The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-04-25
The Intrepid Water King on
an Outing.
DOWN THE MAD RIVER TAGUS.
Over Waterfalls, Into Whirlpools
Through Mill-Dams and Safe
After All.

Tagus River. from Toledo in Spain to
Lisbon in Portugal. This was the long
est and most dangerous of his trips.
He completed 1000 kiiometers in eigk-
teen days, from the 3lst OF January TO
the 18th of February, passing lO2 water
falls. varying in height from few feet
TO twenty-five meters, besides innumcr-
able rapids. Har lily anything has
hitherto been published respecting this
voyage. l. shall, therefore, allow the
intrepid VoyGgeiu to tell his own story
again:
sit was a most difficult voyage" says
Captain Boyton, II could not get any
information about the river, and none
of the maps are correct. Many and
many a town is marked on them as be-
ing on the river that is not near it.
wrote TO mayors of the Spanish and
Portuguese towns on the banks, asking
for information and enclosing a stamp;
but in most cases the Spanish mayors
did not reply. Only two of them re
piled, though all the Portuguese mayors
STAY Al lnt
ceremonies and festivities attending the
Kings marriage, and then got think
ing had been three or four weeks with
out gong a voyage and so / determined
TO make q start down the Tagus. Tole-
do, found, was the only place could
start from. Every body said the thing
was quite impossible. Not single per-
son who knew the river was to be found.
Ii is not navigable and had never been
descended. We were told IL was all
canyons winding through the mount
aims. got pretty well tired out stay
ing there doing nothing. and so start
ed from Madrid at night. arriving at
Toledo about midday. That was the
Both of January. was met 81 the
station by an officer sent by the Cover
nor Of Toledo.
TAXING WATER.
al took the water little below the
mandatory of the celebrated Toledo
blades, with my little voyage boat in
tow. knew there was long trip ahead
OF me. l knew nothing of the river and
The map / had was bad. In about
hundred yards lost sight of the party
who saw me off. After dropping over a
hCPN vi
that day. The sun always made the
weather tolerable in the day time. but
at night IL was piercing cold. / wanted
TO make a place called Puebla de Mon
fabian. It took me thirty hours to run
there with a quick current. There are
frequent breaks and falls, but / con-
tinued running all that day. The coun-
try there is but little inhabited. You
may see here and there a man blowing.
but the most of them YOU see are herd
ing sheep. The first adventure hal
was with a couple of primitively clad
shepherds. who, hearing my voice and
seeing q strange form in the river. ran
away with all speed, but fortunately
leaving rue their frugal meal. which
they had been preparing before came
round the bend of the river.
EXCITING NAVIGATION.
Il ran along then for some time with
put seeing hardly a human being. You
can see here and there men mounted on
bulls, and accompanied by fierce dogs.
There are lots of great black bulls on
the hills, waiting TO be driven into the
arenas. It was pretty hard work get
ling along with my boat. Every water
TALL We came to had TO pick her up and
90 over with her in my arms. The
river went winding about good deal,
and during the day passed q number |
Of mills, where the passage would be |
only two or three feet wide. The coun- |
try now became quite desolate, the |
only thing like civilization in view be- |
ing occasionally n great wheel with |
earthen pots tached 70 il. These dip
ped into the river and lifted the water |
INTO a sluice. which carried II 10 irrigate |
The lamp. At nightfal could see two |
snow capped mountains right ahead OF |
me. Then they would appear at one
side and again at the other. so extra |
| ran al that night. The falls were |
terrible. used TO shut nv !
teeth and 90 ahead. Sometimes i |
would go on smoothly enough, and at |
)ther times would bring up sharp |
against a rock. The current was going |
20 quickly that was afraid OF coming |
'ull tilt against the rocks. At 3 /
o'clock in the morning heard noise
hat frightened me. and saw the river |
among jagged rocks
cLuTcHrSG An ISLAND.
1t seemed impossible to go through /
hem in the dark, so made a grab at
title island of rock and landed. Here
could see the water running and swirl
ne all round me. remained on the
locks. jumping about until daylight. 1t
vas awfully cold. You must remember
hat the river at Toledo is 3 200 feet
.boye the sea, and this is the distance ii
alls from Toledo 10 Lisbon. thought
must have already passed Puebla.
But the windings of the river had de-
,eived me. and It was not until 3
o'clock that afternoon that / reached /
hat place. There / was met by large i
,rowd Of people, and by the gHdrdiH
,iriI who had received instructions TO
receive and protect me- Similar orders
had been sent to those officials all |
through the Spanish territory, and the /
governors and alcaldes had been in
structed TO give me every assistance I
and courtesy in their power.
Just below Puebla / struck bridge l
which had been blown up during he /
first Carlist war;. and injured my dress. |
The sharp stones cut 4 hole IN II. a. /
-ssh Errffa IT, -.-ra1rrd hv affQk-- i