The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-03-10
A BRAVE VOYAGER.


Capt Paul Boyton has figured in many
thrilling adventures. Alone at night
upon dark and freezing waters, uncer-
tain as to his course, with not a star
visible in the black vault above him, he
has passed fearlessly through dangers
that would cause one less lion-hearted
to quake with terror. His nomadic
career has led him on many occasions
into daring exploits, the mere mention
of which is sufficient to send SILVER
through the listener-such, for instance,
as making the risky passage of the
shark-infested bay in Florida, or pad
ding from continent to continent across
the treacherous Straits of Gibraltar.
Paul Boyton's stout spirit has kept HIM
undaunted by perils, and he has proven
his bravery almost to foolhardiness.
Never but once has the brave voyager
feared that the mantle of death was about
to infold him, and, curiously enough,
this exception happened in sunny Spain.
The adventure occurred in january, III.
In that year Boyton, who had descended
the Tiber, Thames, Danube and other
rivers, had been surfeited with ribbons,
medals, and decorations, and was gener-
ally looked upon as demi-god, in the
exuberance of his confidence declared
that he would make the descent of the
Tagus.
"The rash stranger to float in his
devils dress down the Tagus f" cried
the startled senoras, when the wonderful
story was whispered about. "The ter
rible Tagls He does not mean it. He
would perish of cold. The furious
waters would rend him to shreds against
the sharp rocks. What manner of man
is this mad young Americana"
The public laughed at the idea. This
American had the heart of lion, but
was as wise as the ostrich that thinks to
conceal itself from the hunter by bury
ing its head in the sand. As we'll might
he attempt to reach the bowels of the
earth by passing salamamander-like
through the fiery Vesuvius. Did he
know that the river sped as an arrow
through wild region fraught with
peril, and that for hundreds of miles it
darted through frightful canyons? How
many unlucky souls had launched their
boats upon its tickle waters and had
never again been seen in mortal form
Did not the mothers of Toledo awe
their babes to sleep with tales of the
mysterious river-of its terrible demon,
whose shrieks of inhuman laughter were
often heard by belated shepherds in the
midst of the storms that on sultry sum-
mer nights broke over the Tagus?
Surely Ell Captain would admit that he
only been joking.
But the Captain had not been Joking,
and intimated very plainly that the per-
son who would accuse him of such was
what no Spaniard is called without clap
ping his hand on his dagger. Boyton
had said he would descend the Tagus.
and, be there 100 falls or 10, 900 COLLINS,
he would brave all and make the voyage
or perish in attempting it. The maxim
death before dishonor found particular
favor with the Spaniards, and in short
order the current of popular opinion
whirled around, so that those who had
used every effort to dissuade the Captain
from his undertaking suddenly became
Its warmest supporters. The remainder
of this narrative is best told in Capt.
Boyton's words.
son the 7th of january, 1877" he
says, 81 began my journey down the
Tagus. The weather was extremely
cold, and dull leaden sky seemed to
the shivering throng around me omi-
nous of my fate. With many adieus I
slowly padded from the shore into the
center of the stream, which was shallow
and narrow. The senoritas on the
banks waved their bright-colored scarfs,
and [ think / noticed some of them
weeping. My joints were rather stiff
from want OF practice, and to restore
warmth to my body I rapidly increased
the power of my stroke. Jagged stones
were distributed with rather too prod
igal hand, as thought, in the course
was totake, and in my anxiety to keepmy
eyes fixed on the dear friends lining the
shore against these l several times
bumped my head with unpleasant We
locity. Too soon bend in the stream
shut out the group from view. Left to
my own reflections, | began to specu-
late on the chances of success or failure.
l thought of my distant home, and a
shlver crept through me as seemed to
see with startling distinctness my up
turned body, pulseless and inanimate,
tossed high on some barren rock by a
treacherous rapid. cannot tell why
my mind ran ON such horrible ideas.
Neither before nor since have [ felt the
same degree of doubt, fear, indecision,
perplexity. In my little tender 1 car
RED the usual supply of precautionary
articles. l had plenty of food-but of
such quality In water-tight bag
were piece of dried meat-it might
have been horse flesh, from its cohesive
ness; about three pounds of species of
bareback as obstinate as a rock, and q
dozen loaves of alleged bread, soaked to
responsiveness In rancid oil. As I BAN
quoted on these dainties l consoled N.Y.
self with the trite maxim that visitors to