Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-08-31
Buried in the Quioksand.

It sometimes happens, on certain
coasts of Britain or Scotland, that
mana traveller or a fisherman
walking at low tide on the strand, far
from shore, suddenly perceives that
for several minutes he has been walk
ing with difficulty. The shore is like
pitch under his feet. The soles of
his feet cling to it; it is no more like
sand, it is like glue. The coast is
perfectly dry; but in every step that
he takes, as soon as he has raised his
feet, the print that he leaves is filled
with water. The eye, besides this,
perceives no other change; the i'm
mense expanse is smooth and tranquil,
all the sand has the same aspect,
nothing distinguishes the sand which
is solid from that which is not; the
little joyous crowd of pucerous con-
tinue to leap tumultuously upon his
feet as he passes along.
The man continues his route, passes
along, leaning towards the shore, seek
ing to approach the upland. He is
not uneasy. Why should he be?-
Only he feels as though the heaviness
of his feet increases with each step
that he takes. Suddenly he sinks.
He sinks two or three inches. Ger
tainly he is not in a good route; he
stops to take his bearings. All at
once he looks at his feet. His feet
have disappeared. The sand covers
them. He lifts his feet from the sand.
He wishes to turn back; he turns, he
sinks more deeply; the sand comes to
his ankles, he withdraws and throws
himself to the left; the sand comes
still higher. He leans to the right ;
the sand comes below his knees
Then he recognizes with an hides
cribable terror that he is involved
in a quicksand, and that he has under
him the frightful element in which
man cannot walk, and fish cannot
swim. He throws down his burden,
| if he has one; he lightens himself like
ship in distress. 1t is already too
late; the sand is above his knees.
He calls, he waves his hat or bis
handkerchief; the sand gains on him
more and more. If the coast is de-
serted, if the solid ground is too far
distant, if the sand bank is in bad re
pute, if there are no heroes within
call, it is finished; he is condemned tc
burial. He is sentenced to this fright
full interment; long, infallible, implia
BILE, impossible to retard or to hasten
which lasts for hours which sees you
: upright in full health; which draw;
: you by the feet; which, to every eff
fort that you make, to each outcry
} that you utter, drags you little low
er; which Furnishes you for your re
: sistance by a redoubled embrace
which slowly draws the man into tht
f earth, allowing him all the time tt
look on the horizen, the trees, th,
green fields, the villages on the plain
: the sails of the vessels on the sea
the birds that fly and sing, the sea
the sky.
/ Burial in a quicksand is a sepulchr'
2 which becomes the tide, and whicl
7 rises from the depths of the eartl
) toward living person. Each min
g ute is an inexorable undertaken
4 The miserable person tries to 81
: down, to lie down, to crawl, ever,
1 movement buries him be stands erect
i he sinks he feels himself engulphed
S he shouts, implores, cries to the clouds
: wrings his hands, despairs. Their
l. he is in the sand to his waist; th
o sand now reaches his chest, now he
: only bust. He raises his hands
l. makes furious gestures, crisps hi
nails On the sand, wishes to grasp q
8 that straw, leans on his elbows, wisl
: es to withdraw from this soft enclo
e ure, sobs frantically. The sand ri
1t es, it attains his shoulders, it reacht
Is his neck, his face only is visible no'
st He cries the sand fills his mouth s
e. lence. His eyes are still open; Il
10 sand closes them; night. Then Il
70 forehead melts away; little fyil