The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-08-16

of water in front, where the drainage
escaped, and washed heavily down,
deepening the tunnel ut the foot of the
doors while in that hollow cavernous
place, growing smaller moment by mo-
ment, the rushing sound was something
hideous. Danger in front, for the great
gates might at any time be opened ; and
danger behind, where the tide was
coming in ceaselessly, and deepening
the water around me with its regular
beating throb, minute by minute.
Thoughts of the past and present
seemed to surge through my brain, so
that grew bewildered, and had any
chance of escape presented itself, l could
not have seized it, though l could not
but tell myself that escape, was impos-
sible. A few minutes,-ten, twenty,
thirty perhaps, and the black darkness
seemed to be growing blacker.
81 must be free," / muttered; and
dragging Hodson's handkerchief from
his neck, l bound it to my own, and
then making them fast beneath his
arms, felt among the woodwork till l
could find place where l could pass
them through, so that l could secure
him from slipping down, or being swept
away by the ebbing and flowing of the
water.
was not long in finding place; but
then the handkerchiefs were not long
enough, and had to add one from my
pocket; then left the poor fellow quite
and half-hanging from one of the tim
bers. And now waded about, search
ing for the mouth Of the air-pipe, in
the hope of shouting up it for succor,
since / felt convinced that the tide
would effectually fill the tunnel, while
the very thought of the gates being
opened half maddened me; and heed
less now of who might hear me, so that
they brought succor, hunted aimlessly
about, yelling and shrieking for aid.
1t was fearful struggle between rea-
son and dread and forever dread kept
} getting the upper hand now it was a
floating keg again and again making
: me dash away; now one of the pack
ages buried in by the tide; while the
, strange drippings and hollow whis per-
, ings were magnitied into an infinity OF
horrors. Every monster with which
imagination has peopled the sea seemed
t to be there to attack me, strange serpent
or lizard-like beasts, Shiny and scaled
g thronging along the ceiling or up the
y sides, swimming around me, or burrow
a ing through the sand. More than once
g / actually touched some swimming OBJ
v ject, but the contact was mOmentary
:, and the stranger darted of. Then rea
3, son would gain supremacy for awhile
,e and trying to cool my throbbing broy
lie with the water, l thought of my posi-
S, ton, whispered few prayers, and Ell
ID deavored to compose myself. Ther
e. was even now doubt: the tide migl
I'd not rise high enough to cover me; ce
ir tainly it was now at my breast, and
d. was standing with difficulty in tt
RS shallowest place l could pick. The ne'
he moment, as the waves receded, it wou
d. fall to my waist; but again it was l
he to my chest, and in spite of CLEANS
lst hope, despair whispered truly that
Die was now higher up my chest than b
fore. True; but one wave in so maj
10 always came higher than the othel
The tide might still be at its height, al
'ut this be that particular wave.
De- Down again nearly to my waist; a
pc then up, up, up, nearly to my chi
or dashing away hope and reason. h
hu stay, another CLEAN: l was standi
NJ upon the soft mud, for here there W
en- no sand: my feet must have sunk in
ne moved again and again, but ev
so with the same result and at last, d'
ng pairingly, l was clinging to shell-co
l cred piece of timber at the side, wi
ad the water at my chin.
nj A noise, II canking noise as Of chai
ger rafting and iron striking iron; a
now hope fled, for | knew that t
an must be the opening of the doors of
govt; but to my surprise, no rush
vet water followed; only little can
out which Tapped against my lips, while
OF rush of air smote my forehead.
ACT Voices, shouts, and Hodson's ma
hst uttered but could not shout in rep
sh- Then my own name; and | gave sol
ig- inartculate cry by way of answ
ei' while once more reason seemed to
no the better of the dread, for ] knew Il
le the far doors of the govt had not bt
hu opened, and that they kept up the dra
'eu age while the pair nearest to me
only had the pressure upon them Of
Nel wuter escaping from the first. And II
Dut "A good bold swim, and | could hi
way been in the big pit-like opening betw
eed the two pair of gates; but the Sp
I'M was gone, the nerve was absent,
still cinging to the shelly piece of
my Der, l closed my eyes, for | felt Il
ho' near rs rescue seemed, could do M
lat- ing to aid it. As for Ilodson, in
oid time of dread, | had forgotten him,
was gotten all but the great horror of
'oze water lap, lap, tapping at my lip,
the occasionally receding, its fizzing 81
a'er in my nostrils.
ugh Higher and higher, covering my
de but by desperate effort l raised
Tor self II few inches, but only to go thro
inst the same agonies again, as the w
still crept up and up, slowly but sur
mad while in this my last struggle my b
now touched the top timbers, the "
the washed and swept over it, and
avy forced my fingers round the timber
ight which clung, my body fioated in
the water
.rful Another minute, and | felt that
ring was over, for the water covered my
''"s once, twice; and half strangled, "
ed gasping for the third time; bu
cred came not. Half Il minute passed,
III then again it washed over my
fter. seeming as If it would never leave
w but at last it was gone, and too
se...l