The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-10-17
A THRILLING INCIDENT.
Lake Ontario Crossed IN an Open Boat
During O Storm.

DurtRg StOTna.
On Wednesday last, as one of the hea-
West gales of the season was sweeping
over the broad bosom of Lake Ontario,
the little schooner Prosperity was riding
safely at anchor under the Canadian
shore, at the mouth of Duffin's creek
about twenty five miles east of Toronto.
The Prosperity was manned by Captain
Harrington, the owner, his boy, and one
man; although small crew in number,
they were equal TO their task, as the Sc
quel will show. Some ship stores being
wanted, the captain and crew went on
shore in their only small boat, "a fiat bot
toned scow about 5 feet long and feet
wide, commonly called punt.) TO pro-
cure them. By the time they were ready
to return TO the schooner, the wind had
greatly increased III violence, but did not
deter them from attempting the passage.
They put off from the shore in their
frail craft, which soon became unmanage-
able to great extent, and they were car
ried past the vessel into the Lake, despite
of all their efforts. The people on the
shore who saw them were unable to rem
der any assistance. and of course gave
them up for lost. Not so with Captain
Harrington; he resolved to make the most
he could of his craft, and test his powers
as navigator. Many brave men would
have despaired at such a time, and with
such prospects; wide waste of waters
before, lashed into fury by the violent
Nor wester' from behind, and only
miserable wooden trough without sail,
and poorly supplied with oars, between
him and the tumbling waves that threat
ened momentarily TO engulph them.
Captain III. saw that his only chance
of safety was IN running directly before
the wind and waves. He ordered his
man and boy to lie down in the bottom
of the boat, and trim it as we'll as possible,
while he took an oar and steered the little
bark before the gale. She dashed on amid
the white caps, laboring hard to Withstand
the fury of the waves, which she nobly
braved for eleven hours-long hours TO
the captain, who sat at the steering oar,
and his companions who were lying in
the bottom of the boa; expecting every
moment to be engulphed by each wave.
which rolled successfully by. After eleven
hours of anxiety and imminent danger
thus passed, the captain discovered the
American shore, and effected landing in
safety. with great hazard.
Capt. Harrington, on taking brief
reckoning found himself sixteen miles east
of Niagara river, having drified across the
the Lake little west of the widest part
He had probably sailed fifty miles in his
frail craft, amid heavy storm-a feat,
we think, unparalleled in the history of
Lake navigation. 1t was thought to be an
act worth telling of hero, that "Bill
Johnson OF the Thousand Isles crossed
the Lake in good yawl at the risk of
storm, but TO cross in punt while storm
was raging, as did Capt. IL. and his crew,
makes Johnson's fea. dwindle into insig-
niicance.
Capt. Harrington was not so overcome
by the fatigue of his voyage, but that he
Immediately started for Niagara, and there
took the steamer for Toronto, and on
Thursday appeared at Duffin's, TO the
great astonishment of the good people
there, who had given him up for lost.
Roch. .4dU. inst