The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-01-02


ae rose and walked his room, and rubbed
his hands. as was his habit; then paused DC;
fore the mirror, admired his robust flgure ana
large face brushed his hair back rom ms
/ iT brow, and walked on again. lhaily' nc
|pauscd before his glass, and INDUCED III an
other habit peculiar to himself
"Robert Belcher,' said he, addressing INC
image III the mirror, you are brick es
sir, YOU are brick! You, Robert Belcher
sir, are an almighty smart man. You We done
| il You've started small, bui you We ended
large. You've outwtted the whCle of 'em
Look at me, SIR Dare you tell me, sir, that
am not master Of the situation? All! you
hesitate; it is well They all come to NE,
every man of 'cm. They knuckle to me- Il
is Mr.. Bclcher, will you be 80 goodY and
Mr.. Belcner, hope you are very we'll, and
f'Mr. Belcher, l want you to do better by me.
IIa. hal ha! ha! Ny name is Norval. 1t
ist? Say that again and III throttle you!
Yes, sir, I'll shake your rascally head on
your shoulders! Down. down, in the dust
and beg my pardon! 1t is well; 90! Get
YOU gone, sir, and remember not to beard the
lion in his denW
This number also gives ds Tie first Install
ment of Maj. Powell's account of his daring
descent Of the Colorado river OF when we
have had but dim outlines heretofore in the
newspapers. The voyage was one almost
literally through the bowIes OF the eaf'h' 'he
cliffs towering sometimes more than mile
above the heads of the voyagerS a part OF
the expedition at one point reiuseu 10 go any
further, and turning aside met dreadful fate
-, ~. l. ,yli1p those VINO went
survived to tell the story. We have room for
but one of the "thrilling incidents" with
which the narrative abounds:
/ Opposite our camp the wall was high and
verticlc The river running to the south for
a mile and a half, turns back upon itself and
the two stretches OF river, the first south, the
second north, are separated by a wall in many
places but ten to twenty feet wide and eight
hundred feet high, and, on the east, every
where vertical or overhanglng | wished to
climb tins wall for the purpose of measuring
its altitude, so one day Bradley and took
the little boat and pulled up stream as far as
possible, in order to reach place where the
wall was so broken that ii seemed practicable
to climb it, We landed on little talus of
rocks at the foot of the wall, but found that
we must go still farther UP the river; so we
StTullkUitu on uIllll We ItdtHtN IL pluNt NHtit
the river sweeps against the wall. Here we
found shelf along which we could pass, and
then we're ready for the climb We started
up gulch then passed to the left on a bench
along the wall; then up again, over broken
rocks; then we reached n ore benches, along
which we worked until we found more brok-I
en- rocks and crevices; by which we climbed
stul up, until we had assembled six or eight
hUndred feet Here we were met " sheer
precpicc.
Looking about, we found place where i'll
seemed possible to climb. ! went ahead,
Bradley handed the barometer to me and fol
lowed so we proceeded stage by stage until
we were nearly to the summit Here by
making spring, gained to0thold in lit
tie crevice and grasped en- angel of the rock
overhead found could get up nolfarther
and could not step back, for dared not let
70 with my hand, ana could not reach foot
hold below without; so / called to Bradley
for help lie found way by which he could
get TO the top of the rock over my head, but
could not reach me. He looked around for
some stick or limb of a tree, but found none
Then he suggested that he had better help me
with the barometer case, but feared could
not hold on to it. The moment was critical
| was standing on my toes, and my muscles
began to rembe 1t was sixty or eighty feet
TO the foot of the precipice. II lost my hold
should fall to the bottom, and then perhaps
roll over the bench and still farther down the
cliff. At that instant it occurred to Bradley
10 take off bis drawers, which he did, and
swung them down to me. | Rugged close to
The rock, let go with my hand, seized the
dangling legs, and, with his assistance, was
enabled to gain tlse top.
The number is not without Christmas
lavor-containing "A Christmas Sketch,
Christmas Sleighride, and Christmas Sug.
,estiOn, 1t also begins series of "Old Let.
crs," written from London IN the time of
William ", by young American lady,
without a thought of publication at the time
which give promise Of proving exceedingly
brightly and interesting, We have also
Travels in South America" "Bazainc's Pris-
IN" with other sketches, stories, poetry
Topics Of the Tines &c, &c, completing
4 splendid opening number for the year.