The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-03-19
@ABBEvIlLE, SC. WEDNESDAY. MARCH 49, 1873

WAS red with blood, and all al ound
were men dead or dying while the
terror stricken women crouched in
agony, either in the state-rooms or in
some cornrr'over the bleeding fol m ot
tsome loved one. = -'% 'r.i 80 i.'s..
u MarrrlI himself had entered the
wheel-house, and others had 4 com
meuced their work atithe furnace
i Aid down ward the boat drifted to.
ward the falls. Without having the
wheels in motion to'propel her, it was
impossible to manage the craft and
keep her head down the'stream, for.
|as she approached nearer and nearer
the falls, IL became evident that she
wonld go over sideways, and, if SO,
there would be the greatest danger,
unless she should happen to be exact
lly in the channel, of which the chief
\ was not certain. But the crisis was
at hand. Behind her hundred boats
|had shoJ out upon the river in pur-
suit; around her the rapids were
boiling, seething and roaring. and just
below was the descenB known as the
falls, over which she must plunge:
She trembled, heaved and was going
down, when there came a sorash lIRs
the bursting of o thousand thunders.
mingled with the most awful shrieks
DC chin bod siruek O sunken rock,
and there she hung for a moment,
while the mad waters rushed over her
decks. Then she broke, and it was
evident she was going down, a total
wreck. And, to add to- the horror, a
cry of fire was raised, and it soon
became evident that nothing could
save the steamer from total destruc-
tiop. 30 '..'.' :
1t sow became every man to look
out for himself, and Murrill leaped
into the water. 1t was with consid7-
cradle difficulty that he reached the
shore, which be did at length, in an
exhausted state. Then he, seated
himself for few moments, and wait
led the regathering of his band. But
lie was not safe at that point, and
with only five of the robbers, who
had come to the shore, he took his
way back to his cave. Weary, sick
and. bruised, he could scarcely drag
his way along, and his men were,
really in a worse condition than him
|self. The consequence was that an
unusual length of time was CON
sumed 10 reaching the cavern; When
he did arrive there his appearance
was greeted with cheers by those
WHO had. arrived before him. They.
were not entirely disheartend, as their
chief lived, for one of the robbers.had
brought in news that be was among
the slain. .,s,.,.,,s.a..s T.. i:y,a
+ Murrrill gazed sadly around him
he had less than thirty men lett-the
others, no doubt, had persisted. But
with one exception this number
seemed to welcome his return. The
exception was : man named Kit
Blanchard. he frowned fiorceiy. re-
mained apart from the rest, and
seemed uneasy. Murrill noticed this.
but still he gave it little thought.
1t was not long after this that the
chief entered his cavern. He had
not proceeded far, when his attention
was attracted by groan. He ap-
preached the spot from whence the
sound proceeded, and there he found
a young and lovely girl, bound hand
and foot, in such o manner that she
was unable to- move. He questioned
her and heard her story. 49,. ... g..
She was on the steamer when it
went over the falls. Her lover was
with her, and he had succeeded in
getting her ashore. Scarcely had
they landed when her lover was
struck down dead at her side by a
robber, and she was seized and
brought <thither. The robber was
entirely alone, with the exception of
herself, during the whole journey.
He told. her that Murrill had been,
killed, that he was to be captain now,
and she should be forced to become
his wife. The chief removed the
cords which bound her, and led her to
the entrance Of the cave. he .bade
her wait moment, and then he as
scmbled his band. He saw that one
of them was pale and trembling. He
called the girl forward, and requested
her to single ont her oaptor. She
pointed to Kit Blanchard. In On in
slant the report OF pistol rang out;
it was fred by Murrill, and Kit
Blanchard fell dead. The young
lady was restored to her friends. 1t
was this adventure and defeat that 80
weakened the robber band that they
were soon after scattered, and the
chief himself captured. His fate is a
matter of history. ..'.... -:
EYEs1aHT OF ANIMALS Horses and
cattle have excellent eyesight even to
q very advanced age. Dogs in wild
state preserve their vision unimpair-
ed to the extreme period OF their lite
Limitation, while domesticated dogs
see ery,imperfectly in the course of
ten years, if they live SO long. The
reason seems to be, owing to looking
at fires IN the house, exposed to cam
die or gas lights, and being about
dwellings where the sphere of. vision
is limited by the intervention of fences,
edifces, etc. A free range always IN
open air also tends to the preservation