I stopped the Sylvania, and then rang to go ahead at full speed.
"Are you going through the crevasse?" demanded the pilot.
"I see no difficulty in doing so. Mr. Washburn, see that every opening in the deck and deck-house is closed and securely fastened."
"It will be a ticklish business to go through that breach," said the pilot, shaking his head.
"Would you let a hundred people drown without doing any thing to save them?" I asked.
"Not if I could help it. I am willing to do all I can; but I shouldn't wonder if your boat made a dive into the mud on the other side of the levee, and stuck there."
"If she does we have two life-boats at the davits," I replied.
The Sylvania soon got up her best speed, and the pilot steered the steamer for a point just above the crevasse. I closed the windows of the pilot-house, and directed all hands to go on the hurricane-deck, except the engineers and firemen.
"I think you ought to stop the engine, for she will go through quick enough without any help," suggested the pilot.
"We must have steerage-way, or we can do nothing," I replied with quick tones, for we were within a few fathoms of the whirl of waters that were dashing through the crevasse. I felt the speed of the steamer increasing, and I firmly grasped the wheel with the pilot.