Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-07-26
like vast cauldron, and roaring like a
thousand tornadoes

thousand tornadoes.
"There's your next landing, my beauty
ha, hal" repeated the most powerful o.
the two rufiians, as both. mangled and
bleeding, and still clasped in that deadly
embrace, drew nearer and nearer to the
steamers larboard side. "Well see who
has the fair Lady Ada now-ha, hal"
With one desperate effort as the Brock
vile entered upon the dangerous passage,
jarring and quivering, amidst the wild roar
of the waters, the speaker raised lis antag-
onist bodily in his arms, and sought to
hurl him into the foaming abyss. But the
latter exerted all his strength, and the
struggle was prolonged for moment, dur
ing which Captain Buffers rushed towards
the infuriated men. franticly wringing his
hands and crying in agonized tones:
"The Grand Chute! the Grand Chute
l cannot pass it,and the boy knows nothing
CT the channel. For Gods sake, men,
give over this foolishness, or the steamer
and all of US will be lost. Back to your
duty this minute, or it will be too late!"
One moment the combatants had paused,
glaring at each other, but only to seize one
another again in a more determined grasp,
ere the words of the commander were con-
cluded. There followed an interval of fear
full exertion on the part of each of the pi-
lots-a shower of oaths and curses, partly
lost in the roar of the waters, hasty rush
towards the steamers side, wild cry of
triumph from one of the desperate wretches
and moan of despair from the other
and the next moment both went splashing
down into the boiling waters, just forward
of the wheel, and almost instantly vanish
ed from view forever!
"Lost, lost" cried Captain Buffers, in
the voice of madman, as rushed frantic
ly here and there. 81 know nothing of
the channel in this darkness! We can
never pass Grand Chute!"
And yet how madly that huge fabric
was still sweeping en!"
"Lost, lost!' repeated score of terror
stricken voices, in tones ascending wild and
high above the roar Of the rapids. GA
minute more and we shall be dashed to
pieces! For Gods sake, is there no one
here who can pilot her down9"
Echo was the only reply, as the steamer
still swept on with a velocity terrible to
feel and behold.
"There, there! Lock at those rocks, that
sea of foam shining through the darkness!
Heaven have mercy upon our souls now!
Help, helpP
Even while these despairing cries were
ringing out on the air, form of regal
beauty had emerged from the ladies' cabin
and hastily, yet gracefully taken its way to
the upper deck. With night glass grasp
ed firmly in one hand, while the other
shook back her jetty curls, and her eyes
swept the river and the shores, and took
glance at the situation of the steamer,
Ada looked so courageous and command
ing in that moment that her appearance
was hailed as gladly as would have been
an omen in the heavens.
"Bear a hand here, half a dozen of
you," she cried, in clear and ringing tones,
as she bounded to the wheel. "Lively my
hearties, or we are lost!"
The order was instantly obeyed.
$50, so," and she placed her own fair
hands to the wheel. "Keep her So
steady, steady|
Like a very angel did the brave girl ap-
pear to the affrighted souls beside her, as
she drew rough pilot coat around her fair
shoulders and calmly gave her orders,
amidst the clank of the laboriug engines,
the roar Of the rapids, the shrill notes of
the escaping steam, and the voices of hope
and thanksgiving on every hand, from ma
ny throat going up hearty "Thank
God thank Godp'
But the peril was not yet passed. Be-
yond all the dangers the Brockville had
encountered, there still remained the great
est of all, the passage of the Grand Chute
Of the Rapids. Here the bottom and
sides of the channel are very jagged, and
it is so narrow that little deviation to the
right or left must prove fatal. To usual
shadows of the night was now being added
those of coming snow storm, and the
thick mantle of darkness had already
thrown its folds so deeply over the scene,
that the shores and the rushing waters
looked ghostly and indistinct in its gloom.
But the steamer under the watchful
guidance of the maiden pilot, still contin-
ued to speed safely on. Peril after peril
was passed in rapid succession; black and
jagged cliffs left behind, leaping and thun-
dering rapids swiftly traversed; and now
the roar of the last chute began to fall
chillingly upon the ears Of the passengers
and crew.
"One peril more" cried a rough voy-
ager, whose form would have been seen to
tremble but for the darkness of the hour.
"It's that which will use us up, my boys!
No mere girl like that can pilot us through
the Grand Chute on such night as this
ERE! Better to ease the engines and drift
gently down to our doom, my boys. Hea-
vens!"
This last exclamation was caused by the
ringing of tho belt for the engineer to put
on more steam. A score Of other inter-
ections arose, but tho order was obeyed.
More furiously clanked the engines, and
swifter sped the steamer down the narrow
channel, till it seemed as if the shores were
Tying past with the lightness and unrsali-
ty of mere mists.
"Heavens!" repeated the voyager, cling s
ing to the bulwarks and peering over the
'ide. "Twenty miles an hour, if single l