The sureness of MacKenzie by Frederick R. Bechdolt
QR code
"The sureness of MacKenzie by Frederick R. Bechdolt" is a nautical short story written in the early 20th century. It centers on a veteran San Francisco bar pilot whose steadfast confidence is tested as he guides a great ocean liner through fog, surf, and shifting currents at the Golden Gate. A telephone summons pulls MacKenzie from home on the eve of his grandchildren’s birthday, and he heads out to the pilot boat
in heavy weather, trading wagers and barbed talk with fellow pilots who chafe at his unshakable certainty. He aims to board the Empress, leaps for her Jacob’s ladder in a rolling sea, and takes the bridge, threading her around the breaking bar and down North Channel. When a sudden fog drop and hill wind warp the siren signals and a strong ebb shoves the ship toward disaster at Fort Point, the captain panics; MacKenzie holds his course by feel, sound, and experience, seemingly steering into danger to clear Lime Point. The fog thins, the harbor opens, and the liner steams in safely. Home in time for the party, he dotes on the children while his family, amused and admiring, sums him up in a phrase: he is so sure. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Bechdolt, Frederick R. (Frederick Ritchie), 1874-1950 |
|---|---|
| Title | The sureness of MacKenzie |
| Original Publication | New York: Street & Smith Corporation, 1923. |
| Series Title | Produced from the January 5, 1923 issue of Sea Stories magazine. |
| Credits | Roger Frank and Sue Clark |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Sea stories |
| Subject | San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.) -- Fiction |
| Subject | Pilots and pilotage -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 76821 |
| Release Date | Sep 4, 2025 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 229 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!