Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-23

From the Fort Smith New Era.
In the afternoon of the Sd inst two young
men Of this city discovered, some two miles
below town, canoe lodged on drift pile
In the river. One of them, Englebert Shu-
Ter. working for Mr.. Dwenger, the black
smith, proposed to secure the canoe, and
Immediately set to work to carry out his
purpose.
Tying two logs together with grape vines,
he pushed out into the river, which is, at
that point, very rapid and deep. About
seventv-fve yards from shore his fral raft
encountered one of those huge logs that are
frequently met with, rearing their ugly heads
out of the water. The shock proved too
much for the grape vine concern, and it
went to pieces, the young navigator and
captain Of the craft, however, saving him
self by jumping on the big log.
lis comrade, whose name we have not
been able to learn, after watching the dis
comfiture of his friend, went back to town
and informed the friends of young Shuler
of his dangerous situation. By that time
it was nearly dark and perfec hurricane
from the North had set in, chilling with its
bitter cold breath all living things, and
dashing furiously the icy waves against the
single stick Of timber to which, with stiffen-
ing limbs, the young man chung with
death grip.
Help soon appeared, and Mr.. Dwenger,
and other friends, endeavOred to get Shuler
of in scOw or fatboat, but the furious
tempest and rough waves, after every at
tempt. drove them back to the shore, and
finally swamped the boat, and the men
were reluctantly compelled to leave the I'M
fortunate man to the fearful fate Of an al
most certain, lingering painful death.
And there the unhappy man stood, all
through that fearful night, with but two
wards of an old, slippery, ice-crusted log un-
der him, exposed to the fearful blast in the
wide stretch of the broad Arkansas, ever
AMI anon washed off his precarious foot
hold, his clothes gradually becoming as hard
as coat of mail, his limbs stiff and cold
with naught before him but death-and all
this i'm sight of home, in sight of the bright
lights of his native place, the emblem OF
comfort and safety, glittering so tantalizingly
through the darkness and storm. Who can
imagine the bitterness of spirit and agony
of the wretched boy.
Early on Monday morning the report in
town was that Englebert Shuler was seen
on a log, stiff in death, upon which Mr..
Needy Birnie and MIR. BlackShire Bullock
determined to go down and bring of the
body. Arrived opposite the place, they saw
what they believed to be the body stretched
out onthe log. The scOw also was found,
half filed with water frozen solid. They
Immediately set to work building ire on
the ice in the boat, and finally succeeded in
clearing it. Pushing out cautiously, they
managed to make their way across, stem
ming a powerful current and pursuing a
zig-zag course through thin but large cakes
E of sheet-ice, rapidly floating down stream.
When they neared the log, they found to
their .lad surprise, that Shuler was not
dead, but his speech and consciousness
were nearly gone. Reviving him with
little spirits, as fast as possible they brought
him to shore, anitaking him between them,
his arms around their necks, they hurried
with the utmost dispatch toward town.
Ar er proceeding about half a mile they met
a party with a wagon, which had also
started TO the rescue. Placing him thereon,
the party soon reached Town. -1E
Ga examination it was found that Shu-
le-'s hands, nose, ears and lower extremi-
ties were feariu iy frozen. -n
He now lies in precarious condition al
the residence of Mr.. JOS. KnOble, attended
by DIR. DuvaL He viii probably lose his
feet. Great credit is due TO Messrs. Birnie
and Bullock for their timely rescue of the
yoUng man, without which he must certain
" have persisted.