Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-12-02

The root of a pine afforded a conven-
lent place for attaching the rope and,
having first tested every foot of :, to
make sure that it would bear my
weight, was ready to swing cf.
Several times looked over. and my
head grew dizzy. / decided to 60
backward, to obviate that difficulty.
Fearing my shoes would be q hinder
ance in my clinging to the rope, I
pushed them over, together with my
cartridt.e belt. Another instant oil
hesitation and eart-siis:sking. and l
was fairly off. /,
/ reached the bottom sore and
breathless, but safe. Another trial
awaited me. In the gathering gloom
i could not find my shoes, and the
sharp stones cut nay tender feet at
every step. Moreover, | dreaded rat
tlesnakes, and listened with painful
acuteness for thewarningrattle. ibid
not hear anything, and soon lost that
fear in my empowering anxiety to
reach some human habitatlon.
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 CROPPED along
many rods my guide gave me timely
warning of q chasm. Feeling for a
stone, / hurled it forward and heard
| it strike far down below me.
could go no farther-at least until
daylight-so, drawing back few feet,
| sat down to wait. ! was so weary
that Immediately fell asleep. | was
awakened by rife-shot, followed
| quickly by second report, but they
sounded a long way of.
Istarted up and tried to shout an
answer, but my overstrained throat
could make no noise except a hoarse
croaking, like child with Group. L
was sure the shots came from my
friends, searching for me.
In the pocket of my jacket we're
some matches that / had not before
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 a platform much like the one
| from which / had descended. On one
side was the sheer wall, on the other
| the precipice. | was hemmed IN by
prison walls.
heaped on branches till the flames
ran high and made 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. i was two rods from
the ledge, and the flames swept to-
] ward me. / moved forward.
This sudden and awful danger gave
me voice. SCI canned 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
latel"
The fire had driven me so near the
edge that step would have hurled
me over. l 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
agony.
/ Catch this, and tie it under your
arms" shouted a voice, and rope
fell at my feet.
Twas saved; but never since have ]
cared for hunting. was cured by the
dying look OF the white deer