The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-02-08

IN rising, ne clutched the boat,
which again had righted itself-
into it's stern, which sank
With his weight two or three feet
below the surface, he sat for time
with the water to his chin.
by this time il had grown dark.
10 could see but little abont him.
Presently cake Of leo drifting
down upon him, he put ont his
hand to ward it away. Feeling it
to bc several inches thick and ap-
parenils &c some size he concluded
1t best TO escape If possible from
the boat 10 the ice. lie very near.
ly failed in doing so, barely get
ting his breast on the edge of tho
cake when he sprang from the boat,
and finding it impossible to lift
his body above that position
Providentially, however, the boat
in rising just touched him and
gave him a slight push forward,
after which he was ensh,ed. by
long and exhausting effort. to crawl
upon the cake. Here he stood up
right and not knowing tho size Of
his ice raft dared not move. Hail.
ing the boy Bartlett, I've fornj him
still afloat upon his bit of ice, q
hundred or two yards away. loud.
ly engaged in almost frantic PRAYER.
And now began tho wonderful
voyage OF the two down the river,
through the darkness and the storm
OF iro, zing sleet which Tell, upon
their frail RATS of ice. x fine rain
driven by keen North winds. stung
tho face OF the trav,llsr and cased
every thing expos,d with q quick
mail OF ice. TO all this pelting
storm, these wet and exhausted
castaways, drifting along tho cod
currents of the NIAGARA, with the
horrid dread of immin mt death to
freeze their hearts wi hin them,
were exposed for three mortal
hours. Mr.. Thompson had lost
both cap aud gloves. lis cloth.
ing was frozen into the rigidness
oi iron armor, AMI nc became in
capable of motion, except as he
slightly swung his arms to keep
them flexible. Allthnt ho could
do for hins, Ii was to shout tho
cry for help, which he did steadily,
with the whole strength OF lis
lun 70 Tor hours. Fortunately, pos
sessed Of magnificent physique,
in every respect, his voice was CO.
pable Of the exertion.
Once, somewhere in the vicinity
OF Lower Black Rock, he received
response from shore, but TO his
appeal for rescue the voice out Of
the darkness answered that it had
no oars and could do N thing
The miserable fool, or worse, who
heard and hailed seems to have
made no eff 'rt to rouse his neigh
borhood and set its energies to
work for the rescue of the pcriled
men who appealed to him. And
30 they dritted on beyond Black
Rock, beyond Strawberry Island,
past the head OF Grand Island, and
steadily onward toward those cur.
rents of the great cataract where
no hand could save them. Stead
ily tho cry for help" rang ont
across the water ana through the
black night and no ear heard and
no toague answered. Three hours
had passed - seven miles of tho
river traversed-. it was nine o'clock
of the night. Hope began to die
in the heart Of Mr.. Thompson, as
stout and strong rs it was. lie
called To his companion, the negro
boy, and gave him a message for
his wife and children, if it should
be his lot to escape. His thoughts
rs he describes them, wee veiy
quaint and curious. They were
too busy to give an opportunity for
fear, and death was laced calmly
aud cody.
And so they driftcd steadily
down, between Grand Island and
the American shore, until Iona.
wanda WAS passed, and the las.
houses upon either shore from
which help conld come before help
should be too late, were gone by.
But there, at the last, by tle good
Providence Of God, help did come.
The shouts were heard ON tho
Grand Island shore Lights began
to move from house to house. Tho
leighburs were running together.
'resently the CLEAN OF n lantern
moved upon the river. and they
NEW that boats were cunning out.
Mr.. thompson, when reached.
lad to be rolled into the boat like q
og. lie was taken off by Charles
.oplar and Jas. Gillie. Another
,oat, manned by VIM. W. Black.
ley and Jno. A. Bacon, rescued
be boy Bartlett. The boy, being
hinly clad, had nearly perished
when taken Oh but MR. Thompson
! man OF large. robustt fnV1ee aad
,reat vitality, felt hiIasalff capshlse
Il enduring . hour oEtwao l9n8eEr
he bitter trial. AstalisIlina. too
,ay neither were seriopslE ffaaess,
and Mr.. Thompson.. wlimHl wsesAEw
yesterday, appears lIItIs. Nm waysk
or his extraordinary 'ezR&daiQss7--
Both received din EAdise ateerr-
ions from the good RusHjh Sf'ihs
|slsnd who rssnssd saesn AID from
III their neieshsrs. Mr.. Thomp-
on returnesi heme t...e eslIowing