Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-08-26

Big Canon caused a portion nearest shore
on either side to be sent directly back full
three hundred yards. For this distance
there were two smooth currents running
up; between them, toaming, surging
current, rushing down. BY taking adj
vantage Of these upward eddies a skillful
boatman could land his craft on either side
nearly opposite the point from which he
had started.
Wang Chu and his passengers sailed
smoothly along until, the upper eddy be-
ing reached, the boats head was turned
into the mid current Then it seemed as
if seized by monster. 1t was whirled
around like top, shot for second on the
top of great surge, and shot down again
out of sight and under. There was a
momentary glimpse Of the five men, pad
ding wildly and half rising from their
seats; the next they were all gone. A hun
bred yards below, like whale shooting
out of water to blow, came the boat, bot
tom up from the depths, and clinging to
her was Wang Chu. 1t was dashed against
the Black Rock, and pressed under by the
current Wang Chu sprang on the rock.
The rest were never seen. Sims and the
straggler gazed like men in Il dream.
There, before them, were still the rushing,
roaring stream, the sun shining, the birds
singing; all going on and having gone
through it all as though nothing was hap
pening or had happened, and in five sec
onas four human beings snatched from
| life to death
But Wang Chu must be rescued. There
was the poor half-submerged creature on
the rock, tire ice-cold current at times
dashing over him, and striving, as itwere,
to tear him from his hold; and between
him the merciless stream which could rs
easily sweep away thousand men as one.
There he remained until near night.
| Gradually the population OF Texas Bar
and Bixel's Flat accumulated on the spot
All measures to float him IA line by which
he might be hauled on shore proved
abortive
"I'll swim off and take line to him."
at last said Sims.
"No, don't 60" said some one among
the crowd; I" it's certain death!'
II will" said Sims.
"No, you won't--not if | can help it,"
said jim Freemantle. you're wrong to
try it; and if you do we're going to stop
you. We've as good right to stop man
from committing suicide as murder"
There was IA murmur of assent from
the by-standers Sims turned away and
walked toward his cabin. When again he
emerged it was with a cooked siX-shooter
in his hand. De came straight toward the
group and spoke:
"You say you wall stop me from
swimming off 10 the Black Rock | do
not intend that you shall. You have sue
ceeded in making my life thoroughly mis-
cradle on this fiat by injustice taunt and
abuse, and now that there is chance for
| getting rid of it you want to stop nae You
see you have made mistake. You'veput
me up for man without grit Well,
I'm going to show you that courage runs
in strcaks, and it takes different circum-
stances in different men TO draw it out.
I'm courageous enough now to own that
| ! have backed down before some of your
six-shooters because | didn't think my
life was worth yon dirty little claim. But
any of you would risk your lives in dis
pute over a pack Of cards because you've
| got a fighting reputation to keep up atany
cost, and you dare not live to be called
coward by some hound who would pick
your pockets had he chance. Not one
of you dare go near Tom Wilson's cabin
when | nursed him through the small
pox Not one of you dare go a prospect
ing as | did on the head-waters of the
Owens River, and camp out for weeks
alone fifty miles from the nearest settle.
ment. And I'm not afraid Of the river,
savage as it looks; for the roar of its wa
tiers, as I've listened to them many a long
night in my cabin, has been a kinder voice
than any of yours, and if drown ! want
the Stanislaus to bury me somewhere deep
down in its channel, where your hands
at least may never drag me out. Let me-
passr'
They made way for him. His face was
white, hard, firm and desperate. He
walked with a proud step, like king
going to the scaifold. All the shrinking
timidity, the baflled hesitation Of former
days had disappeared. 1t was another
man who passed through the crowd, an
other being who had, as it were, suddenly
risen'up and usurped the body Of Timid
Sims.
He's got the sand, >" said Alck Ware.
| jim Freemantle walked hastily a little
ahead of the rest. Look her. Sims" said
he, with more kindly intonation in his
voice than ever he had used in speaking
| to him before; "look hcre-cOme back,
boy--if you go in you're only goin' to get
drownded for a Chinaman-tisn't worth
it anyhow-and--a we've made a mis-
take and you're grit, that's all. Here,
take my hand"
Sims took the proffered hand 1t was
but for a moment He did not allow the
| grasp TO detain him Its too late" sad
| he 81 don't want your kind words now
] don't need them | stand above you all
and I've known it this many day. Pm
gsing to prove to you that don't fear
death. If i Yhould turn back you'd say in
less than a week I'd been playing a game
of bluff | always knew | hid grit
enough in me 1t wanted only your scorn
and that poor creatures extremity to bring