How did Mark Twain learn to drive a steamboat?

How did Mark Twain learn to drive a steamboat?
…………………………………………Leechard
(Quest No.8245e 　　　　2011 0927 Tuesday)

Whenever I am reading a book, I always tried to find out “something” from the book. It has been a habit of me. And I had a very simple objective: to find out some thing to write about. However, it was only recently that I had the feeling to get “something” more then “something” from the books. It was the energy within the books. Alternatively, you may call them “fire”. Is there any inner energy in the books?

It was like fire.

Reading is like Prometheus stealing the fire. The fire is so attractive, that you will pay anything to get it.

Is there anything so special in the autobiography of Mark Twain?

In his early days, he had been a steamboat pilot.

How did he manage to do that?

It turned out that to drive a steamboat, is to know the Mississippi completely. That means, he had to learn it by heart all the particulars of the river, the bends, the chutes, the various dangers…..And he was in the four hour working shift. He could only write down his notes within four hours. And his notebook will become blank when he was asleep….

He had been working extremely hard.

It is an interesting book. It seems you are in the same boat, driving the boat together with him. When you finished reading, you probably have a question:

If I were in his position, will I be working as hard as he will?




Inquiry 852- 2559-4690

★Write to
Academy2008@hotmail.com

★Or, click the ‘comments’ links below.