Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1837-11-15

| for is not there the old tarpaulin and the oars,
whereof she may make acope.:ag?'
saw clearly that old Reisaches was ap.
pealing to himself, rather than to me, SO l
waited until his inclination prompted him to
step out faster on our way to the wood ram
gers house, which we at length reached, as
nearly wet through as was possible to be. The
wood ranger was at home, but the horse was
mot, and the storm increased, and so, at last,
did the fathsr's anxiety about his only child.
j must 60 back said he, gazing from the
eminence we stood on, back towards the Rhine;
.Susannah will be frightened. pray, look at
the river, sir, never saw it more furious, and
never so suddenly aroused. 1t is giistAch
scion! insn't it!'
1T is fine sight to look at from this safe
distance said l; but it has few charms for
the poor fellows in that boat that is tossed a.
bout so roughly
''Tis true for you, sir; doubt if it be notin
great DANGER observed Johan, cycling keenly
the wave buffetted little craft 10 which called
his attention. 1t was heavily laden with a
large freight Of fire wood, SO heavily that even
in the smoothest weather, the gunwale would
have touched the waters edge. 1t was in the
middle of the river, endeavorlng to force its
way up against the stream by the aid Of
square and tattered looking sail, but every eff
fort Of the men who managed it was baftled
iby the extreme violence of the waves, which
we could plainly see washing over from stem
10 stern.
Ill just wish you good evening, sir, and
hurry on to the ferry; and | hope the boat may
have succeeded in passing it before arrive,
for that ledge Of rock just above the stationis
hard to steer past in such dreadful squall,'
said my companion, with benevolent ankle
ly. But was not disposed to part with him
thus. The dangers to which the unhappy boat
men were exposed, was attraction sufficient to
lead me closer to the scene; and old Johan and
| proceeded rapidly together on our way back,
hurried silently forward by the force of mere
excitement, and never losing sight the strug-
Cling vessel, which though it made scarcely
any way, was nevertheless gaining on US as
We approached the ferry in now nearly par
allel line with the river.
Every moment that led US nearer, showed
US the increasing peril of the frail craft; and
l thought could distinguish at times, de-
sparing cry for aid from the two men who
were impertectly managing her, and whose
gestures, as she was heavily tossed to and fro
by the angry swell, spoke a plain story otter
riGed helplessness. a hollow in the road
made us lose sight Of her for few minutes;
and as we descended again in breaihless inn
patience, we caught new view, which con-
frmed our worst forebodings. The boat, eth
or from the rudder being unshipped, or the
man at the helm being washed down by
wave, had turned completely round, and was
swept across TO almost the other side Of the
river, by the strong side wind and the violent
eddy.---Every wave threatened to swamp 1t al
e, ~, taJ<
of rocks alluded TO by RESEARCHER. and over
which there was now no foam or breakers,
scarcely to be believed by any one WAC has
not seen the Rhine in one orts angriest moods
We were now within few hundred yards Of
the ferry.
The cries for help were less frequent, for
there was 10 all appearance, no help at hand.
-Four five persons, men and women, stood at
different points on the banks, throwing up their
hands and screaming unavailing advice or con-
i ISOLATION to the poor boatmen; and now and
then dismal echo of their shouts were felt
rather than heard, as and my old companion
ran along the slippery road.
In few minutes more the boat drifted into
an eddy most particularly dreaded by the old
ierryman.
IFS all over with her now; and there she
goes, sure enough! exclaimed Reisacher, as
apowerful wave caught the boat under the side,
and turned it keel upwards.
They must be lost before we can reach the
river added he, catching at the rail by the
roadside, overcome by agitation and exertion,
while stopped to recover my breath, and star
ed down into the river from the preclpitate
, bank. The rain now swept in sheets up the
stream, and almost hid every object upon it,
!. but fancied distinguished, like a phantom
boat in the mist, old Johan's little skif, stri-
wing 10 plunge through the waves, and rocked
: like cradle by the opposing influence Of wind
. and tide.
mo, it cannot be! Yct---yes, it is, II is Su.
. sannah, striving TO steer towards tho wreck"
exclaimed I, involuntary. The old mans eyes,
D dim from age, but their vision quickened from
Z affection, were fixed like mine, in s'raining
i, scrutiny, and when his gaze was sure OF his
: object, he cried out in a tone of bit,erest am
!; guish:---
!. ooh, my child! My Susannah! Il is her, it
i is the boat. She will perish. Oh, save her!
/ save her! her gott" And with incredible speed
1 he darted away from our resting place. soon
. overlook him, and supported him on my arm,
: as he tottered, painting and exhausted, to the
' tree against which his little skif had been
: erewhile coiled. We now saw it within fifty
: yards Of US on the boiling surf, and the hero
{ ic child--her young heart buyant with PHYS
misunderstanding her helm-like oar with all
: her strength, and looked pale stern at the rain
: and the waves, which drenched her through
t and through, at the furious wind which had
loosened her long hair, and sent it streaming
1 round her, and at the broad lightning. which
: gave, at intervals. a supernatural hue to he'
: whole person. She was. in minute or two
a more, in the power Of the formidable current
n in which the half-drowned men now clung e
C their boat and she was In nearly az much