Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-09-09


edge of hoIilw, and started back. when the
surface was actuarty risnr. This kept me IN a
succession OF ialSe slci" neatly as annoying if
not as dangerous, as my SCnmblc i'm the wind
fall. ! came IN short dlstalnc TO the stand
With all the penetration of keen cvc-sIoht. |
found that the various objects aroiisI lors
hillocks, hoilows, outlines of ncjghhorug roc ks
and ridges were all Imagination it was dat,
as Egypt. No human eye could sound the dark
obscuritv Again | vcnturcd forward a few
rods. and then stood still rs fore. | stood
perfectly still. Although the next few moments
were among the most strange and critical OF
my life. stood, without the lcas; sense of peril,
listening to the rapid beating of my heart, when
the sod burst from beneath my feet, and shot
down an almost perpendicular bank of earth.
with force and swil'ncss that outsrippcd
the loose earth and stones that came on pcl-
nell in my pursuit I'm vain did | throw ont my
arms with the hope of grasping rock, root or
shrub: ii was only pucklng more mischief
down with me everything ! seized rnvc way
Instantly, and Joined in the general plunge
How lengthy was the earthly steep or how
hirh was the rock over which, at last, dashed
hcadong, formed no calculation: deep water
received me IN its cold embrace. BY what
manuuvrc { for never could swim managed
20 escape instant drowning | cannot tell an
involuntary struggle brought me from the
depth. and clinchcd my hand with an iron grip
to rock that rose above the surface of the
water. Upon this cold, yet kindly mass, |
pulled myself up with some difficulty and lay
for "A while almost moliunleSs and exhausted.
In few minutes, | was sufficiently recovered
to sit up. and look around: the centre Of the
earth could be no darker than the chasm into
which had fallen. Saving a small spot of
blue sky. far, far overhead with a single star,
all was dark as Ercbus itself
soon discovered that the rock ON which |
rested was in all Likelihood in the very mid
die of the pool, of whose depth and dincn
>iuu> | was entirely Ignorant. My first
thought WAS t. SIT out the night; few
minutes of inactivity were enough. however,
to cuu iucc me that ! was ON the rack my
hands and feet began to ache with cold, and
my whole frame to Shiycr. The lone star
was NOW rNtiugui>hcd. and the wind began to
howl in the forest above me in token of
coming RAIN the trees muanrd sullculy. and
chatrd each other. AMI large rain-drop fell
upon my face. My situation, felt. was one
of exceeding peril and crew restless. with
painful uncertainty. y heavy rain knew
would speedily swell the brooks to raging tor
i.Ict' Something must BE- done quickly in
order to relieve me from my present critical
situation. Taking irIn hold of the rock,
lowered myself carefully into the water, and
found 1t. To my distress. beyond my depth
1t was with tine greatest dlihculty that | re-
gained my former situation. then tried in
the sam" cdutlno way t"r other SIDE oi TN"
rock. ana "ith h'll'F success; r""II t'urh
the bottom. HujlnG with no small rrlur-
tanrr my strong h"ld. | turned, breast deep
III the water, ana W1''d slowly and cautiously