A steamboat pilot needed to know the ever-changing river to be able to stop at the hundreds of ports and wood-lots.

During his early years, Sanders held many jobs, including being a steamboat pilot, insurance salesman, railroad fireman, and farmer.

He'd been a journeyman typesetter at the age of twelve, a printer in New York City, a steamboat pilot, a silver miner, a journalist.

I was a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi, Mister Noland.

It continues with anecdotes of Twain's training as a steamboat pilot, as the 'cub' of an experienced pilot.

Upon discovery, he was adopted into the crew and trained in navigation, becoming a steamboat pilot by the age of sixteen.

He is a combination of steamboat pilot and pelican, which is the state bird of Louisiana.

In his twenties, Clemens thought he would spend his life as one of the princes of the Mississippi, a steamboat pilot.

Captain Miller's son, James D. Miller, was also a steamboat pilot.