The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-29

The Experience OF Kendall, the Only Man
Who Ever Swan Them.


Who Ever Swan Them.
Buffalo Special.
William ]. Kendall who swan the Niagara
whirlpool. to-day paid Buffalo visit incognito
The World correspondent obtained an interview
with him this afternoon. He said: 1.-The rapids
extend | should judge. about three quarters of
mile, but went in q little above, making the
distance traversed probably mile. After en-
tered the ~ater my experience a rough one.
First, was carried towards the falls over three
hundred feet by a counter current But at this
stage had control of nv movements. / swan
out toward the Canada shore. where / saw the
current was going the opposite way. in order to
get into it. Once in the current got there very
lively When struck the first wave under the
old railroad bridge, my friends had driven ahead
OF me with my clothes, and they gave me a
cheer which | heard distinctly, although it
seemed to me that everyone hollerng blue
murder up there about that time. That was
where caught the first rapid, but l went over
the first two all right; they seemed to have no
whirl. But the third one-al I can compare it
to is that it hit me like locomotive. / was
stunned by the blow and felt myself to be at the
mercy Of the waves from that on I had no con-
troll of my actions whatever. After got down
as far as Buttery's elevator l saw myself near
the shore. but whenever one of those waves hit
me kind of turned complete somersault /
could not breath part of the time. but when got
to the top tried to get the old wind out of me
and catch fresh supply. Then wave would
strike me and down 1 went in less time than it
takes to tell it. When l got to the American
side and saw the rocks close to me, thought
to myself, IF you turn another somersault and
strike one of the rocks it will knock your brains
out From that on / could see nothing. but
could feel that was being knocked about good
deal My senses rather left me, and could not
tell thing. | said to myself, Bill, you're going
round I could feel, but did not know where
was l thought to myself, am through? Where
am /? But could not realize my whereabouts.
Very soon. however, found was through the
rapids and in the whirlpool. went round and
round half dozen times and then took quiet
felt myself sucked right down, how far down /
conld not tell you. 1 thought went distance
of about four miles. But to tell the truth went
a great distance. / should say sixty seventy
feet sure
'In the whirlpool said to myself, Bill. this
is the last effort of your life, and l fought for
dear life. / felt it was my last chance. When
rose to the surface after being submerged for
time, I vomited all over myself right in the
water After I felt the eddy carrying me to-
wards the lower RAPIDS l made my way to the
Canadian shore. Icaught hold of rock right
there, and did not move until | was pulled out by
my friends. / got there twenty minutes ahead
of the team driven by my friends. Was I sensible2
Yes partly. but sny head didn't feel right They
tell me was unable to speak for ten minutes,
brandy that was able to speak. The first words
/ uttered were, Go away and let me alone NV
strength gradually returned but my hands and
whole body were subject to continuous shiver
for long time They could hardly hold me
STILL Next day was still confined to bed and
every muscle panied by touch. ] am now
fairly well over it."