The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-06-27
TURNED GRAY IN AN HOUR.
CHARLES MAYS THRILLING ADvEN-
TTRE.

CHARLES MAYS THRILLING ADVEN-
TURE.
Charles May and his brother Robert
III the SpTiug Of 1870. offered to pass 60
coo railroad ties down the Arkansas
river from the mountain source in Colo
RADIO. He says:
"Our offer was accepted. when we started
into the upper entrance of the canon with a
large Skif provided with six davS provisions
and poe feet of rope, with which. by taking
running turn round some firmly planted OBJ
Ject, we could lower our boat 100 feet at a
time. In this way, at the end Of three davs.
having set adrift many hundred ties we
reached the entrance TO the EOyal Gorge.
Here we discovered that an attempt to de
scend the first waterfall with two in the boat
was certain destruction, and to return was
impossible. Accordingly, / determined to
lower my brother down the fall in the boat n
distance OF 201 feet, give him the rope, and
let him take the chance Of the canOn-Iife
seemed more certain i'm that direction-while
l would risk my physical ability to climb the
canon wall, which was about 600 feet high
About 10 O'Clock in the morning I shook
hands with my brother, lowered him i'm the
boat safely to the foot of the fall. gave him
the rope, and saw him no more Then
throwing aside my coat hat and boots and
stripping the socks from my feet. ] com
menced my climbing way. often reaching the
height Of 100 or 200 feet, only 10 be compelled
10 return to try some other way. At length
about O'Clock i'm the afternoon. / reached
heigth upon the smooth canon wall 0f about
LOCO feet. Here my further progress was
arrested by shelving ledge of rock that iut-
ted out from the canon side q foot or more
To advance was without hope. 10 return
certain death. Reaching upward and ON
ward, | EraSped tine rim Of the ledge with one
hand, and then with the other. my feet slin-
ped from the smooth side of the canon. and
my body hung suspended in the air a thou.-
ana feet above the roaring waters of the Ar
kansas.
AT that moment / looked downward 10
measure the distance / would have to fan
when the strength of my arms gave out. \
Singing sensation crept through NV hair as
my eye caught the strong root Of a cedar
bush that projected out over the ledge lit
tie beyond my reach. Nv grasp upon the
rim of the ledge was yielding u the weight
Of my person. Then / determined to make
nay best effort to raise my body and throw IL
sideways toward the root 50 as to bring it
within my grasp. At the moment Of com
mencing the effort, | saw my mothers face
as she leaned out over the ledge reached
down her hand and caught me by the hair.
Stranger, my mother died when quite "a
young woman, when ] and my brother were
small boys, but 1 remember her face. | was
successful in making the side leap of my
arms, when / drew myself up the ledge and
rested for a time. From here upward my
climbing was iabOTiOUS, but less dangerous.
| reached the top OF the canon lust as the
sun was sinking down behind the snowy
range, and FASTENED 10 our camp at the
mouth OF the canon, where / found my broth
eT all safe Charley, said he have yOU
had your head in a huur-Sack2' 1t was then
l discovered that my hair was as white as
You see il now"