Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1868-12-11

therefore be impossible to give, from this
point the details of his daily progress.
Never before did mortal man perform such
Ia journey For near five hundred miles
he foated over a succession of cascades
and cataracts, varying in height from four
to twenty feet with patches Of smooth wa
ter between. Frequently, in plunging
over fall, the raft was overturned, and
lit was with much difficulty he saved him
self from drowning. Once he was so
long under water that he became insen-
|sible; but on that occasion the raft pro-
|videutially emerged right side up, and
when be revived he found himself floating
along as if nothing had happened.
Below each fall there was an island,
formed by the sand thrown up by the ed
dying waters, affording him an opportu-
nity Of hauling up his raft for repairs-a
very necessary operation, as the ropes
with which it was bound were frequently
cut upon the edges Of the rocks at the
head of the falls-and place of rest dur
ing the night. At first the mezquit grow
ing upon the islands supplied him with a
scanty allowance Of food, but after the
sixth day he found the islands barren. A
rawhide knife-scabbard then afforded him
some slight sustenance and good deal of
chewing for couple Of days, after which
he was without food Of any kind until be
got through to the mouth Of the Rio Vir-
gin. One day be saw some lizards and
tried to catch them. but was too feeble to
succeed, and so the tempting creatures
escaped. To add 70 his misery. he was
stripped by the rocks and waters of bis
hat, pants. drawers, boots and socks,
while the sun. which be was compelled
almost constantly to face, sitting in con-
strained posture during the hottest part Of
the day. beat with burning ferceness
upon his unprotected head and legs, the
latter soon becoming blistered and raw
from the nnwontei exposure. And all
the time the da rs Of the canon tow
ering above him, nowhere less than a
thousand feet. and in some places mile
and half in height, to the best Of his
Judgment; he had no means or opportu-
nifty of measuring the distance. Anxious
ly he watched for some avenue of escape,
some crevice or fissure in the adamantine
walls which confined him, but there was
none. The consoling reflection remained
that it was perhaps better to be dashed to
pieces, or perish of simple starvation in
the cannon, than to scramble out of it and
add the torment of thirst to those which
he already endured. So he voyaged on,
now helplessly broiling in the merciless
rays of the sun (no one who has not been
upon the Colorado can form an adequate
idea of the heat which prevails there in
summer), as he aoated calmly yet swiftly
along upon an expanse Of comparatively
smooth water; then tumbling over cas-
cade or rushing through rapid, at the
imminent peril of shipwreck upon the
rocks. which bumped and thumped his
frail raft until its light timbers ratified a.
gain; and now. shuddering and with
bated breath, plunging over fall, for
aught be knew into eternity. Day by
day and hour by hour he grew weaker
from want of food, while, from sitting in
a cramped position and from exposure to
the sun, his legs we're so stiff and sore as
to be almost entirely disabled Still with
dogged resolution be persevered, improv-
ing every available moment Of daylight,
and making, as he believed, at moderate
estimate, between forty and fifty miles
distance every day.
At length, on the evening of Septem.
Der 9th, the raft-with our bruised, bat.
tered and starving voyager. more dead
than alive, but yet retaining great deal
of the wonderful vitality which has thus
far sustained him, still clinging to it
emerged from the canon. Again the
broadening river flowed between low green
banks. White felt that the worst of his
voyage was over-if he could but hold
out day or two longer he would be
saved. But. though his spirit was un-
daunted, his physical strength was nearly
gone. He Aoated on, watching eagerly
for the signs of human habitation. Soon
be passed the mouth of a considerable
stream-the Rio Virgin-and almost i'm.
mediately he heard voices shouting to him
He could hardly convince himself that the
sounds were real; and as he gazed in
wondering suspense toward the bank. .
number Of Indians leaped into the water,
swan off to him and pushed the raft a
shore. Being pretty we'll aroused by tbit