The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1883-11-03

hS ildi III HIS lJOSScSSlOl' w hlSNy
went down and courage rose up.
In few minutes every thing was
in readiness, and we began to lower
the first log. All went well until
we got about half way down, when
we became little careless, probably
the effect of the whisky. Here one
end gained little on the other, al
lowing the bow-line to slip from the
wooden pin in the opposite end.
This naturally caused the log to
wheel in the contrary direction, and
detach itself from the second line.
Being now released from all check,
it proceeded down the steep declivity
at frightful rate, until it reached
the sloping terrace. Then it slack
ened speed, and we had hopes that
either the sage brush or pine stumps,
or both combined, would eventually
bring it to stand-still. But we
were doomed to disappointment, for
it managed to break through or roll
over every impeachment, until it
reached the lower brink of the ter
race, straight above the camp. 1t
then suddenly disappeared from our
view, and we saw nothing but ar
cloud of dust, and heard rumbling
sound like distant thunder.
Jack and l stood and gazed at
each other for some time in mute
dismay, Eliminating on probable con-
sequences. At length l broke 81
lence by exclaiming, Thunder! how
is this thing coming out! L knew if
the log struck the camp both life
and property we're endangered. In
jury to property could be repaired
by money, of which we were flush;
but lives could not be restored.
Not only so, Lynch Law was in full
force in those days, and we were in
great fear and imminent danger of
it's penalty. 1t demanded life for
life, and made short work of salts
flying it's claims on any one who had
taken thex lie of another intention
ally or from carelessness. My first
impulse was to make tracks and
clear out to parts unknown, without
returning to camp; but my pros
poets of ''pile" at Murderer's Bar
changed the current of my inclina-
tions, and we finally decided to go
down and face the music.
Just as we arrived at the lower
brink of the terrace, we met man
coming up all out of breath and
reeking with perspiration. His first
exclamation was, What in Halifax
are you doing up here! 1 felt con-
siderably alarmed, but managed to
muster up sufficient courage to en-
quire if anybody was killed, and
experienced sensation like one
relieved of burden a ton weight
when assured that nobody was hurt.
That's all right, said l, let us sit
down and hear the whole story.
Having recovered breath and wiped
the perspiration from his face with
the sleeve of his shirt, he related
what took place after the log had
disappeared from our sight, in sub
stance as follows:
Well, said he, some miners work.
ing on the opposite side of the river
saw the log soon after it came over
the brow of the hill, and gave the
alarm. In few seconds the cry of
81 look out passed from end to end
of the camp and everybody was
warned of approaching danger. You
should have seen the way that log
came down! 1t rolled, and leaped,
and tossed, and pitched! Now it
would strike stump, then it would
turn half dozen 4summersets, next
it would make clear jump of fifty
or sixty feet, and all this time it was
putting direct for Colonel Potter's
grog shop. Those sailor chaps were
all inside at the time pegging away
at a game of poker and betting high.
1t was as much as we could do to
induce them to stop playing and
run for their lives. Just at the nick
of time their phlegmatic nerves be-
came excited by the continuous
shouting from without, and they
made simultaneous rush for the
door, more for the purpose of learn
ing the cause of the uproar than
with any intention of escaping from
danger. They had barely got out
side, when crash came the log
against the shanty, and the wooden
framework of the canvas walls
snapped like matches. The log
came right through where the poker
table stood and took table, seats,
har. hnttlas and auaruthinn clam