Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1870-05-14

uObulHS udu lGWdfdeu uuI ncdICu. We
knew that we must be visible from the
ship, for they knew just where to look
for us, and we were less than six miles
distant. What could such anxiety on
their part mean?
Lay back, men," said the third
mate, commencing to shack up" the
after oar for the first time since we
started "lay back there's the devil
to pay somewhere, that we can't see.
Spring her, boys, spring her! |"
All felt as if, as Mr, S. had said "the
devil was to pay somewhere" and We
laid back with will, shooting our light
boat through the water at rate that
soon took us clear of the point, The
earnestness Of the ships men was all
explained now. There, less than
mile from us, fair abeam, and padding
rapidly for the ship, were at least 20
canoes, holding probably forty men
each. To resist such force in our
boat was hopeless our only hope of
salvation laid in gaining the ship before
they did.
As we were pulling. straight for the
vessel, and the canoes were aiming for
the same point. We were of course rap
idly nearing each other; our aim was
to be ahead of the natives before the
converging lines Of our respective
courses should meet 1t was hard
race-to an uninterested spectator it
would douutless have been very fine;
but we didn't think much oil it. Pull
ing for life, the stake>was too heavy for
the contestants to enjoy it. No breath
was wasted in talk, for none needed
urging to lay out the last ounce of
strength. The musket in the bow
bothered me little-I missed stroke
and tossed it overheard. The third
mate said nothing, but ceased hcaying
on the stroke oar moment, to toss
over the other, So much weight was
/ gone, and that was of more imports
ance than all the fighting We could do,
! if we were ovcrhauled.
We had reached within mile of the
shin, when it was evident that if there
was any advantage in speed, it was on
our side---we were certainly little
ahead of the other racers. The saw
ages, set of naked, bowling demons,
eager for vengeance, and accustomed to
the heat of the climate, piled their
paddles With i will; while we we're en-
numbered with clothing, (not much of
it, to be sure, but still enough to make
a difference. and were bat a few months
away frem the cold and cherries re
gion of sea north Of Behring's Straits
] But men will work hard for iife-we
did. Five minutes more would decide
the race, one way or the other.
We had pulled in direct line for
the ship; but the savages had headed
very little across our course, hoping
to cilt us off, so that some of their ca.
noes were now in our wake aud well
astern But the leading one was lit>
tie on our quarter, and not more than a
ships length off. Two years practice
In whaleboats had trained our muscles
4 well, but, though VIC had many a hard
tug after "f,st boats" we had never
seen occasion for such exercise a. this
race was giving US, and aching wrists
and laDored breathing warned me that
not many more miles would be needed
to finish me; nor were the others less
distressed One man only of our crew
q seemed fresh--Peanuts the black Por-
tuguese, who bent his long back as he
reached the blade Of his eighteen foot
oar nearly forward of niue, and then
bent the stout ash as though it were q
bit Of willow, without turning 4 hair
with sweat Half blinded with the
sperspiration which streamed from our
foreheads into our eyes, we could not
spare even the moment required to dry
our faces, but labored on, scarce able to
see our oar blades. the silence in our
! boat, broken only by the rapid, steady
q rollocking of the oars and the deep
! breathing Of the rowers, contrasting
strangely with the Internal 1yellings OF
our pursuers Mr. s could see the
ship, Of course, as he faced that way,
\ but the boats crew could not, aud tho
third mate could not see the canvas
but neither party could spare an in-
stant to look around. Moments were
!. too precious just then. Peanuts was
the first to break the silence which bad
been observed since We first saw the cal
. noes. Gnashing his teeth at the eli
!, emy y,siIe said, half to himself and hall
to them:
(; "You black dey We bcatoe you,'
and suddenly elevating bis voice to b
yell. he continued e'we beatee youP'
. "Do we drop 'em any. Dick 2" gasp,
ed Dir. s.. without turning round
d oY es sir, / think we do little,1 an.
8 swered I for / could see that the gar
] between us had Increased. 49,
"Hurrah boys = continued tho third
!. mate. 9they haven't got US yet. -Thgr
q ,ua hr;n0 fha shin this wav n shoafis