The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-06-16

o
at the last moment Of her life thai
she was not her own daughter, but
only an adopted child.
Adventures OF two Fishermen.
SHoHoLA, Pa, May 20.-Samuel
L. Downs and. w. c. Reeves, Of
Rochester, have been trout fishing
for three or four days on the streams
.his vicinity. On Tuesday they
went out to fish at Taylor's creek, a
branch Of the Shohola, about five
miles from this station. The stream
traverses a wild and billy section,
and for some days the woods have
been on fire for miles along its course.
The men had fshed up two miles
above its mouth, when the FIRE ap-
preached go near the stream on both
sides that they were compelled to
stop, and started to retraee their
steps. They had proceeded but a
short distance on their return when
they were alarmed to fnd that the
fire had closed into the stream in that
direction also. High aud precipi-
tous hills rise on either side of the
stream at the point where they were,
and even if the fire had not covered
them, escape in that direction would
have been very difficult. To add to
on the peril of the situation, the
fires both above and belly them were
rapidly approaching one another and
reducing the space in which the fish
ermen found themselves confined.
The Lnderbrush also in that locality
grows down to the waters edge,
and dead logs and dry branches lay
across the stream. To these the
flames communicated readily, and in
comparatively short time the fish
ermen were hemmed in on all sides BY
FIRE:
At the spot where they were
they were forced to halt in a deep
pool, at the foot of the fall some ten
feet high. This pool is about twer-
ty feet wide and very deep. Downs,
seeing that there was no hope of es-
cape in any other way, suggested to
his companion that they must plunge
into and remain there, if possible,
until the fire had so far exhausted
itself along the strsam as to permit
of their wading down the creek IN
til they got below the burning woods.
A new difficulty here presented itself.
Reeves could not swim, and the wa
ter in the centre of the pool, where
they must necessarily take their po-
sition, was over their heads. The
heat was now becoming intense, and
the smoke almost suffocating. There
was but one thing to be done. Downs
showed piece Of pine log into the
stream, and supporting Reeves with
one arm, swan to the centre of the
pool By the aid of the bit of log be
was enabled to keep both his COM
panion and himself aaoat until they
reached the foot of the fall, where 9
protecting rock offered the former 6
irm hold for his hand, and by which
he kept his head above the water
They allowed as much of the falling
water to cover them as they coulC
with safety, and in that trying stu
alton awaited the passing fury of the
flames. Fortunately, no branche e;
or dead trees projected into the stream
where the fishermen sought refuge
and they had nothing to fear from
direct contact with the fire. But the
heat from the flames, which were al
at no time more than ten feet away
on either side was almost unbearable
The men would endure it as long as
possible, and then duck their heads
beneath the water and keep them
there until they were forced to again
emerge for air. Added to the suffer
ings of Reeves was the circumstance
of his being obliged to hang suspend
ed by his hands from the rock, scarce
ly any water touching them. He
could not find foothold, ard eased
his hands from the heat by literally
dipping first one and then the other
under the water For a quarter OF
an hour the agony was continued,
when Reeves, exclaiming that he
would rather drown than suffer Ion
ger, released his hold and disappear
ed under the water. When be reap
peared be was some feet below, and
had touched bottom. Downs shouted
to him 10 have courage, as tie worst
was over Reeves, without word,
waded on down the stream, and
reaching shallow water, ran as fast
as he could between the mach-re-
duced flames that lined both sides of
the creek, and emerged, with hair
and flesh singed and blistered, below
the burning woods.
Downs retained his position in the
stream until the fires from below and
above had met, and the fame gradu-
ally climed up the mountains, and
then made his way down stream
through the smoke and still red hot
embers along the shore, and found
his companion about quarter OF a
mile below. The latter was consid-
erabIy burned about the face, while
his hands were fearfully blistered,
in Tending burning brush and branch
es from his face as be left the pool.
Both men were SO much exhausted
that it was a long time before they
could proceed. They walked to a
farm house about half q mile from
the creek, where their wants were
attended to.
Yesterday they took train No. )
on the Erie for home. They left
their rods and baskets at the scene
of their adventure, and they were in
all likelihood consumed by the fire.
Field Beans.