Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-06-25
Mays Terrible Suspense.
[Denver Tribune.1

Charles May and his brother Rob.
ert, in the spring Of 1870, offered 10
pass $4,000 railroad ties down the
Arkansas from the mountain source.
He says: sour offer WAS accepted,
when we started into the upper EN-.
trance of the canon with IL large
skiff provided with six days proviS.
ions and 200 feet OF rope, with which.
by taking a 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 adritt many
hundred ties, we reached the EN-.
trance to the Royal Gorge. Here
we discovered that an attempt to
descend the first waterfall with two
in the boat was certain destruction.
and to return was impossible. Ac.
cordingIy determined TO lower my
brother down the tall in the boat.
n distance of 200 feet, gave him tie
rope aud let him take the chance of
the canon 0iir seemed more certain
in that diIrction), while | would risk
my physical ability Ia climb The can
on wall, which was about 1000 feet
high.
".AbOut 10 O'Clock in the morning
shook hands With my brother,
lowered him in the boat safely to
the foot of the fall, gave him the
rope and SAW him no more. Then
throwing aside my coat. hat ana
boots and stripping the socks from
my feet, commenced my climbing
way, often reaching the height OF
one or two hHhdred feet, oHl, ta be
coupe He'd To return to try some 9th.
err way. At length, about o'clock
IN the afternoon, | reached a height
upon the smooth canon wall of
about a thousand feet. Here my
further progress was arrested hy
shelving ledge of rock that iutted
out from the canon side Il foot or
more. To advance was without
hope; 10 return, certain death.
Reaching upward and outward |
gfastrd the rim of the ledge with
one hand and then with the other,
my feet slipped from the smooth
side of the canon, and my body hung
suspended in the air Il thousand feet
above the roaring waters Of the Ar
kansas.
AT that moment ] looked down
ward to measure the distance |
would have To fall when the strength
of my arms gave ont. \ singing
sensation crrpt through my hair rs
my eye caught the strong root of
cedar bush that projected out over
the ledge, II little beyond my reach.
My grasp upon the rim of the ledge
was fast Yielding 10 the weight OF
my person. Then | determined to
make my best effort TO raise my
body and throw il sideways toward
the root so as 10 bring il Within my
grasp. Al the moment of comiuenc.
ing the effort saw my mott hers face
as she leaned ont over the ledge,
reached down her hand and caught
me 10y the hair. Stranger, my moth.
tr died while vet "a Young woman,
when and my brother We're small
boys, but | remember her face.
was successful in making the side
leap of my arms, when drew my.
self upon the ledge and rested for u
time. From here upward my climb
ing way was laborious, but less dan
erous. reached the top of the can
on Just as the sun was sinking down
behind the snowy range, and hasten.
ell To onr camp AT the mouth oi The
canon, where ioun, my brother all
safe. Charley said he. have YOU
had your head in Il flour sackr 1t
was then discovered that my hair
was As white rs YOU see it now"