The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-08-31
Rescued By A Dog.

| NeCcntly nunDer Of soldiers went from
| Fort Craig to the Rio Ora nde for a bath,
Among them was Captain Jack Crawford.
After being in the water about three quar-
ters OF all hour Captain Jack started to
cross toward the other side over sand-bar,
on which tho water was only from Six
| inches to a foot deep. Several of the others
had followed Jack, and they had consider
| able fun tripping each other and rolling
over in the water, while two of the bows
got Jack down in the shallow water and
ticklcd him in the ribs until he was nearly
exhausted with laughter, he being very
tlckllsh. In order to get away from his
tormentors Jack rolled over towards the
deep water on the lower edge of the bar
| ana when he got up OH his feet he kept
backing down stream, and although there
was not over two feet of water where he
stood, yet the current was 80 strong that il
| would carry him down should he lose his
| footing. lie kept splasbing water on those
who had been tickling him and bantcring
| them to come on after him. when suddenly
| ho made two or three desperate efforts to
get back, but failed. Yet he said not Il
word or the others might have joined bands
and reached for him. No one dreamed for
a moment that he was trying to cxtrlcate
himself from tue qulcksaud All at once
he went down like piece of lead. Even
then we thought lie had taken dive until
he was under water longer than man
would willingly stay, and, indeed no one
would have noticed this particularly had we
not heard peculiar sound, more like the
roar OF lion than anything else, and the
next instant Jack g dog, "Hero," q beauti-
tut St. Bernard, was seen swimming
| towards his master, while he set up a howl
IN ~
| came up about twenty-five yards below
where he went down and right in the centre
| of terribly swift current, near where the
river would make quick, sharp turn. He
was nearly exhausted when the sand broke
from under him, and, striking whirlpool,
he could make little or no hcadway and
had to use all his strength to keep from be-
ing caught in the suction. Hill, a s)ltlicr,
orderly for General Hatch, soon as he saw
the dog 60 for Jack also sprang in the cur
rent, but Hero got to Jack first, Just rs he
was going down the second time, and talk
ing him by the hair of the head brought
nm above water. Jack who never lost
his presence Of mind, caught tho dog by
the back juet above tho hip, and tie faith
full Hero brought him safe to shore nearly
a mile below where he first went down.
This was really narrow escape, as an
officer and five soldiers went down nearly
III the same place few ycnrs ago and were
never seen. A wagon and team of mules
disappeared in the river two years ago and
have not turned up yet. An old Mexican
brought Jack over from the opposite shore
in boat, while Hero never ceased licking
his hands and face until he came out of the
boat. In about an hour Jack was all right
again, except that he had u headache and
could not hear good, his cars being full of
water. lie told his experience as follows:
"Whcn got away from the boys l felt
ticklcd mo till couldn't kick: then when
got near the lower end of The bar felt
the sand getting softer and my feet seemed
to stick as If they were being drawn down,
and had 10 keep pulling them out onc
after another, when, all at once the whole
bottom seemed to drop right out of the
river, and down it went, and that under
current just held my nose on the ground;
for Il little while, by Jove, thought
never would got up, and i'll those few sec
onds under that current of muddy water |
saw more strange sights, In my mind, than
ever Jules Verne pictured fifty leagues
under the sea. When 1 did come up the
first thing heard was Hero, then turning
round l saw tho dear old boy coming for
| tio Will "'l iiS HliSAC' DClleVo Ia lOSt
my senses If hadn't seen that dog, but Just
then that old Spottsyvania hip wound
stopped my right leg from doing any service,
and felt that had struck a whirlpool. l
kept on the outer edge as much as possible,
and believe must have made about turn
and half; when felt had to 20 took
a long breath, shut my mouth, and the
next thing | knew Hero had me by the
hair. II was the first time over felt like
having my scalp lifted, at least above
water. AS soon as l got mouthful of air
Hero left go, and caught hold of him by
the hips, when Inc towcd me ashore. I tell
you the hot sand was good layout for me.
| was never 80 much exhausted, and if |
had been drowned l suppose the Coroner
would have said 1t was accidental drowning,
instead Of being tickled to death" Captain
Jack 8 dog Is without doubt the finest spcci-
men of the ST. Bernard that ever saw.
lie Is eleven months old, weighs I2b
pounds. and is white as snow, hazel eyes,
and very broad forehead and most in,
tclligcnt face.