The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-07-05


A NIGHT AT A CREvASSE.
Or q Eghs Nth the Father Of Waters, in
sOhich The old gentleman got badly rhip-
ped.
We had just risen from the tea table,
about eight o'clock on the evening ot the
18Th Of May. | was lighting my segar a,
the lamp, with a small segment Of your val
liable paper, when hoard loud shout, rs il
Of some one calling Tor aid. In second il
wns repeated, in a still more piercing tone.
We rushed to the door, thinking il proceed
cd from some one in distress, when we
heard distinctly that most fearful IL ali cries
10 q planter. "A crcvassc, a crevasse--the
levce has given way" II was man rap
idly riding BY on mule. The negroes had
retired 10 rest. In an instsn the shril
sound of,he quarter bell was ringing on the
mir its notes Of alarm. We rushed on the
ievce. The bearer ofthe evil tidings wns
directed to hurry along, to arouse tho coast
planters, nnd seek aid.
Tho crcvasso was on tho upper limo Of
Butler Kenncr's plantation. | hurried TO
the spot with one or two negroes, who, on
the FIRST stroke Of the bell, had rushed out 10
the river bank. The road was already un-
der water, but guided by the roar Of the Gre.
vase, VIC soon found the brench. II was
caused by tho undermining Of that shelled
little animal, the seemingly insignificant
cra wfish-for the lcvec Was unbroken.--
We had noticed the hole only an hour pre-
vious, end il was then only m inch in d.
ameter. and but little water running ont
not the slightest dn0ger was unprecedented.
When We reached the spot, the water was
pouring out in fountain about the size ri
. hogshead. with ronr That shock tho
ground. The suck outside the levee was
like young maclsirom, carving drilt, and
everything in its neighborhood, down be.
fore il. A hundred negroes were now
gathering TO tho spot, waiting and moaning.
but each had sufficient presence of mind to
seize q stake, an axe, and q handful Of
brush, or something that might be service
able, No they came along.
A huge fire soon hlazed upon the high
ground, and the fight bcgan. The old "Fa
Their" for while, Ind i, all his own way
he roarcd, he foemcd, he divcd under the
!evee, he liz ont huge mouihfuI--he tore
up grssr, he cnvcd in the sides, he broke
down the fence, and the cane. md the corn
over, thing that opposed him; hut the
elbows" soon begnn 10 pitch into him. The
levee fcll in-iho break was now ten feet
wide md six feet deep. A reinforcement.
under Mr.. Lahranchc--n able captain
now arrived. Each had brought mn arm
ful Of bags. An old negro, who had fought
such battles for half a century, plunged into
the rapid current with a stake in his hand,
braDdishing il like a spenr. For second
he stood his ground, when ! saw streak,
that looked like the blending of a white
wooly hcad and red jnckes, pass like
lightning down the brcach--ihe winter
passing at an angle Of fortv-five degrees.
The next instnnt the old fellow wns about
two hundred yards of IN orn6eld-shook
himseIfas he walked out-gsthered fence
rail, and with yell of defiance, was at his
post again. The scene, though truly appal-
ling, was now picturesque in the extreme.
A line Of fires blazed along the hank. The
"iorce" of Minor Kcnncr, always indefati-
gable when his neighbors are in distress,
now swelled the number Of contestants 10
about three hundred, and they met the enc
my with skill and couragc. The stakes be-
gan 10 hold. but the breach in thirty min
utes was thirty feet wide, and ten feet deep.
An immense beam vas thrown across the
stream-it seemed for a moment that il
must yield. though il barely touched the
waicr-lines were fastened 20 il, and il was
secured. One line Of negroes passed strikes,
another brush. another hav-thc most eff
cient thing OF all. The fight was now nj
its hottest. They crammed hay into the old
"Fnthcr's" mouth, they spearcd him with
stakes, they lasbed him with treo tops,
they shouted and they swore, but they
worked. There was not ssmau Of sccnce''
within three miles, there WAS not compass
nor Euclid on tho ground. Fortunately,
there was No time for tho darkies 10 study
Gibson or Dalton, snpposing them to be
able IN reod. The odds. therefore, were in
their favor. The old "Fnther" Ind now
roosed up a portion Of the first palisadc, snd
another, and still another is washed away.
Carts with gunny bags began TO srrive.--
The stake for which they fight, is 10000
hogshends Of sugar, besides perquisitcs.-
The bottle holders cheer their men. "a
little more hay, Capt. Kenncr," 10 tho cry.
Abont twenty haystacks and wilderness
Of willows are thrust into the breach, gunny
bags are thrown upon them and keep them
ia their place. The old '.Father" begins
10 lose ground; he throws tho water though
The stakes like Ksntuck boatmsn ejecting
his "nmber" between bic teeth. A hum
dred loads Of dirt are tumbled init 10 like
a pinch q snutFin his nostrils, sneezcd out
in second; but b i getting ''cowed !"
With his mouth iull Of gunny bags, bay
cocks and tree tops, Be- draws his breath