The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-10-07
A PERILOUS VOYAGE.
BY CHARLES L. HURD.

not only of the United States, but of Can
ada, know that the great streams which
float the huge rafts Of timber down to the
various ports and mills along their
course are often made serviceable for 9TH
er purposes. Sometimes the lumberman
or shingle- maker takes his family with
him to the scene of his winters labOrs
and in the spring, when the seasons work
is ended, places them-women and chill
dren, sometimes round dozen-on a raft
of logs or shingles, and, keeping close to
the shore, floats down ten, twenty or thirty
miles to his home. The hunter who has
for weeks hunted and trapped in the vast
forests along those streams binds his
packages of furs together, makes himself
a conveyance by lashing half a dozen logs
firmly to each other, and accomplishes
his journey of hundred or more miles in
twenty-four hours.
As general thing there is little risk in
such a journey. If the weather is fair and
the river clear of floating lumber there is
hardly more danger than there would be
in making the distance behind pair of
farm-horses in a country wagon. People,
however, if they live in constant contact
with danger, grow careless in time, and
often risk their own lives and those of 9th
crs where there is no apparent necessity.
And so it happened in the instance l am
about to relate.
John Allen was a well-to-do farmer of
Woodstock, on the st. John River, and,
besides the income derived from his land
and dairy, he owned, in connection with
his son, tract of wild timber, some
dozen miles up the river. Beginning to
turn its advantages to account in small
way, the two had erected a small shingle-
mill near the shore and kept half-dozen
men at work during the winter. The re-
suit the first year was so satisfactory that
it was resolved to increase the facili-
ties of the manufacture, and, that it might
be done understandingly, they deter
mined to visit the mill for personal ex-
animation.
They were to have one of the farm
hands drive them up as far as they could
get with team; and from that point it
was hardly more than mile to the mill.
More than half the way the road was mere
ly rough cart-track through the woods,
making the journey rather tedious one :;
but by. starting very early in the morning
they calculated to make all the necessary
investigations and get back early in the
afternoon.
This was the plan agreed upon and the
time set was the following Saturday. AS
soon as it became known in the house the
two youngest boys, Harry and Jack, We're
wild with excitement.
"Mayn't we go, too?" they shouted in
concert. "Please let US go. We neversaw
a shingle-mill"
:" A hingle-mill isn't much to see," an
swered their father. And, besides,
you'll be getting into all sorts Of danger"
go no!we won't. Well be so careful if
you'l LET us go. Itwould be such nice
ridew
"Why don't you let them go, father?"
said Mrs. Allen. C They won't take up
much room and they'll enjoy it SO much"
Is Well, WE'LL" said the farmer, good
naturedly, let 'em go, then; let 'em go
shall have to take the double wagon II
they do, though; and that's big enough
for the whole family" aa
n "Why not take the whole family,
then ?" asked Mrs. Allen, half in earnest.
"I've hardly been out of doors the whole
winter and spring, and 1 should enjoy the
ride as well as the boys"
Farmer Allen laughed.
"Ahy more of you want to go? What
would you do with the baby?"
"Take her, of course. You don't sup
pose weather like this would hurt her?
She needs the air as much as anybody"
"Are you really in earnest, mother?" 3
1 s'Certainly. l don't see why you can't
make a pleasure -jaunt out of it as well as a
business one haven't been so far away
from home for five years, and l guess the
house could get along without me for half
day. Becky can get dinner for the men
al noon, and we should get home by two
or three O'Clock at the latest."f
ssWell, just as you say, then. Pm sure
I,ye:no objections. Well have to start
pretty early, and, instead of having one Of
tie men to go with us, shall have to
drive."
] So the matter was settled.
& Al. seven O'Clock the next Saturday
morning the party set out, all in the high
sess possible spirits. Innumerable charges
were left with Becky as to what to do
about dianer and how to dispose of other
household dnties, If they should not return
at the time expected. A huge basket of
lunel vas placed under the seat much to
the Satisfaction sf. Harry and Jack, who
had been too much excited in regard to
the journey to care for breakfast. ~.
1t was a splendid April morning, and
aut tfer4he brownsloelss ofStlle fields and
the thinly-leaved trees would have seemed
like June. The sun shone and the birds
sang, and everything seemed delightful.
The two boys were constantly finding some
thing new to admire in the things about
them, and ~theirs-.RasEsy~ shouts often oe-
casioned a sympathetic "cOo' on the part