OLD TIME PILOTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9013, 28 January 1895, Page 4

OLD TIME PILOTS.

■In the Strand Magazine': Mr Alfred T. Story continues his interesting collection of reminiscences of well-known pilots. Recalling the old times when sailing vessels , were more numerous, Mr William Collins Harrison, the Deal pilot, said:—" I remember on the Australian ships—often full of , gold—the arrival on board of the pilot was ' a great event, anil was looked "forward to with much „ curiosity. When you got on board you saw the little children peeping at you, half afraid, between - their /fathers* legs, as though they expected co see a monster of some eort.".

"Perhaps," said-the interviewer, "they had heard of pirates as well as pilots, and did not know the difference;" ', '* Perhaps so. , Then' the passengers used to bet on the pilot—sometime* for a week or two before they reached the Channel. They would lay wagers on his personal appearance, whether he was young or old, dark or fair, short or long, or whether he had a boss-eye, or a crooked nose. Or it might be that the bet would be on the manner ne came oa board. I. recollect once, as I/was going on board, a lady rushed up to the rail and exclaimed, ' Oh, pilot, please put your left leg orer the rail fir&t!' She had a bet on, of coarse. I eaid, * You are not fair, , madam,' and put both legs over at once, and so caused that bet to be off. , *