The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-01-04
A WrestIe with Niagara.
From All the Year Round. ]

| was standing about thirty or forty
yards in advance of the Clifton, that is
thirty or forty yards nearer to the Horse
shoe along the brink of the rocks, and OPP
posite the American fall The ground
must have been the same height as the
opposite fall, but, owing to the immense
hill down which the rapids rush, it was
possible to distinguish any object the size
Of boat a considerable distance above
the fall, so that, now it was pointed out
to me, | saw in the middle of the rapids
a huge log of wood, the trunk of a tree
which had lodged there some years be-
fore, and upon it black speck This,
after some observations | perceived to
move. 1t was a man. Yes he and his
two companions had, on previous night,
been rowing about some distance above
the fall BY some means or other they
had ventured too near the rapids, and
lost ali command Of their boat, and had
been hurled away to destruction. 1t
was supposed that about half mile above
the fall the boat had upset, and, with two
wretched men still clinging to it went
over the fall about nine or ten o'clock at
night, while the third man was driven
against this log of wood climbed upon it
ness Of the night, amid the roar. the tur-
moil, and the dashing spray of the rapids
! crossed the river, ascended the rock
by the railway, and hurried to the spot,
where | found him 50 near that could
almost distinguish his countenance He
was then lying along the log, grasping it
with both arms, and appeared exhausted
to the last degree He was evidently as
wet from the spray, As though he had
been standing under water. BY this time
people We're assembling, and different
plans for his rescue were proposed and
discussed on all sides; already, indeed,
one effort had been made. A small boat
had been firmly lashed to strong cable.
and dropped down to him from the bridge,
which crossed the rapid between the main
land and Goat Island, about sixty yards
above the log
This boat had proceeded a few yards in
safety, was upset, spun round like piece
of cork Mt the end Of d thread by the force
Of the water, which finally snapped the
cable in two and the boat disappeared
over the fail.
But now a despatch had been sent to
Buffalo Ca distance of little more than
twenty miIes) by telegraph. desiring that
4 lite-boat should be sent by the first
train, 9 80 \. NJ, and this in time arrived,
borne on the shoulders of about twenty
men, and splendid boat she was, large,
built entirely of sheet-iron, with air-tight
chambers; 4 boat that could not sink.
All this arrangement naturally took up
much time, and the poor wrctch's impa-
tience seemed extreme, 50 that it was
thought advisable to let him know what
was going on, This was done by means
of Il sheet, upon which was written in
large letters in Dutch (his native Ian
guage), ''the life-boat is coming He
stood up. looked intentlv for minute
and then nodded his head. When the
boat was at last launched the excitement
was intense Two cables, each held by
many men, were lei down from either
end Of the bridge, 70 that thew might have
some command in directing the course Of
the boat down the river, She seemed lit
orally TO dance upon the Surface Of the
water like a cork.
The rapid consists of a number of small
falls distributed uneyenlv over all parts
of the river. 50 that there are thousands
Of cross currents, eddieS and whrlpoolS
which it would be utterly impossible to
avoid, and in which lies the danger Of
transit for any boat between the bridge
and the log. The life boats course was
steady at first she arrived at the first tlIl
she trippcd up and swung round with Il
rush, but continued her COURSE safely only
half filed with water Again she de-
sccnded with safety, but lit length APP
preaching the log She became mmanage-
able, swinging either way with immense
force, spinning completely over, and final
ly dashing against the log with such yio-
lence that | fully expected the whole
thing, man and all, 70 have been dislodgeI
and hurried down the rapid. But, no, it
stood firm-the boat had reached its deS-
tnaton. \ ct, alas, how useless was his
position 1t lay completely on its side
above the 10y, and with its hollow inside
directed toward the bridge, played upon
by the whole force Of the current, which
fixed its keel firmly against the iog. 1t
seemed inmoyable The man himself
climbed toward Ii. anu in vain tried to
pull, lift Or shake the boat, nor was it
moved until both cables being brought
to one side of the river by the united
force OF fifty OF sixty men, she was dis
lodged and swung down the rapid up
side down finally pitching headlong be
meath an eddy, entanglng one OF her ca
blcs on the rocks, and there lying beneath
q heavy fall OF water, until. in the course
of the day, one cable being broken by
the efforts OF the men to disIodge her. and
the other by the sheer force of the cur
rent, she went over the falls-the second
sacrifice to the poor fellow, who still
clunr to the log, swayed between hope
and fear. The loss of this boat seemed n
great blow to him, and he appe ared, as
far Us we could Judge at distance, ut
times to give way to the utmost despair.
A third boat way now hronght--w wooden
very long, and fat-bottomed Its pas
sage was most fortunate, and she tlOated
down, even alongside of the log, without
accident; hope beamed in every cOunte-
nance and we all felt that the man might
be saved. Hope also had revived him.
He stood for some time upon the log,
making signals to those who directed the
boat.
He now eagerly seized her, drew her
toward him, jumped into her, and made
signs to them to draw him up. This was
commenced, but some of the tackle had
caught and it was deemed necessary to
let il loose for an instant This was done;
the boat tloated a few feet down the rapid,
swung round the lower end of the log,
entangling the cable beneath it, and there
remained immovably fixed. Once more
the poor fellows work began. He drew
off one of his boots and bailed the boat
he pushed at the log, climbed upon it, and
used every possible exertion to move the
boat; but in vain. An hour was spent in
these fruitless eftorts-an hour OF terrible
suspense to all who beheld him He
worked well, for he worked for his life.
Three months after, this boat retained its
position. nor will it move until the rocks
grind its cable in two, or the waters tear
it piecemeal into shreds.
Another plan must be devised, and this,
with American promptitude was soon
done. A raft twenty or thirty feet long
and five feet broad was knocked together
with amazing rapidity. 1t consisted of
two stout poles, made fast. five feet asun-
der, by mailing four or five pieces Of two
inch board at each extremity; thus the
machine consisted of a skeleton raft, with
a small stage at either end. On one of
these StageS-that to which the cables (Of