Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-07-17
Hanging I 900 Feet Above the
Arkan~aS Rapids.

Charles May and his brother
Robert, in the spring of 1870, of
fered tc pass 10000 railroad ties
down the Arkansas river from the
mountain source. He says: "Our
offer was accepted, when we start
ed into the upper entrance of the
canon with q large skiff, provided
with six days provisions and 200
feet of rope, with which, by taking
running turn around some firmly
planted object, we could lower our
! boat hundred feet at time. In
this way, at the end of three days,
having set adlift many hundred
ties, We reached the entrance to
the Royal gorge. Here we diseoy-
cred that an attempt to descend
the first waterfall with two in the
boat was certain destruction, and
to return was Impossible. Accord
ingly 1 determined to lnwer my
brother down the fall in the boat,
II distance of 200 feet ; give him
the rope, and let him take the
chance of the cancn Offs seemed
more certain in that direclionJ,
while I would lisk my physical
ability to climb the canon wall,
which was about 2,OQ0 feet high.
about ten o'clock in the morn
ing, l shook haIds with mS broth :
er, lowered him in the boat safely
to the foot of the fall, gave him
the rope aud saw him no more
Then throwing aside my coat, hat
and boots, and stripping the socks
from my feet. l commenced hy
climbing way, often reaching the
height of one or two hundred feet
only to be compelled to return to
try some other way: At length at
about four O'Clock in tho afternoon
[ reached a height upon ths
smooth canon wall of about 1
thousand feet. Here my further
progress was arrested by Il shelly
, ing ledge Of rock that jutted ou
from the canon side Il foot o.
more. To advance was withou
/ hope; to return, certain death
Reaching upward and outward,
:. grasped the rim of the ledge will
one hand and then with the other
my feet slipped from the smooti
side of the canon, and my bod,
hung suspended in the air thou
sand feet above tho roaring water
Of the Arkansas.
Q cat that moment | looked down
= ward to measure the distance
u would have to iall when my grl
: and strength of arms gave out. l
J stinging sensation crept throug
0 my hair as my eye caught th
u strong root of a cedar bush thi
q projected cut over The ledge, a lit
@ tie beyond my reach. My gras
9 upon the rim of the ledge was fas
v Welding to the weight of my pei
a son. Then | determined to maE
l my best effort to raise my bod
G ana throw it sideways towards II
+ root so as to bring it within N
: grasp. At the moment of con
N mencin5 the effort | saw my mot
a er's face as she leaned out over u
" ledge, reached down her hand III
N crught me by the hair. Str&ng'
te my mother died when yet a 20 II
C woman, when l aud my both
ie we've small boys, but I re.nemb
OF her face. was successful in ma
ing the side leap of M arms, VIII
Us | drew myself upon the ledge a
y rested for a tine. From here u
y ward my climbing way was laboI
up Gus, but less Dangerous. | reach
&C. the top OF the canon just rs the S
az was sinking down behind t
oJ snc wy range, and fastened to t
90 camp at the mouth of the cane
ev where | found my brother all sa
'ur Charley, said he, have you h
d. your head in d -four sack 2
ie- was then I discovered shat I
,,as ,as hair was as white as you See
a ne now"
he e.>-
to The harp holds in its wires the p
it sib!lities of noblest chords; yet
he they be not struck, they must ha
ar dull and useless. So the mind
he vested with hundred powers, Z
ION must be smltten by heavy hand
as prove themselves the offspring OF
all vinity. -
Le- Garments that have one rent
them are subject to be torn on ey
nail, and glasses that are once era,