The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-25

long beneath al euus, oheihSh ....4l
cables on the rocks, and there lving oeheitlI
heavy fall Of water, until, IN the eouIse y,
Tho day, one cable being broken by the efforts
of the men to dislodge her, and the other ny
rho shccr force of the current, she went over
tho fa,ls-.tbe second sacrifice to the poor iel'
low, who still cluug to the log, sWaycd De.
tween hone and fear. The loss of this boat
seemed great blow to him, and ne appeared.
| "a far ms we could Judge at distance, AT tilne:
"a give way to the utmost despair. A thlrd
boat was now brought-wooden, very long,
and sIat.bottomed. Its passage was most lot
tunate- and she floated down, even alongside
of the log, without accident. Hope bcamed
in every countenancc, aud we all felt that inc
man might be saved. Hope also had revived
him: he stood for some time upon the loS,
making SIGNALS to those who directea Inc
boat. :.
He now eagerly seized her, drew her To-
ward him. Jumped into her, and made Signs
TO them to draw him UP. This was com
mnnccd. but some of the tackle had caught,
and it was deemed necessary to let II loose
for mn instant. This was done; the boat
i,nated a few feet down the rapid, swung
around the lower end Of the log, entanGllnS
the cable beneath it. and there remained I'M
moyably fixed. Once more the poor tello"
work began. He drew off one OF his boots
md hailed the boat: he pushed at the log,
climbed upon it, and used every possible eH-
crtion to move the boat, but III yam. An
hour was spent in these fruitless etlorfs-an
hour of terrible suspense to all who bcllela
him. He worked we'll, for he worked Tor his
,ifn. Three months after, this boat retained
it's Dosition. nor will it move until the rocks
rrind its cable In two, or the waters tear IL
pieremeal into shrcds.
Another plan must lie devised, and this,
with American promptitude, was zone.
4 raft, twenty or thirty feet long and tive ieet
broad. was knocked together with amazing
r,pidity, It consisted of two stout poles,
made fast, five feet asImdcr, by Mailing tour
ar five picce3 of two-inch board together al
each extremity; thus the machine consisted
Of a skeleton raft. with small stage at either
end. On one of these staSes-tilat TO winch
the cables (of which there were tWo) were
lashed-w;ls tightly fixed a large empty cask,
for the sake Of its buoyuncy; on the other
complete network, Of cords, to which the man
WAS TO lash himself; also q tin can OF refresh
1ucnts, he having taken nothing since the
evening before three Or iour similar cans, by'
thc-way. had been let down to him already,
attached to strong pieces ofncw line, but the
cords had in every instance been snapped ana
the food lost.
The raft was finished, launched, and safely
lot down to the log. The poor fellow COM
lDittcd himself TO its care. He lashed his legs
firmly, and then signalled to draw him up.
Thus for the second time the ropes had begun
TO be drawn up; the raft advanced under the
first pull, but its head, owngto the great, light
,.lsk, dipped beneath it, and as the raft still
advanced the water broke over it to such Il
depth that the man was obliged to raise him
self up OH all fours, keeping his chin well
elevated, to avoid being drowned. We eX-
3ccted at every pull to see his head go under;
but alas they pulled in vain, for the front
of the raft. pressed down by the weight
of tie falling water, had come in contact
with a rock, and would not advance. The
ropes were slackencd, she fell back, but
again hitchcd in her return. IT was then
determined TO let her swim to another part
of the rapid where the stream did not APP
pear quite so impossible. This WAS done,
and second attempt to draw it up was
made halfway between the 10" and the OPP
poste shore (a small island. This also failed
from the same cause: therefore it was pro-
posed TO cndeavor to let the raft float down
and swing round upon the island. This was
commenced, but with the cid resu't-the
cable was caught in the rocks, and the raft
remained stationary. However,, she was
floating easily, and the poor fellow could rest.
Early in the day, for the forenoon was now
fur advanced, one of the large ferry-boatS
Quilt expressly for crossing beneath the falls
had been brought up, but had lain idle. Thl,
was now put into rcquisition, and noOiy She
rode down toward the raft, while in breath
less silence we all watched her as she dipped
at the various falls, and each time recovered
herself. I shUddercd rs she was launching,
for began to see that the man could not lie
saved hy boat; 4 boat never could return
against a rapid, however well able to float
down it. No sooner would her bow come
into contact with a fall than it would dip, fill.
and spin round. as did the first skilf whicl,
was lost.
The poor fellow himself was getting impa.
ticnt-visibly so. He united his lislings
stood upright upon the raft, eagerly waiting
to seize the boat and jump into her. She had
but one more fall to pass, and that fall was
situated just above where he stood; she
paused at the brink Of it, swung down it like
lightning, and as he lcapcd forward to sciZt
her she rose Oh the returning wave, struck
him in the chest, and he struggled hopelcss!
in the overwhelming torrent.
The exclamation of horror, for ii was not {
cry, which burst from the thousands who by
this time were assembled, shall never forget
nor the breathess silence with which W.
watched him, fighting with the waters as the!
hurried him along upright, waving both arm!
above his head. We lost sight OF him at in
tervals, yet again and again he reapreared
and / thought hours must have passed in liel
Of one brief hllt.ninute. But the end came
at last once more saw hisarms waved wildly
above his head, and in all instant the cr0Wt
turned from the spot in dead silence. The
man was lost.
-----ass>------
NoN-EyrLosIvE.--lIcre is bit of @rotcsGue
humoT from New Orleans: "NIr. Gray dis
covered anon-eHplosive fluid. 70 show how
safe the new compound was, he invited a
number of his friends to meet him in his
rooms, whittier he had brought barrel Of
the fluid, which he at once proceeded to stil
with Il red-hot poker. As he went through
the roof of his house, accompanied by his
friends, he endeavored TO explain to his near
est conpGgno9a de r0ydge that the particular
fluid i'll. the barrel had too much ben.
| zine in it but the gentleman said he had an
engagement higher up, and could not wait
for an explanation. Mr.. Gray continued his
| ascent until lie met Mr.. Jones, who informed
him that there was no necessity for him to 60
up higher as everybody was coming down
SO Mr.. Gray's widow oilers for sale the secret
for the manufacture Of the non-eXDlosiyc
iiuld at reduced rate rs she wishes to raise
money enough to huya silvcr-handlcd coffin.
Il Nl.N~ q hi