The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-12-10

| me, towering lnSurmOuntable. l be-
gan to wonder if had better go back,
when was startled to see open before
me what seemed almost a bottomless
pit. The declivity was probably not
more than fifteen feet, but it looked
very terrible to me. | could not leap
that distance, nor could l climb
around the steep slippery sides. A
tail tree grew from the lower level,
however, and by leaning far out
caught branch and thus climbed
down
| felt certain that now l must be
very near the valley floor, for had
been descending a long time. Behind
me, in the hollows of the canon, the
shadows OF evening we're already ly-
ing. ] had sprained my ankle in the
descent-an injury that at any other
time would have disabled me. Lut
now could not be allowed to impede
my progress. limped along, hoping
aud fully expecting to see, at a turn,
ing not far off, the valley before me,
the green fields, and the dwellings OF
men.
How were my hopes Knocked when l
found, instead, a precipice fully sixty
feet deep. With cry of horror, !
drew back and wrung my hands in
despair.
Had been saved from the jaws OF
q savage beast only to die more ter
rlbly by starvation, or to be dashed
to pieces in a rocky chasm?
Nature had never seemed to me so
pitiless.
The stony walls looked down at me
in awful silence. The yawning preci-
pice at my feet seemed waiting with a
sickenlng expectancy.
Before this | had been afraid to
speak aloud, for fear OF rousing some
wild animal; but now l felt that |
should be glad to see or hear anyt thing
with life, even if it were a savage. |
shouted myself hoarse, but only
trowning woods.
The shadows grew deeper. Imust do
something-anything.
1t occurred to me to make rope OF
some OF my clothing, and thus de-
scend. 1t was the work of but a mo-
ment to take off my long stockings
and tie them together, and then to
add my scarf. All this made only
four or five yards in length. tore
the skirt of my stout waterproof suit
into strips. which tied together, I'M
til ! had what seemed enough. Then,
fastening a stone to one end, | crept
to the edge and let the rope down to
measure the distance. 1t still lacked
a little. The deficiency was soon sup
| Piled from the sleeves of my jacket.
The root OF a pine afforded a conven-
lent place for attaching the rope; and,
having first tested every foot of it, to
make sure that it would bear my
weight, l was ready to swing off.
Several times looked over, and my
head grew dizzy. l decided to 60
| backward, to obviate that difficulty.
Fearing my shoes would be a hinder
ance in my ciinging to the rope, |
pushed them over together with my
cartridge belt. Another instant OF
hesitation and heart-sinking, and ]
was fairly off.
| reached the bottom sore and
breathless, but safe. Another trial
awaited me. In the gathering gloom
could not find my shoes, and the
shaip stones cut my tender feet at
every step. Moreover dreaded rat
tiesnakes, and listened with painful
acnteness for the warning rattle. Ibid
not hear anything, and soon lost that
lear In my overpowering anxiety to
reach some human habitation.
1T grew dark so rapidly that had
to use my stick at every step, as a
blind man does, to feel the way be-
fore me. Before | had groped along
many rods my guide gave me timely
| warning OF a chasm. Feeling for a
stone, l hurled it forward and heard
it strike far down below me.
could go no farther-at least until
daylight-so, drawing back a few feet,
| sat down to wait. was so weary
that Immediately fell asleep. ! was
awakened by q rlfe-shot, followed
quickly by second report, but they
sounded a long way off.
started up and tried to shout an
answer, but my overstrained throat
could make no noise except hoarse
croaking, like child with Group. l
was sure the shots came from my
friends, searching for me.
In the pocket of my jacket were
some matches that had not befor
remembered. 1t was not moment
before | had scraped some leaves to-
| gether and set fire to them. A num-
Der OF cones had fallen from the pines
above, and there was mass OF dry
chaparral. SO that | had no lack OF
fuel
BY the blaze could see the nature
OF the place around me. | was stand.
ing on u platform much like the one
from which had descended. On one
side was the sheer wall, on the other
the precipice. l was hemmed in by
prison walls.
heaped on branches till the flames
ran high and made q roaring sound.
The whole canon was illuminated, and
the tall pines shook like spectres in
the fantastic light. | stretched my
hands toward the genial warmth, and
| felt that salvation was near, for my
friends must now see the light.
A cracking noise at a little distance
drew my attention. Chaparral, cones.
the pines themselves, were ablaze. |
had set the canon on fire. Dismay
succeeded my short-lived gleam OF
hope. In front was the chasm, be-
hind the fire. ] was two rods from
the ledge, and the flames swept to-
ward me. moved forward
This sudden and awful danger gave
me voice. ] screamed wildly as the
fire reached out long, adder-like ton,
CUES for me.
Avoice above shouted to me.
Quick, quick" ] cried, cor it's too
latep'
The fire had driven ME SO near the
edge that a step would have hurled
me over. | felt the terrible calm that
comes to one when hope is dead
| saw two snakes leap upward in the
| blaze and writhe about each other in