Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-08-25

the boat. and ran across the islet 10 secure my
game this occupied but few minutes, and
was turning to go back to the skiff, when, to
my CONSERVATION, | saw ii out upon the lake,
and rapidly floating downward! In my haste
lad left il unfastened, and the bayou curren,
had carried il off. II was still but hundred
yards off, but it might as well have been a
hundred miles, for at that time I could not
swim a stroke.
My first impulse was TO rush down 10 The
lake, and after the boat this impulse was
checked on arriving at the waters edge, which
| saw at a glance was fathoms in depth.-
Quick reflection told me that the boat was gone
-irrecoverably gone!
l did not at first comprehend the full peril Of
my situation ; nor will you. Twas on an slet,
in lake, only half mile from its shores
alone, it is true, and without boat; but what
Of that I Many man has been so before, but
with not an idea Of danger. These were first
thoughts, natural enough but they rapidly
gave place to others of far different character.
When gazed after my boat, now beyond re-
coSery-when | looked around, and saw that
the lake in the middle of an interminable
swamp, the shores Of which, even could have
reached, did not seem 10 promise me foo,ing-
when reflected that, being unable TO swim, 1
could not reach them-that upon the islet there
was neither tree, nor log, nor bush; not a
stick out of which might make a raft say
when reflected upon all those things, there
arose in my mind feeling of wel-defned and
absolute horror.
1t is true was only in lake, mile or so
in width; but SO far as the peril and helpless
ness of my situation were concerned, / might
as well have been upon rock in the middle of
the Atlantic.
/ knew that there was no settlement within
miles-miles of pathess swamp. knew that
no one could either see or hear ime-no one
was at all likely to come near the lake; in
deed, felt satisfied that my faiihless boat was
the first keel that ever cut its waters. The
very tameness of the birds, wheeling round my
too, that without some one to help me, l should
never 60 out from that lake /; / must die on the
lslet, or drown in attempting to leave it.
These reflections rolled rapidly over my
startled soul. The facts were clear, the hy-
pothesis definite, the sequence certain there
was 70 ambiguity, no supposiiitious hinge up
on which l could hang hope; no, not ONE
could not even expect that should be missed
and sought for; there was no one 10 search for
me. The simple hdbitdns of the village had
left knew me mott was a stranger among
Them they only knew me as a stranger, and
fancied me a strange individual one who made
lonely excursions, and brought home lunches
of weeds, with birds, insects and reptiles,
which they had never before seen, although
gathered at their own doors. My absence, be-
sides, would be nothing new 10 them, even
though it lasted for days; had often been alb
sent before, week at time. There was
no hope of being missed.
| have said that these reflections came and
passed quickly. In less than minute, my af-
frighted soul was in full possession of them,
and almost yielded itself TO despair. | shout
ed, but rather invountarily than with any hope
that should be heard shouted loudly and
6ercely; my answer-the echoes of my own
voice, the shrek of the osprey, and the maniac
laugh Of the white headed eagle.
ceased 10 shout, threw my gun TO the
earth, and tottered down beside it. Ihave been
in a gloomy prison, in the hands Of venge-
ful guerilla bandilta, with carbines cooked to
blow out my brains. No one will call that a
pleasant stuation-nor was it so to me.
have been lost upon the wide prairie-the land
sea-without bush, break, or star to guide
me-that was worse. There you look around;
you see nothing; you hear nothing; you are
alone with God; and you tremble in His pres
ence; your senses swim your brain reels
you are afraid of yourself; you are afraid Of
your own mind. Deserted by everything else,
you dread lest it, too, may forsake you.-
There is horror in this it is very horrible-it
is hard to bear; but have borne it all. and
would bear it again twenty times over rather
than endure once more the first hour spent on
that lonely islet in that lonely lake. Your
prison may be dark and silent, but you feel
that you are not utterly alone; beings like
yourself are near, though they be your jailers.
Lost OH the prairie, you are alone but you are
free. In the slet, felt that was alone that
was not free; in the isIet, experienced the
feelings Of the prairie and the prison combined.
lay in state of stupor-almost uncon-
scious; how long know not, but many hours
| am certain; I knew this by the sun-It was
going down when | awoke, if may so term
the recovery of my stricken sense. | was
aroused by strange circumstance; was sur
rounded by dark objects of hideous shape and
hue-reptiles they were. They had been be-
fore my eyes for some time, but had not seen
them. had only sort of dreamy conscious
ness of their presence; but heard them at
length; my ear was in better tune, and the
strange noises they uttered reached my intel
lect. 1t sounded like the blowing of great
bellows, with now and then note harsher and
like the roaring of bull. This startled me,
and looked up and bent my eyes upon the OBJ
iects; they were forms of the cyocodiHde, the
giant lizards-they were alligators.
Huge ones they were, many of them; and