The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-11-20

DY JAMES HUSTON, JR.

ed 10 execute u, Tor we all lOVeC
him, notwithstanding he was 50 tao
turn, and could never be persuaded
to tell us a story. Our old flat boat
was soon snugly moorrd in the cove
with a perpendicular cliff Of uncom.
mon height 10 shelter her from tie
storm, while we all went below and
gathered round our little fire. Arm.
strong occupied the old stool, n.
usual, his back resting against Tire
.planks, and his brawry arms foldc,
upon lis breast; grave and silent
even more so than common-aS lie
raised his hard weather. beaten hand
and brushed bacl, the arayish locks
that were struggling down over lis
high forehead, one might have read
ily imagined, at the first look, that
they could discover something like
a tear about TO start from his large
brilliant eye. Be this as it may. to
our great surprise, he Involuntary
commenced the following story:
Fifteen long years ago, landed
in this same cove for the first time.
II was a cold night, and dark, too,
with the heaviest kind Of gales blow
/ ing from the northwest. About ten
O'Clock the hands all laid down, and
left me sitting alone by the fire, with
coat and boots off, ready to follow
their example. As this was the first
cargo that had ever been entrusted
to my care, it kept me continually
on the look out; so, before turning
in, ! took lantern, and raising the
hatch, went up to see if all was right,
The river was very rough, and the
waves dashed against the boat till
the spray broke clear over the deck
but the spars we had set kept her
from driving against the bank, and
a staunch cable, with good stern
line, held her firm and steady.--Sev-
ersl times something like a human
voice struck my ear; but the wind
blew so violently, and the water LASH
cd the shore with such a furious
noise, that it was impossible fer one
TO hear a person at any distance.
After waiting few minutes for the
momcntary calm that follows the
first heavy bursts of a gale, ! could
distinctly hear some one in distress
crying, 'Hclp! help--for Gods sake,
helpn Setting down the lantern,
took up paddle, unIashcd the ca
noe, and, jumping in, rowcd off in
Tie direction Of the noise, without
ever thinking to alarm the crew.
could hear the cries Of the sufferers
plain enough, and answered them,
too, at the top of my voice but tie
current carried me so far down, and
the waves dashed into the canoe so,
that it was long time before | sue
ceeded in reaching the place. 1t
was large bunch Of scrubby will
lows that marked the point Of a low,
sandy island, now entirely covered
with water.-Clinging to these slen-
der reeds were three men, chilled
almost to death one of :hcm indeed,
was altogether speeches., yet he
held on with the grasp of vice.
The only way for me to render them
any assistance, was to matte FAST TO
willow, and bail ont with nv hands
for had neither hat nor boots
with me- poor fellows, they were so
, far gone, that had to get ont into
the river, to assist them into the ca
noe. Such nights work now
would soon finish me; how ever
stood tito get back to the boat, God
only knows, for wherever water
touched there was ice in minute.
The light of the lantern was still Wis
Idle, but we came to shore so far be-
low, that it took me nearly an hour
to make my way up, and my strength
was so far exhausted, that | was un-
able TO rouse the crew till we came
right under the stern Of the boat
Ten minutes more, and all of us
must have persisted together, for II
was out of my power to land with
out help, and those in the canoe
were, to all appearance, lifelcss
Every stitch Of my clothes was COW
cred with ice, and my legs and arms
so benumbed with cold, that | was
barely able to climb on deck. Moth
ing but the hand of that Providence
which preserved some Of us for 9TH
err deStinies, could have saved any
of our number from q watery grave,
"Duling the balance of that night
we exerted ourselves in behalf Of
the snflerers.-Two Of them revived
but every expcdient at hand failed
on the other; blankets were warm
ed and wrapped about him, and all
the restorativcs in our possession
were administered without the leas'
effect. Life had probably fed be.
fore | got him on shore, so that al
our efforts to recall him were ir
vain. By daylight the other two
were able to give some account o
the disaster which had placed then
in such a pcrilons situation. 1t ap.
~ a A y.