Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-12

the hunting-knife Of Eugene Fairfax (whO,
with the stecrsman, was the only one on deck
besides Bl0nchc,) was buried TO the hIlt in her
side, inflicting severe but not fatal wound.
the infuriatcd beast at once turned upon Eu.
gene, and deadly struggle ensued. But It
was a short one. The polished blade Ofthe
knife played back and forth like lightning
flashes, and at every plunge II was buried to
the hlt in the panthcr's body, who soon fell
to the deck, dragging the dAuntless Eugene
with him. On seeing her protector fall,
Blanche uttered another shrek and rushed TO
his aid but assistance from stouter arms was
at hand. Tho boatmcn gathered round, and
the savage monster was literally hacked In
pieces with their knives and hatcbets, and Eu-
gene, covered with blood, was dragged from
under his carcass. Snpposing him to be
dead or mortally wounded, Blanche threw her
arms around his neck and gave wsy 10 pas
siOnatc burst Of grief But he was not dead
-hc was not even hurt, with the exception
Of few slight scratches. The blood with
which he was covered was the panthCr's, not
his own. But Blanchc's embrace was his-a
priceless treasure-an index Of her hearts
emotions and cffections. 1t was to color his
grcss Of our story.
O""by oSNO Obo OSS0DtVttut
crcak, dip and splash of tho steersman's oar,
the boat Of our voyagOrs was bore along mp
on the bosom of the current on the third
night of the voyage. The hour was waxing
late, and Eugene the only one Astir except
the watch, was suddenly startled, by o rough
hand being placed upon his shoulder, accom-
panied by the words, in the gruff voice Of the
bOatman:
81 say. CaD'n here's trouble!"
"What is it, DickI" inquired Eugene,
Starting to his feet.
Don't you see thar's heavy fog rising,
thatll soon kivcr US up so thick that we
won't be able to tell white man from Mig
ger ?" replied the boatman-Dick Winter by
namc--a tall, bony, muscular, athletic spcci-
men Of his class.
"Good heavens! so there is ~ exclaimed
Eugene, looking off upon the already misty
waters. at must have gathered very sud-
denly, for all was clear minute ago. What
is to be done now? This is something was
not prepared for, on such night as this."
I" 1t looks trOublous, Cap'n, III allow" re-
turned Dick but we're in fort that's sartin,
and s'poSe well have to make the best ont"
but what is to be done what do You
adviser" asked Eugene in q quick, excited
tone, that indicated some degree Of alarm.
"Why, cf you warnt 40 skCcrcd about the
young lady, and it warn't 20 dead again the
orders from headquarters, my plan would be
cl'ar and easy one-l'd just run over to the
Kaintuck shore and tic up"
"No, no." said Eugene, positively; that
will never do, Dick-that will never dol
would not think Of such thing Cor moment
We must keep in the current by all mcans!"
"Ef you can," rcjOined the boatman; "but
when it gifts so dark as we can't tell one thing
from t'other, it'll be powerful hard to do and
cf VIC don't run again Q bar or bank af6rc
morning, in spite of the best Gus, it'll be the
luckicst 60 that ever had a hand in. See,
Cap'n-its thickcning up fast; we can't scc
cythcr bank at all, nor the water nytlcr the
stars is gettin' dim, and it looks as il thar war
a cloud all round U.s." -...
"Isce! Itcc!" returned Eugene, cxcitedly.
Mcrciful Heaven! l hope no accident will
bcfall us hcrc-and yet my heart almost mis-
gives mc!-for this, | believe, Is the most
dangerous part of our jOurney-thO vicinity
where most of our boats have been captured
by the savagcs."
Saying this, Eugene hastcnCd below, where
he found the other bOatmeR sleeping NO sound
ly as to require considerable effort on his
part to wake them. At last, getting them
fairly reused, he Informed them, almost in a
whisper, for he did not care to disturb the
others, that heavy fog had suddenly arisen,
and he wished their presence on deck, immc.
diatcly.
"A fog, Cop'n," exclaimed one, in tone
which indicated that he comprchcndcd the
peril with the word.
Hush returned Eugene; "there il no
necessity for waking the others. and having
a scene. Up! and follow me, without u
word
He glidcd back to the deck, and was al.
most 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 mn
Ovcrhanging limb Of tho Kentucky shore -
but frankly admitted that this could not now
bc done without difficulty and danger, and
that there was a possibility Of keeping the
current.
"Then make that possibility certainty,
and it shall be the best nights work you ever
performed! rejoincd Eugene, in quick, cx-
cited tone.
oven do the best we can, Cap'n" was
the response; "but no man can be sartin of
the current Of this here crooked stream in
foggy night.
\ long silence followcd-thc voyAgcrs slow
ly drifted down through misty darkness i'm
pcnctrablc to the eye-when suddenly, our
young commander, who was standing near
the bow, felt the extended branch Of an over
hanging limb silently brush his face. lie start
cd with an exclamation Of alarm, and at the
same moment the boatmah OH the right called
out:
"Quick, here, bcysl we're agin tho shore,
as shurc as DEATH"
Then followed scene of hurried and anx-
ious confusion, the voices Of the three boat
men mlngling together in loud, quick, excited
tones.
"Push off the bow " cried one.
"Quick! altogether, nowl over with her! "
shouted another.
The de'il's in It! she's running aground
here an muddy bOttom!" almost yelled q
a third.
Meanwhile the ladOn boat was brushing
along against projecting bushes and oyer
reaching limbs, and every moment getting
moro and moro CntanglCd; while the long
poles and sweeps Of the boatmcn, as thOy at
tempted to push her Of, were often plunged,
without touching bottom, into what appeared
to be soft, Clayey mud, from which they
were only cxtricated by such an outlay Of
- ala n a