t placing him
behind the chimney, and he did not see the States until she came out
across his bow.

"My God!" shouted Turpin, as he saw the States bearing down upon them
like some ferocious monster, "We're lost!"

The boats came together with a fearful crash. The smoke-stacks groaned
and hissed, and great clouds of smoke rolled over the scene. The first
shock of the collision brought a sudden check to the dancing on the
America, throwing many to the floor and mixing up the whole assembly
into a confused mass. Heads were peering through the transoms of the
staterooms and voices excitedly calling, "What's the matter?" John
Briscoe, the watchman, came hurriedly through the cabin and said, "The
States and the America have run into each other!"

The strains of music had ceased giving way to anxious inquiries on
every side. The officers of the boat were running to and fro, giving
orders, the negro cabin-boys adding to the chaos of the scene by loud
and far-reaching cries.

On the roof, the Captain was giving orders to Jenkins: "Come ahead,
outside!" Jenkins pulled the bell-rope and the brave engineer responded
to the order. The boats had swung a short distance apart, the States
rapidly sinking. Jenkins put the America up between the States and the
shore. The States was carrying, as freight, a lot of barrels of coal-oil
and gasoline, and in the collision these were smashed and the gasoline
caught fire and in a few moments the sinking boat was all ablaze
forward.

Jenkins groaned as he saw the fire, for the flames had already swept
over upon the America, and he saw that his boat was also doomed. The bow
of the America was almost touching the gravel, and believing that he had
his boat safely on shore, Jenkins hurriedly left the pilot-house.
Charles Ditman, the other head pilot of the America, off watch, ran up
into the pilot-house and catching the wheel, rang for reversed engines,
and backed the boat out into the river, away from the States, but his
action was miscalculated, for fire had broken out on the America, and
great sheets of flame were leaping from her forward decks and guards.
Had the boat held the position in which Jenkins had placed her, all the
passengers might have escaped. Officers and crew were cutting away
timbers with axes and dashing water upon the fire, but the great
crackling tongue of flame licked up everything in its pathway. The
heavens shone like a great, golden mirror under the spreading blaze. Th