Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-13
A pERILoUS FEAT

There is q deep ravine in a northern
| county of the State Of New York, which
was the scene CT an exploit which has but
one like il in history
| The limestone rocks rise upon each side
| in perpendicular columns, to the hight Of
nearly two hundred feet. and at the bottom
a narrow, rapid river rushcs on. leaping
over rocks and lodges, making the scenery
at once picturesque and grand.
! Some years ago a young student, wander
| ing through this glen, and looking up the
face Of the limestone rocks, became filed
with the desire to ascend from the bed OF
| the rayine 10 the summit. 1t was perilous
| undertaking. AMI wild one, and could dc
! no good. But who can account for the
| yagarieS of the human mind?
| The desire, once implanted in his breast
| could not be removed, and became stronger
and stronger as he gazed. He could not
! resist ii, and before he was well aware what
he was doing, he was climbing the face OF
| the rocks-clinging byroots- drawing him.
self from ledge to ledge by the sheer power
| OF muscle. and, with his eye fixed upon the
summit, steadily moving upward
1t was hard work, and took all the powers
OF muscular frame; but he still perse-
vcrcd- never looking back nor pausing in
his ar1uous path
Foot BY foot he arose above the glen. I'M
| II! he had reached an altitude OF nearly 140
feet and here he was at q standstilI.
Up to this time the face Of the limestone
wall was rough but now it changed and
showed no surface or ledge upon which he
could set his foot.
He dared not look down for he might
right hand and to the left and began TO
lIIya Iaf bas in farr ,l,-
position.
To recode was madness: to go on was
impossible, to all appearance Yet the
brave youth did not despair. Suddenly
there flashed into his mind the story ofthat
ambitious Virginia boy who aspircd to set
his name upon the spot to which Washing
ton had climbed, and who was placed in
tie same situation with himself
Supporting himself against the wall with
one hand, he managed to get out his knife
and open it with his teeth: for he knew
that if he dropped it he was doomed. He
looked up and settled in his mind the course
he would pursue, and then set steadily to
work, digging the earth out of the crevices
with the knifc-point and sending the debris
rafting down into the gulfbeow. His one
thought was that he must reach the sum
nit of the ravine or die
Once he paused, and clinging to the wall
essayed TO look downward; but at the first
glimpse his head began to whirl; and he
fixed his eyes again upon the summit, and
closed them until the slight giddinesS had
passed away
His breath came thicl; and laboring. and
the perSpiration started from every pore.
The knife WAS bluntcd and ragged from
frequent contact with the rocks and his
clothing was in tatters. Still he worked
away cheeriully, and reached point from
which a narrow ledge ran horizontally
along the face of the cliff, giving him an
opportunity to rest his wearied limbs. He
needed the rest, for the worst of his labor
was To come.
Fifteen feet above him the rocks reared
their heads with hardly a crevice or a flaw,
and he must depend upon the knife to
delve out places for his hands and feet.
The last half hour he labored there he
was scarcely conscious Of passing events.
He knew thut he was working for his life.
and dclved away with undated energy.
An unnatural strength was given him
the strength Of dcsperation-an with
wild cry of joy he grasped small tree on
the top Of the cliff and drew himself up.
when oyertaXed nature gave way, and he
fell SenScleSS on the sod.
Years have passed, but that student-an
cd man n0w-yet lives, hale and strong.
and points ont to his children's children
the perilous track he made up the lime
stone cliffs t.. d. Clark in Golden Age