Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-03-29
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RATES OF ADVEKTEs1NG
From the Fort Smith New Era
A z EARFU ADVENTURE
Eighteen Hours On a Log i'm the Ar.
kansas River with tIle The rrlOrneter
at ZerO-IntemSe SuffcrfnG-Narrow
EScaDe from Death

Eighteen Hours On n Hog I'm the Ar.
kansas River with tIle Thermometer
at ZerO-Entemse Suffcrfng-Narrow
Escape from Death.
In the afternoon Of the Sd instant, two
young men Of this city discovered, some
two miles below town, canoe lodged on
a drift pile in the river. One of them.
EnSlebcIt ShulcT, working for Mr.. Owen,
ger, the blacksmith, proposed TO secure the
canoe; and Immediately set to work to
carry out his purpose. Tying two logs
together with g1apo vines, he pushed out
III the river, which is at that point very
rapid and deep. About sGventy-lve yards
from the shore his fral raft encountered
one of those huge logs that are frequently
met with rearing tlicir ugly heads out OF
the water. The shock proved too much
FOR the grape vine concern and il went TO
pieces, the young navigator and captain of
the lmpromptu craft, however, saving linn
self by jumping on the big log. His
comrado, whose name we have not been
able to learn, after watching the disconl-
htIrc Of his friend, went back to
| town and informed the friends Of young
Slulcr Of his dangerous situation. BY that
time it was nearly dark, and perfect hun
ricane from the North had set in, chilling
with its bitter cold breath all living things,
and dasling furiously the icy waves against
the single stick Of timber to which, with
stilening limbs, the young man hung with
death grip. Help soon appeared, and MIR.
DwenGer and other friends endeavored TO
get Shulcr off in Il small scow or fiat-boat,
but the furious tempest and rough waves,
after every attempt, drove them back to
the shore, and finally swamped the boat,
and the men were reluctantly compelled 10
leave the unfortunate man to the fearful
fate of an almost certain, lingering, painful
death.
And there the unhappy man stood, all
through that fearful night, with but two
yards OF an old, slippery, ice-crusted log
under him, exposed to the fearful blast in
the wide stretch of the broad Arkansas,
ever and anon washed off his precarious
foothold, his clothes gradually becoming
hard as coat of mail, his limbs stiff and
cold, with naught but death before him
and all this in sight Of home, iii sight OF
the bright lights Of his native place, the
emblem Of comfort and safety, glittering SO
tantalizin9y through the darkness ana
storm. Who can imagine the bitterness
Of spirit and agony OF the wretchcd boy?
Early on Monday morning the report i'll
town was that Engclbclt Shuler was seen
on the log stiff in death, upon which Mr..
Nicely Birnie and Mr.. Blackshire Blil-
lock determined to go down and bring
off the body. Arrived oil the place
| they saw what they believed to be the
DOuy SLGetCAeu out on Ine log. Inc ScCW
also was found half filled with water frozen
solid. They Immediately set TO work
building fire on the ice Oh the boat, and
finally succeeded in clearing. Pushing ont
cautiously, they managed 10 make their
way across, stcmming a powerful cur
rent and pursuing a zigzag course through
thin but large sheets Of ice rapidly
floating down stream. When they
nearcd the log they found to their glad
surprise that ShIllnr Was not dead, but
his speech and consciousness were nearly
gone. Reyiying him with little spirits,
they as fast as pOssib" brought him TO the
shore, and taking him between them. his
arms around their ncclis, they hurried with
the utmost dispatch towards town. After
proceeding about half mile they met
party with a wagon which had also started
to the rescue. Placing him thereon, the
party soon reached town. On eXamina-
ton il was found hat ShuIer5 hands, nose,
ears and lower cXtrCmities were fcarfully
frozen. He now lies in prccarious condi-
ton at the residence Of Mr.. Jos. Noble, at
tended by Dr. Duyal. lie will probably
lose his feet. Great credit IS due to Messrs.
Birnic and Bullock for their timely rescue
Of the young man, without which he must
cert aiuIV have Dcrishcd.