Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-05-19

a tall, bony, muscular, athletic specimen of
his class.
ssGood heaven so there is - exclaimed Eu-
gene, looking off upon the already misty wat
ers. sit must have gathered very suddenly,
for all was clear minute ago. What is to be
done now? This is something / was not pre-
pared for, on such a night as this"
SIT looks troublous, Cap'n, I'll allow" re-
turned Dick; ssbut we'er in fort, that's sar-
tin, and L s'pose we'll have to make the best
on't.''
.sBut what is to be done ?-what do you ad-
wise ?'' asked Eugene, in a quick, excited
tone, that indicated some degree of alarm.
..Why, eff you warn't so skeered about the
young lady, and it warn't so dead agin the or
ders from head quarters, my plan would be
cl'ar and easy one-I'd just run over TO the
kaintuck shore, and tie up.''
..No, no,n said Eugene, positively; ''that
will never do, Dick-that will never do!
would not think of such thing for a mo-
menti We must keep in the current 10y all
means ~
ssEf you can," rejoined the boatmen s'but
when il gifts so dark as we can't tell one thing
from t'other, it'll be powerful hard to do; and
ef we don't run agin bar or bank afore morn
ing, in spite of the best o US, it'll be the luck
lest go that ever had hand in. See, Cap'n
its thickening up fast; We can't see eyiher
bank at all, nor the water nyther; the stars Is
gettin' dim, and it looks as if thar war cloUd
all round U.S.
81 see ! sec returned Eugene, excitedly.
'.Merciful Heaven! 1 hope no accident will
befall Us here and yet my heart almost mis-
gives me for this, believe. is the most dan
gerous part of our jOUrney-thc vicinity where
most OF our boats have been captured by the
sayages.''
Saying this, Eugene FASTENED below, where
he found the other 5oatmen sleeping so sound
ly as 10 require considerable effort, On his part,
to wake them. At last, getting them fairly
roused, he informed them, almost in whis-
per, for he did not care 10 disturb the others,
that heavy fog had suddenly arisen, and he
wished their presence on deck, immediately.
ssA fog. Cap'n ?;' exclaimed one, in tone
which indicated that he comprchendcd the
peril with the word.
.sHush - returned Eugene; ssthere is no
necessity for waking the others, and having
scene. Up! and follow me, without a word -
He glided back to the deck, and was almost
Immediately Joined by the boatmen, to whom
he briefly made known his hopes and fears.
They thought, like their companion, that
the boat would be safest if made fast to an O.
yerhanging limb of the Kentucky shore but
frankly admitted that this could not now be
done without difficulty and danger, ard that
there a possibility OF keeping the cur
tent.
ssThen make that possibility certainty and
1t shall be the best nights work you ever per-
formed'' rejoined Eugene, in a quick, excl
tone.
ssWc'll do the best we can, Cap'n,'' was the
response; s-but no man can DC sartin OF the
current OF this here crooked stream in foggy
night
4 long silence foIlowcd-the voyagers slow
ly drifting down through misty darkness i'm
penetrable to the eye-when. suddenly, our
young commander, who was standing near the
bow, felt the extended branch of an oyerhang-
ing limb silently brush his face. He started,
with an exclamation of alarm, and at the
same moment the boatman on the right called
out:
s:Quick, here, boys! we're agin the shore,
as sure as death -
Then followed a scene of hurried and anx-
confusion, the voices OF the three boatmen
mingled together in loud, quick, and excited
tones.
'sPush off the bow - cried one.
F'Quick altogether, now over with her !"
shouted another.
s.The de'irs in it. she's running aground
here on muddy bottom - almost yelled
third.
Meantime the laden boat was brushing along
against projecting bushes and overreaching
limbs, and every moment getting more and
more entangled while the long poles and
sweeps Of the boatmcn, as they attempted to
push her off were often plunged without touch
ing bottom, into what appeared to be soft,
clavev mud from which they were only eXtri-
Gated by such an outlay of strength as tended
still more to drrw the clumsy craft upon the
bank they wished to avoid. At length, scarce
Y minute from the first alarm, there was a
kind of settling together, as 1t were, and the
boat became fast and immoyable.
The fact was announced by Dick Winter, in
his Characteristic manner-who added, with an
oath, that it was just what he expected. For
4 moment or two a dead silence followed, as ii
each comprehended that the matter was one to
be viewed in very serious light.
ssI'll get over the bow, and try to git the lay
of the land with my feet,'' said Tom Harris /;
land forthwith he set about the not very plea
SAINT undertaking.
At this moment Eugene heard his name pro-
nounced by a voice that seldom failed to ex-
cite peculiar emotion in his breast, and now
sent a strange thrill through every nerve and
fastening below, he found Blanche, fully dres-
sed. with a light in her hand, standing just
outside of her cabin, in the regular passage
which led lengthwise through the centre OF
| the boat.
s.I have heard something, Eugene" she said,
| :senough 10 know that we have met with an
accident, but not sufficient to fully comprehend
| its nature.''
| eUnfortunately, about two hours ago." re-
| piled Eugene, sswe suddenly became involved
| in dense fog; and in spite of every precau-
! tion and care. we have run aground-it may be
| against the Ohio shore-it may be against an
| Islanu-lt Is 50 udIh we Can tel. Dut pe not
alarmed, Miss Blanche,' he hurriedly added /;
al trust we shall soon be aloat again though
in any event, the darkness is sufficient to con-
ceal US from the savages, even were they in
the vicinity.''
81 know little of Indians" returned Blanche,
s.but l have always understood that they are
somewhat remarkable for their acuteness OF
hearing; and if such is the case, there would
be no necessity of their being very near, to be
made acquainted with our locality, Judging
from the loud voices l heard few minutes
|