The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-04
A Reminiscence Of Niagara.

remember when l was but boy that
man got into the rapids here, having
been carried down in boat, which was
broken to pieces. He had the good for
tune to be dashed on a rock, to which he
clung. It was at the height of the sea-
son-August, / recollect-and he clung
there for fully thirty-six hours. Every
body streamed out of the hotels and the
village; the banks of the river, particu-
larly on this side, we're thronged with
people anxious to do something to save
him. Dozens of plans were suggested /;
some attempted, but they all failed.
Thousands of dollars were offered to any
body who would rescue him. The despe-
rate situation Of the man had been tele-
graphed over the country and every train
brought crowds of passengers hither to
witness it with their own eyes. He was
encouraged by shouts from the banks,
but whether he could understand any
thing said is doubtful. The world is said
to be sympathetic. 1t is, or it appears to
be, unsympathetic, because the object for
which sympathy is asked is abstract.
When it is tangible, visible, all is
changed. There was an exemplifcation.
This poor wretch could be seen. He was
an ordinary, uneducated man; but he
was a man, and the brotherhood and
sisterhood of the race went out to him
in pity and intense eagerness to rescue
him. Women of fashion, blase club men,
selfish worldlings grew pale as they
watched the unhappy wretch, so vivid
was their sympathy. Many persons sat
up all night looking across the seething,
roaring waters at the small dark figure
still clinging to the rock. The morning
came; renewed efforts were made, but
they all miscarried. The crowd had in
creased; it was immense. Everybody
was excited. Tears were in the women's
eyes, the pallor cleaned through the
rouge Of some of their cheeks. Can't
something be done? Must the poor fel-
low perish before our faces? Is there no
way to rescue him? Such questions were
necessarily asked, but, alas, no reply
could be given. The man had good
courage and great strength. He clung
to the rock with the desperation of a
dying soul. To lose his hold was to be
dashed over the cataract. Apparatus
and contrivances arrived from Buffalo.
New experiments and new failures
Hoarse shouts still rang across the rap
ids to hold onto be of good heart.
The stoutest heart that ever throbbed
could not grip that rock forever. 1t was
wonderful how he had endured. A fresh
idea had come to the minds of half a
dozen mechanics. They were laboring
to throw out a hawser; every muscle was
strained; every eye was bent upon their
work. Suddenly the man slipped away.
He was exhausted; he threw up his
arms; he dashed toward the cataract.
A low groan, as from one breast, quaked
through the throng; the thousands shiv-
cred with terror. A black object for a
moment longer in the hell of the waters,
and then disappeared forever. There
was an agony of relief. No one moved
no one spoke for while. All looked in
the direction where the figure had been
swallowed up. 1t was the enchantment
of terror; it was the chill of tragedy
distinctly wrought which froze every one
for the moment to the spot. The old
resident-he has lived here forty years
says that on an average about six persons
are carried over the falls every year, and
that four out of the six are wholly or
partly intoxicated and lose their lives by
carelessness or recklessness in rowing
above the rapids, going beyond the line
of danger. But for liquor not. more than
two lives, he says, would be lost annu-
ally.