The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-01-10

steel before venturiny on the FRAY, but
the armor of the fire fighters consisted of
old coats and vet clothes. A coat was
fastened around the lady, VIII, was still
unknown to Mr. Turnbull. and her head
was covered. HIS son James. envclnped
in the same way, stood nv her side Mr.
Turnbull tied wet handkerchief across
his mouth, and after putting coat over
his head, they began the memorable race
for lite. James seized the lady, lifted
her on his shoulders and followed his fa-
Their out of the door. She was heavy,
very tall, and had passed in age the allot-
ed three score-and-ten. In addition to
this,she WAS unwilling to leave the house,
and twice she had to be dragged away by
main force from the sofa. In no instance
did she seem to comprehend what was
being done or how great her peril was.
she was more concerned about her parasol
and head dress than she appeared to be
about her own personal safety. James
seemed endowed with superior strength,
and he seized his burden with a sort of
death-grip from which, despite her strug
giles, she could not escape. She after
wards became calmer land while she made
no attempt to get utf his back, he had her
full dead weight to carry. The three
stepped into the street and walked into
the furnace. The heat was intense. and
holding down their heads they hurried
along They ran over blazing Goals, and
hands and feet burned to the very bone.
They had not proceeded twenty i've yards
from the house which was, situated near
the corner of Main and Sydney streets,
when they came upon boat, thirty feet
long, which was lying directly across their
path on its side. They could not pass by
the inside aud had to go around by the
bow. They were fastening along to
Charlotte street, and intended going down
the street to the Ballast Wharf, and when
the worst came, the intention was 10 leap
into the sea.
But the lady grew violent just as the
boat was passed few feet, and refused
to so any further. She Strengthened her.
self up. and slipping from James shout
der, fell prone upon the ground. In vain
she was reasoned with, in vain she was
asked to make an eff rt, in vain she was
appealed to; she would not move, but lay
on her back helplessly, saying:
80 leave me alone, leave me here, I'm
very comfortable" !
The great fire, like a whirlwind,
brushed against the exposed flesh of the
three human beings, and wore it to the
bone. L. was like some invisible hend.
Before them they saw no flames, but a
dead white heat that was all the more
terrible because it could not be seen.
Every time the covering was removed
from their heads, as they sought to look
out and see where they were going, this
intense. imperceptible heat burned their
very eyeballs. The trees alongside were
gra>ped by this unseen power, and their
trunks were twisted and turned in its
cobra-like embrace. Everything in the
road seemed charged with an element
that appeared to draw the flames on.
Though Main street is one hundred and
five feet wide, and the fire was for the
most part confined to the houses on the
side of the road, Cat could not run the
gauntlet that night and live. No one can
realize the awful power of the heat, which
the Messrs. Turnbull, and the lady they
were striving to save experienced on that
thrilling march through the melting val
ley, without having passed through a
similar experience. 1t was trial that
csn never be blotted from their memo
res.
So much time was lost in trying to in
duce their charge to continue on with
them, that their chance of escape by
Charlotte street was cut off, and the only
hope that remained now, was to return
Ivy tine terrible route they had come
The battle had to be fought over again
The race back had to be run oace more
The boat must bc crossed again. they
must 20 nearly two blocks forward, or
lie in their tracks. The street was full
of smoke now. and flying emberS aiignt-
ed on their shoulders ana burned their
clothes, aud tie Wild heat and the scorch-
ing Il mes were madiy tearing through
to their faces.
Their charge remained IS helpless as
before, and there was something pitiabie
in her be eecning cries, that almost
tempted them to accede 10 her request
and leave her there in the street. But
not moment must now be lost; the fire
king WAS trainpng down all before him.
The two men seized her. She struggled
ami would not IN I'VE. They dragged her
to the boat, aud she fell from their now
powerless arms.
Weakened by the fire, and sick at heart
at their ill-success, they could do no more,
and could scarcely resist themselves the
and yield their lives back to Him who
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