Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-06-08
AN ADVENTURE.

An incident occurred in Hellgate on Satur.
da,, which. in the hands Of him VINO has in the
Sketch book so admirably Gecribed that snsu.
lar strait, might be worked up into a scene of
no little interest. A party Of gentlemen, be-.
longing to one OF the numerous aquatic clubs
that have sprung up in our noble harbor within
the last summer or two, were refreshing them.
selves after long row. with their boat drawn
up on Mil.rock, which those acquainted with
HelIgate may recOieCt commands complete
view Of all the Internal machinery Of waters,
which he who deals in fire mas oddly enough
cong Generated abnut the very daor Of his DO.
micil; when 10 watching the scattered sails that
occasionally floated past them, dropping through
the strait with the tide, the attention Of the whole
party was attracted to small sail boat with
single man at the stern. The hesitating wav in
which he managed his craft, indicated ut once
that he was ignorant Of a passage that requires
the incest pilstsge-phile his Facilitating helm
at one moment carried his little vessels bows on
To the bristIiag rapids on bis western side, and
at another lett her 10 sag midships into the suck.
ing whirlpool on the Cast. His perilous situa.
ton was evident to the whole party on the rock;
but thew were too far of ~ warm him Of his dan
ger. or to reach hItn IN .ine 10 avert the cstss.
tOphe.
Every second made that mnre inevitable; and
their only hope vas, that by some providential
turn one Of the thousand eddies which chafed and
roared around the doomed bostman, might whirl
his craft so near to the shore, that even in the
event Of a capsze he might yet be saved. The
expectation, however, was hardly formed before
the accelera,ed,motion Of the boat in contrary
direction. defeated 1t most frishtlully. She had
struck the edge OF the Poland with the velocity
Of lightning, was sucked in; her bow heaved uD.
ward as she reached the foamng vortex, like the
crest OF living animal in the as0nies of death.
struggle, and then punging beneath the surges,
the little vessel and her solitary voysger disap.
pesred entirely.
The party on the rock were breathless With
horror, when far beyond the place OF his disap.
pearance they saw the body Of the boatnan shoot
above the surface as il dismissed from below By
force full as active rs that which had carried him
there. The barge was manned in moment, and
skilful coxswain. with steady crew, winding
harmiessly through the accumulated perils en-.
couDtered by the incOnsiderate bOatman, he was
soon overtaken.
IL wonder where my bat isl" was the fr st ex.
clamation Of this amphbious worthy upon lind
ing himself perfectly safe. The gentlemen, anus
ed at the fellows cooiness, pulled after his hat.
aad recovering it TO his very great satisfaction.
afterwards rlghted his boat tor him, upon disco.
vcriag her aosting at some distance. collected
his oars. set sail, and left him grumbIiug as he
went again upon his way, that - he had lost both
his shoes in that zornai Pot"
The miraculous escape of this man should be
be warning to those ignorant Of the navigation
OF Hell-gate venturing through at half tide, the
only time we believe when the passage is danger.
ous-there being much truth in that humorous il.
lustration OF its character BY Washington Irving,
where be describes HelI.gate to be "pacific at
low water a. any other streamj 40 the tide rises
begins to fret. at half tide it RACES and roars a.
II oello~ina Tor more water. but when the tide is
full it relapses again into quiei, and for time
seems to sleep almost as souudIy as an Alderman
after dinner. 1t may be compared to an inve.
terate hard drinker, who is = peaceable fellow
enough when he has no liquor at all, or when hs
has his skin full: but when half seas over, nIays
the very h."-N y HIM.