Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-04-10

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felt the boat subsding under him. The
man with the bucket sprang over board, and
Mr.. Chcsbroush fouudered. We were
shipwrccked.
Then rose from sea to sky the wild fare
well. The last expiring lampight had flick
crcd out and all was confusion and darkness
deeper than Tophet. Up to the waist in
cold water, the boat lying at the bottom Of
the tunnel, a sensation of thousand needles
pricking all over our limbs, the situation was
indiscribab'e. In spite Of ctr dismay the
sense Of our Ridiculous position was SO ire.
sistabe that we raised an involuntary shou,
of laughter loud and prolonged. 1t camc
back to us in the echos from the chambers
and soundedlike the mockng Of spi.eful
crew of fends.
There was no help for us hut to raise the
boat anil haul it to the crib end. This was
a task of considerable difficulty, but after O
vigorous cTov. VIC succeeded. Wading
through the chilling water with our limbs
benumbed, and dragging an nngratefull fat
bot,omed boat, which would not carry us,
we toi!cd painfully, but as cheerfnlly as pos
sible, for the distance of mile, shouting
occasionally for help, which did not come,
bewailinE otr SAD fate, IN thinking SORROW
fully of the four small obituaries that would
appear in the morning papers.
At last faint light glimmered upon us
from the far end 'As if it had been a
christian soul We hailed it in God S name. I"
We had been founderirg in our watery
dungeon for nearly three hours, and were
pretty wcll exhausted. The light prove to
be lamp in the hand of Captain Berg, who
fearing from our prolonged absence that
some disaster had overtakcn US, to the
bottom Of the shaft. And there he stood
profoundly amused at our mischancc and
laughing consumedly as the bedraggled way
farers came cre BY one into view,
TIE ASCENT.
But our worst danger was not over. We
had to climb the shaft, sixty-cight feet in
height, by means of the ladder. "Just 90
straight up" said Captain Derg; you can
not 60 out Of the way" There was no
possibility Of reaching the upper air that
night, except by climbing, and as there was
NJ Comfortable lodging to be had in the
tur icl weagain venterel Mr.. Chcsbrough
asccniel first, and by way CT L parting
salute, when half way up he emptied Il gal
lon Of water from each boot upon our heads.
The remainder Of the party were already
exhausted by fatigue and c,ll. How the
Others succeeded is best known to them
selves. The present writer, for his part,
was just on the pcint of giving ost AZ he
reached a platform let down about fifteen
feet from tn, mouth of til, shaft, hands
stiienei with c,amp, dizzy sensation Of
sixty feet beneath him, a creeping Of the
flesh, power sto move another step. One
last shout for help and he found himself
seized by friendly hanl and laid out on the
platform, then tied to rope and hauled up
to the mouth Of the shaft. Mutual consrat,
ulations on our escape AMI adjournment 70
the kitchen, where Mr.. Delaney, tie worthy
steward of the crib, provided bowl Of hct
coffee for the sufferers.
Tn, Aood-ga,es Of the crib we're 'rcopensl
Immediately after our sent, anl the waters
went down with roar like that of an infant
Niagya. What became cf the fat bottomed
boat we did not know Ind did not care.
The tug was waiting for us at ten oc!ycE,
ard in a few minutes the party wc!c naetins
merriy home again under the kindly stars.
And 50 onlel the adventurous voyage, the
last that will be made through the lake
tunnel.