The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-07-17

the boyr IN the bow. An old gentleman
who was passing over the bridge that
spans the creek a little distance truni it's
mouth was attracted by the light laughter
that came up from the boat, and paused
few moments, looking steadily in that
direction. Whether the young man at
the oars was at the moment too much en-
gagged IN looking into the pretty face
directly in front of him or not it is impos-
sible to say but the old gentleman re-
marked that he was very unskillful in his
management of the boat.
OUT IN THE CURRENT.
While the old gentleman was looking,
the boat, floating with the current, though
little impeled by the oars. passed out into
the Niagara.
Now, ut this point, less than three miles
from the cataract. it is possible to row
across the river. Not only is it possible,
but, as matter of constant occurrence, it
is considered comparatively safe. But in
crossing from the American side, leaving
the pier near the Erie depot, it is neces-
sary to row up the river as far as the end
of Grass Island and there to cross, still
pulling diagonally up the stream and
bending to the work tor dear life when in
the dark-looking waters pointed out from
the shore as
THE CHANNEL OF THE CURRENT.
On the other hand rowing from the
Canada shore, you still pull long way
up the stream before YOU venture to di-
agonalize across.
Down below the mouth of the Chippewa
Greek. some twenty rods away, there
lS ha
currer. sets with fearful force toward the
rapids.
The old man watched the boat moving
along in direction diagonally down the
stream and heading tor outside of 1.-THE
river fence" He tottered back and
caught mt the railing of the bridge for
support, his face grew deathly pale and
he trembled like an aspen leaf A little
child crossed the bridge and looked at him
curiously. Then an old woman followed,
and he asked each of them if they knew
who was in the boat that was going 10 90
over the falls
The woman looked scared. as though
she thought he was crazed. The child
ran away crying. This man was one of
three who saw the boat after it left Chip
pewa, and while it still retained its form.
IN THE RAPIDS.
AS the water fence was passed and the
current was bearing them along swiftly
specks of troth dotted the water. The
girl looked from these beyond and caught
glimpse of the white foam and mist
thrown now and again high in the air
along the crest OF the first rapids. She
uttered a cry and pointed in the direction
OF the first line Of descent above Goat
Island. Her Overlooked over his shoulder
and an expression OF horror must have
settled upon his face There was, doubt
less, none of the bright color in the girls
cheek that had made her the admiration of
the rustics in the village she was leaving
behind only Il short half hour before Her
lover grasped one OF the oars with frantic
haste, and with both hands he thought to
turn the boat in the middle of that cur
rent running like a mill-race. He looked
then, apparently, for the other oar-looked
in the bottom of the boat and on every
side trantically. He had lost the oar in
the moment of his first appalling horror.
HE HAD DROPPED ONE OAR IN THE WATER,
and it was carried away in a second be-
yOnd sight and beyond sound. down in the
depths OF the toaming abyss of the rapids
now vawning beneath them. The boat
darted down the first crest of rocks, the
the stern swinging about; a moment she
was lost to view, and then came swinging
on, seeming to point toward Cedar Island.
Then she rose on the point of a great
fodm-covered rock and darted down bow
foremost, as though steered by invisible
hands. From the new tower the poor
wretches, who had gone SO gaily forth in
the trail cocklcshell were seen clinging to
each other in the bottom OF the boat Then
q cloud of mist and spray veiled the whole
from sight, and for an instant only, lust
under the arch of the rainbow over the
cleft OF the Horseshoe Fall, the end OF the
boat protruded from the foam and mist
another instant, for the space of the light
ninG'S flash. two black fragments OF the
breaking boat We're seen and that was
all. The waters HID all else, and have
continued to hide all, save Il few frag-
mcnts of the boat, which wash ashore be
meath the cataract