Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-08-16

A conclusive effort at the oars told how
willing the men were to obey, but the
strength Of the strong man was gone.--
One Of the poor fellows washed us twice
in recovering his oar, and then gave out;
the other was nearly as far gone. Mr..
Larkin sprung forward and seized the de-
serted oar.
clay down in the bottom Of the boat,
said he to the man, land captain take the
other oar; we must row for ourselves"
/ took the second mans place; Larkin
had stripped to his Guernsy shirt, and as
he pulled the bow, Iwaited for the signal
stroke. 1t came gently but firm, and the
next moment we were pulling long,
steady stroke gradually increasingly rap
idity until the wood seemed to smoke in
the oar locks. We kept time each by the
long deep breathing Of the other. Such a
pull! We bent forward until our faces
almost touched our knees, and then throw
ing all our strength into the backward
movement, drew on the oar until every
inch Of the space covered by the sweep
had been gained. At every stroke the
boat shot ahead like an arrow discharged
from bow. Thus we worked at the oars
for fifteen minutes-it seemed to me as
many hours. The sweat rolled off Of me
in great drops, and | was enveloped in
stream generated from my own body.
care we almost upto it, Mr.. Larkin?"
1gasped out.
"Almost, captain don'tgive up; for the
love Of our dear little ones at home, don't
give up, captain!''
The oars flashed as the blades turned
up to the moonlight. The men who piled
them were fathers, and had fathers hearts;
the strength which nerved them atthat mo-
ment was more than human.
Suddenly Mr.. Larkin stopped pulling,
and my heat for a moment almost ceased
its beating, for the terrible thought that he
had given out crossed my mind. But !
was quickly treasured by his voice:
"Gently, captain, gently-a strike or
two more-there, that will do''-and the
next moment the boats side came in con-
tract with something, and Larkin sprang
from the boat with his heavy feet upon the
ice. l started up, and calling upon the
men to make fast the boat to the ice, fol-
lowed.
We ran to the dark spot in the centre Of
the mass, and found two little boys, the
head Of the small nesting in the bosom of
the larger-both were fast asleep! The
lethargy, which would have been fatal but
for the timely rescue, had overcome them.
MIR. Larkin grasped one of the lads, cut
off his shoes, tore off his jacket, and then
loosing his own garments to the skin plac-
ed the chilled child in contact with his own
warm body, carefully wrapping over him
his great coat, which he procured from
the boat. did the same, with the other
child-and we then returned to the boat,
and the men, partially recovered, pulled
slowly back.
The children, as we learned when in sub
sequently had the delight Of restoring
them to their parents, were playing Oh the
ice, and had ventured on the cake which
had jammed into the bend of the river ten
miles above New York. A movement of
the tide set the ice in motion, and the little
fellows were borne away on that cold
night, and would inevitably have persisted,
but for Mr.. Larkin's espying them as the
ice was sweeping out to sea.
Chow do you feel?" / said to the
mate the morning after his adventure.
"a little stiff in the arms, captain" the
noble fellow replied, while the big tears
Of grateful happiness gushed from his
eyes--"A little stiff in the arms, captain,
but very easy here" and he laid his hand
on the manly heart. My quaint, brave
down easter! Helwho lashes the sea as
into fury and lets loose the tempest, will
care for thee! The storm may rage with
out, but in thy bosom peace and sunshine
abide always.