The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-09-18

l of about 100 miles in length, interrupted by
rapids, falls and cataracts. 1t enters into
the caribbean sea, far south Of the Gulf OF
, Mexico, and east of Central America. This
was the
; MOST pERILous VOYAGE
, ever experienced by Mr. Fisher. The boat
was open--a big scow propelled up stream
by oars, drawn up the rapids and falls by
windlasses, but down stream it was allowed
10 drift, with the swiftly running current,
the oars seldom being used, except at the
points Of danger. The boatmen, trained TO
this labor all their lives, had due appre.
citation Of the dangers of the river, for not a
week passed but some Of their comrades and
boats were destroyed by its boiling
food at some of the falls, the chief and most
dangerous Of which, Mr.. Fisher thinks is
about as unsafe for navigation as the whirl-
pool Of Niagara. Besides the crew there was
on board about twenty California roughs
stupid, brutal, ignorant animals sort Of
connecting link between men and beasts
Charles Fisher notwithstanding he had eaten
peck or more of those delicious wild plums
and had swallowed in slices or grated pail.
fIl of potatoes which cost his father an
ounce of gold, was still suffering from the
effects Of sCurvy and had been made as com
Portable as circumstances would permit, on
n pallet, at the bottom Of the boat, with the
clouds, heavy with rain, above him fora quilt.
Night came on and with it the most fearful
rain that Mr. Fisher had ever encountered
The darkness was intense, lightning flashed
and thunder roared, and the boat went swift
| ly and silently on, with Mr.. Fisher acting
as captain, the boatmen having lain down at
midnight for a few hours rest. The food of
rain aroused the "roughs' and some fend
put it into their heads to seize the oars and
row with all their strength, as though by
that means they could escape the rain! AS
the great falls were not many miles ahead,
and the boatmen did not desire te reach that
cataract until daylight, and had so instruct
and demonstrated with the men accordingly
but they needed him not. Presently they
struck small whirlpool and rapids the boat
turned sideways in the stream, and in doing
so, shipped great wave, about barrel of
water pouring over poor Charlie, on his bed
and bringing him on his feet in consterna-
ton. The boatmen came to the rescue, the
boat was righted, and as the wild miners
seemed to perceive the i'll results of their
rowing and promised to let the oars alone,
the crew again laid down and the boat sped
onward. Again the rain came on with re
newed vigor, and again the miners broke
loose and seized the oars The boat fairly
few through the water. In about an hour
the flashing of the lightning revealed to Mr..
Fisher that the scow was running at race
horse speed Alarmed he called the Spanish
crew, who no sooner took in the bearings
and land marks than they uttered cries of
despair and fell upon their knees and began
to pray! The vessel was at the brim of the
Great cataract! The fiends who had brought
on this deadly peril sunk away from tie
oars in awe-stricken silence. The boat rear.
ed, pitched rocked now seemed to leap
clear into the air, then it dived almost
below the waves, now grazing ledge of
rocks, then apparently springing over others,
the lightning flashes lightning up the gloom,
the rain pouring a deluge, the poor super
stitious Spaniards praying and bewailing,
and all expecting every moment to be thrown
into the seething waters and to be crushed
by the boat or dashed to death against the
rocks, formed reality of horror, not picture,
such as can neither be imagined nor descrb
ed. At length the boat seemed to steady it.
self, the tremendous roaring ceased, or
gradually died away in the distance, the
crew sprang to their feet they were safely
through, and then all united in shout Of
10y and thankfulness, which made the woods
ring-such shout Of joy as never had been
heard before in that scene Of terror
HOME AGAIN.
The party arrived at the caribbean sea in
safety. Charles improved rapidly and they
left in British ship for New Orleans and
arrived home in March, 1851. Mr.. Fisher
details the hardships of camp life coarse and
not always the best of food though sweeten
ed by toll and hunger, lonesomeness, home
sickness, disappointment Of unlucky miners
who in hunting fer gold found none and
often lost their health and came home wreck.
ed and ruined, physically and financially as
some did. Although this was not the fate of
Mr.. Fisher and his son, yet all in all it was
a hard life-but an experience which he
would not part with if he could. On his re-
turn from the far west, in 1851, he was elect
ed justice of the peace. in this city, an
office which he has held ever since. We
need not add what is so well known, n lmely,
that he is held in the very highest estima-