Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-06-16

oSSihSu W Stoh WOiSC, iuStSau VI pSteSi Civ
at last, with sinking heart, informed Brent
We had but four charges of powder in our
horn.
"God help us!'' was his reply.
Matters were thus at their very worst, when,
one day, Peter burst suddenly into our shanty,
where 1 sat shivering over a few embers, and,
| with tears in his eyes, exclaimed, ssBlessed be
God Captain Benham, we're saved.-there's
a fat boat just turning the bend above us.''
Who shall describe my feelings then /
started up and hobbled down to the bank of
the river, shouting wildly as 1 went, lest the
boat, scarcely yet within sight, should pass us
ere could reach the beach. Oh! how pain
fully anxious watched its slow approach,
continually shouting to attract the attention
of men too far distant to hear US, and making
every kind of signal we could possibly think
of for the same purpose.
Gradually the boat neared us, and at length
We could see its crew gathered together. and
pointing toward us. But, oh Heaven! ina
| gine, if you can, our horror, when We saw
| them suddenly betake to their oars, push over
to the Ohio shore, and then row past US with
| all their might, amid our frantic gesticuations
and pitcous prayer for help! On they swept
| down the river, and then Brent and L, looking
at each other with silent horror, sunk down
together upon the cold beach, and mentally
| prayed for death to end our ufferings.
Suddenly-oh, sight Of agonizing joy I'VE
| saw canoe put off from the larger boat and
approach us, and then we got up, and fairly
screamed and begged for assistance. When
the rowers had come near enough to converse
with us, they stopped, and told Us they feared
We were decoys, put there to draw them to
the shore, that the Indians might fall upon
and murder them, and it took no little time,
and the most earnest asseverations and piteous
appeals, to convince them to the contrary. AT
last, after rowing past us two or three times.
and closely inspecting the shore, and getting
us to come far out on the sandbar, they ven-
tured to take US aboard. We were kindly
treated by these men, when they came to hear
our story and being taken by them to the
garrison at the Falls (now Louisville, Kv.,)
we were placed under the care of skillful sur
geon, and soon restored to our usual healthful
| strength.
Reader, is not this story remarkable for the
fact that two men should so singulary escape
from the savages, and live six weeks in the
wilderness-the one with useless arms, the
other with useless legs-the two together max
ing, as it were, only one whole man! Who
ever shall to-day stand upon the levec of the
now large and flourishing city of Cincinnati,
and glance his eye across the beautiful Ohio,
shall behold the very spot where these remark
| able events occurred at a time when all around.
on either shore, was wild bowling wilderness.
|
| MR.. HAsKIN's REPORT, summing up the tes-
timony taken by the Committee appointed by
the lower House of Congress to investigate
the Willett's Point job, was made on the Sth.
Although influences have been brought to bear
| to prevent the concurrence of majority of
the Committee in this Report, its statement of
facts cannot be disputed, and from these any
intelligent mind can judge tho nature OF the
| transaction exposed. That both Secretary
Floyd and Collector Schell were inclined to
favor the speculators-that monstrous valua-
tion was put on the property by Messrs. A.
Schell and Fowler, with the intent of favoring
| those interested inffthe sale-that Mr. Floyd
too readily accepted their appraisement and
gave 100000 for property which had been
offered him barely one month before for 500,
O0O-and that law, usage and propriety were
Overridden in accepting the property without
due scrutiny of the title, and loaded with q
mortgage for 5000, thus agreeing to pay
S20O, 900 when Congress had only appropriated
| $3.50, ,000-so far, there can be no dispute.
For VIII ose benefit this was done, and whether
any of the official actors in the premises de-
rived any direct pecuniary advantage there
from, are problems which the testimony does
not solve. But it must not be forgotten that
this job was but one of series-that the sale
of Fort Smelling and the purchase of sites for
new forts near New Bedford, Mass, at the
mouth of the Kennebec, Maine, and on Mare
Island, near San Francisco, were conducted on
the same principle, and effected, so far as has
yet been developed, by the same parties.
Willet's Point is on Long Island, N. Y, and
the property purchased as above mentioned,
was designed for fortifcation purposes.
|
Birds and Toads are among the best helps
in the destruction of insects, and both should
be protected. Robins have fancy for eating
curculios. This is merit in the robins al
most sufficient to cause every fruit-grower to
take off his hat to every robin that visits his
grounds. One hundred and sixty-two curcu-
lios were last year taken from the craw of one
robin. Let the robin live, even if they do
claim share of the fruits. Let more fruits