commenced. O