Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-24
I sTRUGalE FOE LIEE.


An Exefting Inciaent During a
Freshe4 IA the James River.
I From Appsesons Jcnrnkl. 81 asa
Therecen terrible freshets IN the James,
the Shenandoah; aud other Virginia rivers,
recall 10 my memory an exciting incident
| which I Witnessed at Richmond more
than twenty years sgo. , s 80
It occurred at s'the fallsr-opposit
which the city stands--a point at which
\ the river, rushing over bed of rocks
more or less elevated above she surface,
forms variety of rapid streams, in
which it was at that time the habit OF
boys to swim. When the river is low,
these streams are comparatively safe to
the bather, If he is good swimmer, but
when the current is swollen by rains,
they become very violent and dangerous
so dangerous, indeed, that the best
swimmers make haste to getto shore.
At the time mentioned was bathing In
the falls, when the sudden rising OF the
| stream warned me of the coming danger,
and hurried from the water. In an in
conceivable brief space the river rose
several feet; and, half al hour afterward,
the whole breadth of the falls was roar
ing, raging, foaming mass of waves,
dashed against against the jagged rocks,
| TO fall back in clouds. of foam. The
spectacle was at once beautiful and terri
| bic. The citizens had hastened down to
witness the sight; crowds lined the bank,
and all eyes were directed toward Mayo's
| Bridge, against which the waves were
beating with ever increasing force-when
| suddenly intelligence ran through the
crowd that boy, who had been swim
ming, was caught on q mass of rock, in
indictment, in the falls above. 1
With the rest hurried TO the point of
interest, and reached the banks opposite
the rock upon which the boy had taken
refuge. 1t rose about fifty yards from
the shore, and was already enyironed by
the raging current which boiled around it,
throwing up clouds of foam. The boy
was about sixteen, slender, entirely naked,
for his clothes had been washed sway,
and we could see that he was white with
the anticipation of swiftcomiDg destruc-
ton. He chung to mass of shrubs grow
ing out Of the rock, and his eyes were
alternately turued upon the furious torrent
around him, and upon the crowd on shore.
Many hundred persons had quickly as
sembled, and each one hurIiedly sug
gested some means of rescue. None
seemed possible. No boat could live for
moment in such torrent-the waves
would have dashed it to pieces against the
rocks. The only possible means of saw
ing the boys life seemed to be for some
one to swim to him with rope; but to
attempt that appeared to be going to GER
tain death, and, intense SIS the pity and
sympathy of the crowd had become, no
one seemed willing to essay the desperate
enterprise. Meanwhile the water steadily
rose higher AM grew ever more threaten
ing. Rocks in the current, one large one
| especially, which q moment before had
been visible just beneath the surface, now
entirely disappeared; the roaring waters
steadily crawled up the sides of the mass
upon which the boy stood, and at last the
angry waves washed his very feet as he
chung despairingly to the swsying shrubs.
A few moments now, all saw plainly,
would end the tragedy. The unhappy
lad would quickly be washed away or
submerged. In either event he would be
swept to the jagged lodges below, and his
frail form dashed TO pieces.
The excitement of the crowd had now
become intense. Every one held his
breath, paralyzed by this spectacle of a
human being about to be swept to de-
struction. All at once, however, loud
shout arose. Everyone FASTENED to the
spot where a man was throwing off his
clothes. A brave spirit had resolved TO
attempt the rescue of the boy, and l
hurried, with the rest to look at him.
AS / reached him he had stripped naked
far the desperate wrestle. He was tall,
powerful-forme young man, of twenty
two or three apparently, an employe, it
was said, in enc of the great manufac-
tones on the river, and his clear, brave
eyes gave no sign of fear. Without
word he addressed himself to his perilous
work. Going up the river bank one or
two hundred yards above, he tied the end
of ball of Irvine to his body, mounted
upon ledge, made vigorous dive to
reach the open current, and rising, struck
out vigorously amid the huge waves.
The crowd shouted and then held their
breath, gazing at the figure of the swim
mer, who seemed q mere leaf upon the
furious torrent. He was swept along like
lightning, dashed over the huge hidden
rock that have 1aentioned, and through
the great mass of foam which marked it;
9 moment afterward another shout as
cended, like roar, from the crowd-the
swimmer had reached the rock where
upon the boy stood, and had clutched
hanging shrub, which enabled him to
draw himself up out of the caldron.
We could then follow all his move
ments. They were rapid, decisive and
self-possessed. Indeed, not an instant
was to be lost The water boiled already
above which only the bending shrubs
were now seen. The young man hastily
drew toward him the Irvine, to which
those on shore had attached rope of the
size of garden line. The rope at last
reached him; he clutched it almost fierce
ly, tied it around the boys waist, and
then, in the same manner, secured
it around his own person-he in ad-
vance-and then, just as the shell of
waters" fosmed up around him, surging
waist high, he threw himself into the cur
rent, drawing the boy after him toward
the shore, where hundred hands were
dragging of the rope.
That few moments struggle with the
fury of the flood was one of the most ex-
citing incidents which / have ever wit
messed The spectacle was indeed fear
full. The lives of man and boy hung
upon thread. A thrill ran through all
hearts; loud exclamation followed. The
boy had disappeared beneath the waves
the rope pulling him under-and then
huge, laundering, remorseless wall of
foam rushed over the head of the young
man, too; he sank, the torrent swept
over HIM, and not trace of either man
or boy was visible to the sgonized eyes
of the lockers on.
A moment afterward what seemed two
corpses were dragged to shore out OF the
current. A dozen hands caught them,
and a feeble movement of the young mans
hand indicated that he was not dead. He
felt fol the rope around his body. All
eyes were turned in that direction. The
rope had buried itself nearly, cutting his
flesh; he was suffocating.
The rope was severed instantly, and a
long breath from the violet lips indicated
the immense relief. An instant afterward
the young man rose to his feet, and, as
he did so, the boy, who had been assidu-
ously cared for, also opened his eyes, ut
tered deep sigh, aud then smiled. He
was snatched from the very jaws of
death; and the courage of an unknown
friend had alone saved him.
Hooked at that friend. He was smil-
ing too, and receiving with the modest
air of brave man, the praises of the
crowd.
81 thought at one time was gone,
the boy said to him feebly. The brave
, young man laughed.
{ 81 only ask one thing" he said, ''that
!; the man who cut that rope will sell me
the knife that cut it."