The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-07-30

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ed him away. He then ATTEMPTED to
reach a rocky point, a few rods above
but while he was in the act of making
stroke with his paddle, by some acct
dent or other he missed the stroke,
broke the paddle, and fell into the river
where it was about ten feet deep
As soon as he rose above the surface,
he 'endeavoured TO swim; but being
unskilled in the art, and encumbered
with his clothes and boots, found him.
self unable. When he perceived that
he must sink again, he turned his face
towards the shore designing when be
should reach the bottom, to make bis
way to the spot where he hoped to land,
by creeping. Accordingly as soon as
he felt the bottom, he made the most
vigorous exertions for this purpose !;
and, when he rose again, had advanced
solar towards the shore as to be able
to raise his head above the water while
his feet touched the bottom. He then
walked TO the shore which be reached
about an hour before the sun rose
Hence he assembled the bank, and
walked up the river with the hope of
finding some person who might assist
him to recover his boat.
To this time Colonel Walker had re-
tanned full possession Of his reason
but, as he supposed, he now tainted
and fell, and had afterwards no distinct
recollection of his circumstances until
a little before noon, on Monday the
28th. Still retained remembrance,
which he styles imperfect, and vision
airy, of climbing over stone-waIls, CROP
ing in corn-feld, and endeavouring 10
reach his house before the news of
taking mp his boat should alarm his
family. The course which he took 10
find his house he could not remember.
and probably did not contrive .or dis
tinguish. But he evidently spent the
whole of Saturday, Sunday. and part
of Monday, in attempting to find his
way thither. The spasmodick affection
which he mentions, the anxiety and
flutter of spirits, which he suffered dur
ing the while he was in, and under the
water, and the excessive fatigue occa-
stoned by his extraordinary exertions
to gain the shore, affected both his body
and his mind, in such a manner as to
leave him absolutely bewildered.-
Two days he seems to have wandered
in the corn field and its environs; and
two nights to'haye slept, if he slept at
all, within the same narrow limits and
all this on ground which he must have
familiarly known. After he had reach
ed the town on Monday morning, he
made variety of attempts by wander
ing through different parts of it, as he
afterwards. rene mbered, to find the way
TO his own house but failed in them
all. About 5 O'Clock, p Nj. he was
discovered and conducted home by
some bakers in the neighhourhood.
To this account, taken from Colonel
Walker himself, DR.. Buckminster adds.
Upon coming to the bake house, to
which Ire was probably directed by the
light of the oven. Col Walker asked
the men whether they knew where he
was, and who he was, and whether
hey could conduct him to his house.
The bake-house was in sight Of the
house of Col. Walker; and directly
behind the church where he had or
shipped for thirty years. After he
came home he was put to bed. Within
an hour visited him and found him in
great degree of perturbation. He
knew me, however, az he had known
his wife, and several of his family, at
his first coming home. But he could
not be convinced that it was Monday.
and not Saturday morning. In my
hearing, he urged his wife to send a
messenger unto company of men, who,
under his superintendent, were work
ing on road, 10 tell them that he was
unable 10 give them directions. aud
they must therefore 'disperse. Within
a few days Col. Walker was so far re-
covered as 10 attend 70 his customary
business, and not long after regained
his usual health"
have recited this story, because it
exhibits man in an attitude, which, so
far as known, is absolutely new.
From The Boston Medical Elfelsgencer7
An ACCOMPLISHED physician is a most