The Press., 1883-09-20

their flying voyage. Mcintyre joined Rob- inson at the wheel on the upper deck. Self-possessed, and with the calmness which results from undoubting courage and confidence, yet with the humility which recognizes all possibilities, with downcast eyes and firm hands, Robinson took his place at the wheel and pulled the starting bell. With shriek from her whistle and white puff from her escape pipe to take leave, as it were, of the multi tude gathered on the shores and on the bridge, the boat ran up the eddy a short distance, then swung around to the right, cleared the smooth water, and shot like an arrow into the rapid under the bridge She took the outside curve of the rapid, and when third of the way down it jet of water struck against her rldder, column dashed up under her starboard side, heeled her over, carried away her smoke-stack, started her overhang on that side, threw Robinson fiat on his back, and thrust Nc Intyre against her starboard wheelhouse with such force as to break it through. Every eye was fixed, every tongue was si- lent and every looker-on breathed freer as she emerged from the fearful baptism, shook her wounded sides, slid into the Whirlpool, and for moment rode again on an even keel Robinson rose at once, seized the helm, set her to the right of the large pot in the pool, then turned her di- rectly through the neck of it. Thence, af- ter receiving another drenching from its combing waves, she dashed on without further accident to the quiet bosom of the river below Lewiston
 Thus was accomplished the most remark able and perilons voyage ever made by men. To look at the boat and the naviga- tion she was to undertake no one would have predicted for 1t any other than fatal termination. The boat was seventy two feet long, with seventeen feet breadth of beam and eight feet depth of hold, and carried an engine of hundred horse pow CT. In conversation with Robinson after the voyage, he stated that the greater part of 1t was like what he had always imagined must be the swift sailing of large bird in 8 downward flight that when the accident occurred the boat seemed to be struck from all directions at once that she trembled like fddlestring and felt as if she would crumble away and drop into atoms that both he and Mcintyre were holding to the wheel with all their strength, but produced no more effect than if they had been two flies; that he had no fear of striking the rocks, for he knew that the strongest suc- tion must be in the deepest channel, and | UIIS LULU uuttSb ISLldlu III blldt. IluO- ing that Mcintyre was somewhat bewilder- ed by excitement or by his fall, as he rolled up by his side but did not rise, he quietly put his foot on his breast to keep him from rolling round the deck, and thus fin ished the voyage.
 The effect of this trip upon Robinson was decidedly marked To it, as he lived but few years afterward, his death was commonly attributed But this was incor- rect, since the disease which terminated his life was contracted at New Orleans at a later day. "He was" said Mrs. Robinson to the writer, ''twenty years older when he came home that day than when he went out. He sank into his chair like person overcome with weariness. He decided to abandon the water, and advised his sons to venture no more about the Rapids. Both his manner and appearance were changed. Calm and deliberate before, he became thoughtful and serious afterward. He had been borne, as it were, in the arms of g power so mighty that its impress was stamped on his features and on his mind
 Through slightly opened door he haG
 seen vision which awed and subduec
 him. He became reverent in moment -I He grew venerable in an hour v