The Florida agriculturist., 1884-08-20

out of the world without their help, in
few moments more.
So did /, j assure; so would anybody
who looked on the scene that lay before
me-a fierce, turbulent stream, full OF
rocks cropping up in all directions, with
the water foaming and tumbllng over
them, and the canoe already beginning
to toss, and plunge, and ship the lying
spray. r..
remember that as | knelt in the ca.
noe, and seized the paddle, in the WIG
hope of guiding it among the rocks, l
wondered if there was really merclful
God ruling all things, and ii so, how lie
could allow the life of one who had al
ways tried to serve Him, to be swept out
of the world by lot Of savages; about
Bob and Bill could understand, tor as
/ said, they were wild fellows, and sure
to do some bad deed sooner or later, to
shame their honest family.
I've felt ashamed of my doubts ever
since, and the shame commenced very
soon after my sin of unbelief, for, as
said awhile ago, if ever Gods hand was
reached down to help a amiserable mortal,
it was then and there.
Plunging, and rocking and tossing,
among the rapids; the paddle was
whirled out of my hands, but that did not
matter; it was useless anyhow-and the
| walls Of rock on each side, rose straight
up; no landing was there as far as the
eve could reach, only here and there a
| point of Jagged rock reached out from
| the base Of the walls, with the water
dashing and leaping over it.
| Dofoyo Io,,o. +Ia GRO n aro11an my OnlU
wonder was that it had not come sooner
the canoe dashed up against one of
those iutting points / have just spoken
of, and before knew what had happen
ed, it was whirling on down the river, in
a half dozen pieces, and j was crawling
up on the bit of rock, not hurt, but pref
ty well dazed and out of breath.
The Indians had given up the chase
along the opposite bank or else had met
! with some natural obstacle to their fur
ther progress, for they were neither to
be seen or heard, so Z sat quietly for
| awhile, thinking over my position. 1t
wasn't pleasant one. was not dead
yet it was true, but | say no way Of ul-
innate escape; to swim in that stream
| was impossible.
Was / to stay on that lock and starve
| to death, or cast myselflin the water,
and drown at once? waJthere no other
alternative? Yes-therel was one des-
perate resource. The walIpf the canyon
was almost perpendicular, but here and
there were slight ledges Aad cevices, and
even a few stunted bushes; it was a
chance, a bare chance thsk / could climb
up to the top-at the won't could only
fall back into the water I'D die-and 1
4a,t,cf ri1rn1v dia II I iii f[ NOT make the
...s.i = lth the ahoges \
read and sure f6otifi 50 I lost no i
ime in starting on my teorlorn hope, q
With an inward prayer K #1od to aid me,
Step by step, sometimeA slipping and
ust catching myself, Nkbrled my way
Up the steep wall Of rock i did not dare
Q look downward, and lhly once in a
While upward.
Little by little, with baked breath, and
,orn hands, | crept alonglpntil saw the
yerge of the precipice about twelve feet
lbove me-and then, wifi the end APP
so near, my healt felt cold as
cad, for every inch OF that twelve feet
hat yet interviewed between me and free
lom, was as smooth as polished marble
There was no possible f0othold up that
steep incline-and to backlwas impossi-
1le-I fell on my kneesl and prayed
loud in my agony. Ash lknelt, there
came dark shadow between me and
he fading sunlight, and astrange, rush
ng sound smote on my ears, and then,
before | could look around, was at
acked by two of the largest eagles | had
even seen.
They were as fierce as was disheart-
,ned and weary, and / felt as if it were
he ''last straw" we read of. had no
and finally, after beating them
,f as well as Icould with my hands and
lrms, in utter desperation, | seized each
If them at the same moment by one leg.
That seemed to frighten them; they
stopped pecking at me, and tried to get
lway, but | held on, and then next | knew
felt myself being drawn slowly up the
smooth face OF the cliff, my feet just
ouching the rock My head got many
lard blow from those immense wings,
)ut / held on, literally for dear life, for
was keenly alive to the fact that the
birds were doing for me whatI was help
ess to do for myself-of course they had
lot my full weight as they fluttered up
he face Of the cliff, but they steadied
ne, and drew me upward. x | knew
hen, as those great birds screamed and
,eat the air with their strong wings, that
Tod had sent them in answer to my
hand had been helping me
ii that weary afternoon. When, a few
later, my feet touched the level
round, and the strain was over, | sank
lown in swoon, but woke up all right
he next morning.
had a compass in my pocket, and so
new the right direction to take to strike
he general line of travel, and that very
lay was so fortunate as to meet a cara
an. They hadiust had fight with
mall party of Indians, and had annihi-
ated them. They were, no doubt, the
anne that had attacked our camp.
Well, went home in three years, and
Then I proved to Mr.. Carew that could
uy him out twice over, he had nothing