The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #125271 Message #3458002
Posted By: Nigel Parsons
28-Dec-12 - 05:31 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Mike Fink's Bet
Subject: RE: Origins: Mike Fink's Bet
From: Art Thieme - PM Date: 29 Mar 10 - 11:44 AM
Yes, often the barges were filled with pigeons on the Mississippi Rivers tows going up and down the stream. If they went aground on a sandbar, the deckhands would bang on the sides of the barges with sledge hammers. That'd get the birds to flying. It'd lighten the load so the tow could float free of the bar.
Of course, those were known on the river as "Pigeon Tows"
When filled with Tic-Tac candy, they were Tic-Tack Tows.
And when filled with hammers, they were...
And then there were the the ones carrying "ships of the desert"...