Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-07-10

yI 2a,n unable to say. AT sall esShts, i
Icscapedf his notice, tho shot did not como,
aud, Watching my ohanco 50 the lull
of tho tempest I oontin8ed hy pcrlloAs
Sodfso. .s. Z. U
ut seemed as IL Tho fiood gates Of heaven
had been opened, aud the ecourging, wind,
sweeping with terrible violence around tho
mouatatn, ,disputed ovety inch Of tho WY
which l gained WITH tho utmost difficulty,
oftenttt,es threatening TO tear lno bodily
from thopscilating ladder which had served
mo 30 we'll. III 81 ID i,i@l san59i \,
ri had but little strength to spare whaoua,
! at length found myself eroaohing in the
muddy bottom of tho old !, mountain gorge,
.'Tho. earth yielded benoatli my y}feet, sapd
aud pebblos swirledN by, and rising above
tho crash Of the elemonts I heard the in,
croasibg roar Of some unknown torrent as
it swellod and gathered force far above me.
"Ncrved on by tho strength Of despair,
| rushed down the steep deoliyity, reckless
as to whore my feet might wander. Com
pictoly blinded between the mingled glaro
Of tho lightning aud tho intense darkness
that followed each flash, stumbled on,
feeling that ovcry moment my stops wero
becoming unsteadier. # a
"rho water Yves already up to my knoes
and rushing by with o foroo that made me
grip desperately to whatever projection
could find along the side Of the ravine.
'"Tho incxorable waters rose yet faster
aud tho danger Of tho tempest grew wilder
still. My strength and even my faculties
wore failing fast, my feet were lifted from
boneath mo, and quicker than thought l
was rushing helplcssly along, onyeoped
amid tho spray and foam of that maddening
whirl. na, :
"l think must havo lost myself for
moment, but walked, amid tho darkness
and roariug waters, noarly strapglcd to
death. Another instant and I was whirled
heavily against some. yielding object.
rallied my strength for final effort. Tho
next fash revealed tho wreck Of tree,
with the roots still olinging tenaoiously to
tho side of the bank.
II drew myself up out of the rush Of tho
current, and orawlod to.a firm foothold on
tic shelving bank of the torrent.
sTho cool rain revived me. The terrible
strain upon my nervous system had robbed
mo to q great, extent Of tho vitality natural
to my strong constitution. But my power
OF endurance was great. / stumbled for.
ward, feeling my way amid debris of fallen
trees, pithoics aud hugo rocks all scattered
promiscuously about on the steep side of
the mountain, until faint glimmor of light
streamed tremuiously across my path. It
was welcome sight, and, prisoner or no
prisoner, made up my mind to risk lfo
and liberty, and demand shelter from tho
storm, which still ragged, but gave signs of
abating.
"I was uuarmed; tho only weapon l had
sailed forth with had been abandoned on
tho odgo of the, prccipice, previous to my
attempting tho pcriIous passage. | folt my
heart boat faster as ncarcd the door of that
tumblc-down rancho, which oomcd up, q
huge, shapelcss mass, amid tho gloom. and
solitude of that wild spot,
ga moments hesitation, and. l knocked
rcsolntcly at tho door.
"Qaicro utvep (who comes thcro? aud
I hoard tho click of weapon.
II am an American" replied bitterly,
in Noglish; ia Unitod Stalos officer who
has lost his way on the side of this cursed
mountain"
"With jerk the door was thrown back
on its rusty hinges, revealing tho figure Of
man of brawny proportions, armed to the
teeth and of most villainous aspect.
"lle held Aaring torch on high tho
uncertain light of which fell aoross his
SCARED and scowlipg yisage. Keenly and
deliberately he scanned the torn and tattcrod
remains of my uniform, then in harsh and
growing voice, ho demanded.
"What do you want hero and how many
of you are there3"
81 ropliea, in tho best Spanish I could
master, that / was alone, and repeated nv
doleful story Of buing lost in tho storm.
"At that moment, to my surprise and
astonishmcnt, my faithful Newfoundland,
who, by somo keen instinct of his nature
had succeeded in sccnting inc. burst from
tho surrounding obsourity, tcstifying his
joy by leaping upon mo and baying in his
deep, powerful tones.
cit was welcome surprise to mo.
felt that I had at leaet one friend upon
whom I could rely in case Of GO emergency.
"The mans appearance was indicative of
mixtured fcrooity and cunning, while his
eye, wild and unsettled, lit up with an
expression could not fathom US he bado
mo enter. 3
"Strango forebodings filled my heart as
| gazed about tho recesaes of tho hoycl.
It was almost bare of furniture, save table
and two broken chairs. A fro blazcd
cheeriiy in the fireplace, boforo which were
stretched three dark forms wrapped in tat
tcrcd and greasy blankets. Tho CLEAN of
fire arms, as they lay piled in the corner,
did not escape my attention; and you nav
depend | did not fccl tho easiest in nv
mind as | drew up before tho fire, with NV
dog coiled down at my foot.
"ln my exhausted state, despite tho