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〃There is just one way that I would take a young man to learn the river：
that is； for money。〃
〃What do you charge？〃
〃Five hundred dollars； and I to be at no expense whatever。〃
In those days pilots were allowed to carry a learner； or 〃cub；〃 board
free。 Mr。 Bixby meant that he was to be at no expense in port； or for
incidentals。 His terms looked rather discouraging。
〃I haven't got five hundred dollars in money；〃 Sam said； 〃I've got a lot
of Tennessee land worth twenty…five cents an acre； I'll give you two
thousand acres of that。〃
Bixby dissented。
〃No； I don't want any unimproved real estate。 I have too much already。〃
Sam reflected upon the amount he could probably borrow from Pamela's
husband without straining his credit。
〃Well； then； I'll give you one hundred dollars cash and the rest when I
earn it。〃
Something about this young man had won Horace Bixby's heart。 His slow；
pleasant speech； his unhurried； quiet manner with the wheel； his evident
sincerity of purposethese were externals； but beneath them the pilot
felt something of that quality of mind or heart which later made the
world love Mark Twain。 The terms proposed were agreed upon。 The
deferred payments were to begin when the pupil had learned the river and
was receiving pilot's wages。 During Mr。 Bixby's daylight watches his
pupil was often at the wheel； that trip； while the pilot sat directing
him and nursing his sore foot。 Any literary ambitions Samuel Clemens may
have had grew dim； by the time they had reached New Orleans he had almost
forgotten he had been a printer； and when he learned that no ship would
be sailing to the Amazon for an indefinite period the feeling grew that a
directing hand had taken charge of his affairs。
》From New Orleans his chief did not return to Cincinnati； but went to St。
Louis； taking with him his new cub； who thought it fine； indeed； to come
steaming up to that great city with its thronging water…front； its levee
fairly packed with trucks； drays； and piles of freight； the whole flanked
with a solid mile of steamboats lying side by side； bow a little up…
stream； their belching stacks reared high against the bluea towering
front of trade。 It was glorious to nose one's way to a place in that
stately line； to become a unit； however small； of that imposing fleet。
At St。 Louis Sam borrowed from Mr。 Moffett the funds necessary to make up
his first payment； and so concluded his contract。 Then； when he suddenly
found himself on a fine big boat； in a pilot…house so far above the water
that he seemed perched on a mountaina 〃sumptuous temple〃his happiness
seemed complete。
XXIII
THE SUPREME SCIENCE
In his Mississippi book Mark Twain has given us a marvelous exposition of
the science of river…piloting； and of the colossal task of acquiring and
keeping a knowledge requisite for that work。 He has not exaggerated this
part of the story of developments in any detail； he has set down a simple
confession。
Serenely enough he undertook the task of learning twelve hundred miles of
the great changing； shifting river as exactly and as surely by daylight
or darkness as one knows the way to his own features。 As already
suggested； he had at least an inkling of what that undertaking meant。
His statement that he 〃supposed all that a pilot had to do was to keep
his boat in the river〃 is not to be accepted literally。 Still he could
hardly have realized the full majesty of his task； nobody could do that
not until afterward。
Horace Bixby was a 〃lightning〃 pilot with a method of instruction as
direct and forcible as it was effective。 He was a small man； hot and
quick…firing； though kindly； too； and gentle when he had blown off。
After one rather pyrotechnic misunderstanding as to the manner of
imparting and acquiring information he said：
〃My boy； you must get a little memorandum…book； and every time I tell you
a thing put it down right away。 There's only one way to be a pilot； and
that is to get this entire river by heart。 You have to know it just like
A B C。〃
So Sam Clemens got the little book； and presently it 〃fairly bristled〃
with the names of towns； points； bars； islands； bends； and reaches； but
it made his heart ache to think that he had only half of the river set
down； for； as the 〃watches〃 were four hours off and four hours on； there
were long gaps during which he had slept。
The little note…book still existsthin and faded； with black water…proof
coversits neat； tiny； penciled notes still； telling； the story of that
first trip。 Most of them are cryptographic abbreviations； not readily
deciphered now。 Here and there is an easier line：
MERIWEATHER'S BEND
1/4 less 3 ＇Depth of water。 One…quarter less than three
fathoms。＇run shape of upper bar and go into the low place in
willows about 200（ft。） lower down than last year。
One simple little note out of hundreds far more complicated。 It would
take days for the average mind to remember even a single page of such
statistics。 And those long four…hour gaps where he had been asleep； they
are still there； and somehow； after more than fifty years； the old heart…
ache is still in them。 He got a new book； maybe； for the next trip； and
laid this one away。
There is but one way to account for the fact that the man whom the world
knew as Mark Twaindreamy； unpractical； and indifferent to detailsever
persisted in acquiring knowledge like thatin the vast； the absolutely
limitless quantity necessary to Mississippi piloting。 It lies in the
fact that he loved the river in its every mood and aspect and detail； and
not only the river； but a steam boat； and still more； perhaps； the
freedom of the pilot's life and its prestige。 Wherever he has written of
the riverand in one way or another he was always writing of it we feel
the claim of the old captivity and that it still holds him。 In the
Huckleberry Finn book； during those nights and days with Huck and Nigger
Jim on the raftwhether in stormlit blackness； still noontide； or the
lifting mists of morningwe can fairly 〃smell〃 the river； as Huck
himself would say； and we know that it is because the writer loved it
with his heart of hearts and literally drank in its environment and
atmosphere during those halcyon pilot days。
So； in his love lay the secret of his marvelous learning； and it is
recorded （not by himself； but by his teacher） that he was an apt pupil。
Horace Bixby has more than once declared：
〃Sam was always good…natured； and he had a natural taste for the river。
He had a fine memory and never forgot anything I told him。〃
Mark Twain himself records a different opinion of his memory； with the
size of its appalling task。 It can only be presented in his own words。
In the pages quoted he had mastered somewhat of the problem； and had
begun to take on airs。 His chief was a constant menace at such moments：
One day he turned on me suddenly with this settler：
〃What is the shape of Walnut Bend？〃
He might as well have asked me my grandmother's opinion of
protoplasm。 I reflected respectfully； and then said I didn't know
it had any particular