The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-06-15
a Tilgus Adventure,

"A 1uHuS adventure,
Captain Paul Boyton, the renowned
swimmer during recent interview said:
"Ihc Iagus is perhaps the most remark
aDlc river ever nnvignted. left Toledo,
III Spain, and padded down through that
country and Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean,
a distance OF $50 miles. For over seven
hundred miles it is not navlgublc for YES.
sris, hut winds In an erratic and--to me
annoying manner through the most weird
scenery that Spain possesses. Between
TOLEDO and the ocean It's descent ia 3, 600
1eet. at its source and for short distance
down tho shores arc lined with luxuriant
trees and grasses, but soon these utterly
disappear, giving way to arid and stoncy
banks, which in turn grow into prccipitous
mountains sides. For tho first three days
l padded along satisfactorily, but as the
number OF days since began my tourney
Increased my troubles augmented. Then
my course wound through continued scr
les OF canyons, whose gloomy walls wore in
places so high and steep that Lhcy almost
met and nearly hid the sunlight from the
yawslng chasm beneath. Towards night
1t required no great stretch Of fancy for me
10 imagine TINT was being swiftly carried
along through mysterious subtcrranean
passage. Tho river was studded with
boulders, hurled from tho mountain tons by
fearful storms, and often rs was bowlcd
along under tho pressure of the roaring
wlnd and rushing current / was thrown
against one Of these obstacles and my senses
nearly shaken from me.
10 increase my peril The river was full
OF 1als and rapids of unusual violence. IN
places shallow current would dart toward
inc rocky mountain side and then turn at a
sharp angle and merge into deep and
poaceful shoot OF water. blessed those
hayens, Tor they afforded me chance of
taking nluch-nceded rest. Looking into
their clear depths could sec the hideous
lish darling about, hut the bottom was Il
iathomless pit. Words arc wanting to pic
ture the lonelilcss Of my situation. For
ten days saw not shrub, not blado of
grass not single sign Of mans abode.
MY dlet was nauseating and felt with
alarm that | was gradually losing my
strength.
"One day, 1t was the twelfth of my
journey, as was floating on the bosom Of
a sort Of lake, suddenly was plunged head
first over fall and struck with such force
against the prccipious wall of the canyon
that l lost consciousness. Happily my
rubber suit saved me from what would
nave Doen otherwise certain death.
recovered my senses after an interval,
Know not how long, and, with a prayer on
my lips, was about to resume my voyage,
when to my horror found that my tender
was lostl 1t had been sucked into whirl.
pool, probably, and the current was rapidly
bearing me away from the scene. | was
nearly frantic. My tender was gone, nv
hopes were blasted, my life was not worth
straw! Tho contents of tho little float
were Mt that moment rs precious to nc us
all the wealth that king could bestow.
IL padded on for several hours, trusting
to find way out of the river. If | could
only find shepherd generous enough to
share with me his frugal meal was saved.
But my hopes were vain. Enc,lmbcred by
my rubber armOr, with waning strength
and tromulOus movements l made many
futile attempts to Chamber the slippery
mountain Sides. but In every case tamblcd
back into the river exhausted. For three
days was urged on, know not how,
by the impct,lous waters. was raveno,ls
with hunger, my limbs quivercd like as.
pens, Chill sweat ooZed all over my body,
| and my brain was dclirlous. sw0re like
| madman. heapcd malcdictions upon the
| Tagus, and at times sang wild snatcies of
song. TO tais day | cannot account for
tho supernatural strength giving me during
those scvcnty-two hours of agony. The
howling Of wolves and the hooting of owls
during the nights heightened the sombrc
current OF my reflections. On the morning
of the third day, just after daylight, en-
! tered the canyon OF Casaras. swallowed
Il pint or two of water and stood upright In
my rubber suit. listened for the tinkling
OF bell, or some Sound that would give
token of a habitalion. Nothing broke the
silent but the distant fall of waters. AS |
sank back in the river, in despair, TO my
JOY thought saw thin veil of smoke
coming ovor the edge of the high plateau,
and falling on the water My heart bua,
rapidly as padded on for five minutes in
tho direction of tho smoke At last l saw
the blush haze rising from behind gigan,
tic rock. With accelerated steps l. loft tho
river and clambered along the rocky bank
Several times slipped and fell, receiving
numerous bruises.
81 was compelled TO make many detours
TO reach the plateau, but finally reached 1t,
almost dead from fatigue. Ipeered around
tho edge of the large rock that I had OBJ.
served and saw tho fire which caused tho
smoke. A large pot was suspended from
a tripod over fire kindlcd with sticks anG
matted grass. The pot contained what
now believe to have been mess hardly Al