The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-11-22
HUMBLE HEROISM.
An Incident Of the Flood In the
Alabama River.

Negroes frequently exhibit g Won
derful degree of herOism in times of
danger. An instance of this l wit
messed in the spring of 1886, when a
freshet in the Alabama river caused
the country on each side to be over
flowed by water for many miles.
The negroes on the river planta-
tions were the greatest sufferers.
Their cabins would be under water
almost before they knew that danger
threatened them, and hundreds Of
them were sometimes found huddled
together upon some knoll sufficiently
elevated 10 be above the water. There
they often remained two or three days
and nights without food and exposed
to a soaking rain. Fortunately, the
weather was not cold.
Many relief expeditions were sent
out from the neighboring towns to res
cue them. These consisted Of one or
more boats, manned by expert oars
men and swimmers, and filed with
cooked provisions, blankets, etc. One
day the news came that the negroes on
a certain plantation had sought refuge
upon a corn crib, around which the
'N~SS@ " go Ia PANAg A@7AA4EB anu 5O LSl4-
dering their condition exceedingly
precarious- Two boats started out at
once to their assistance. In one Of
these l went, accompanied by another
white man and a negro.
An amusing occurrence took place
not long after our starting. In the
middle of a submerged field, about one
hundred yards to our right, we saw
little, woolly black head. with
frightened black face beneath it, pro-
jectlng from the water. We
rowed hastily towards it and drew
out of the muddy water a negro boy
about eight years old, perfectly naked,
and held him up among US.
Here, Moses" cried one, holding o
tin cup with whisky in it to his mouth.
here, take a drink
Take a bite Of this bread, Moses"
cried another, trying to crowd the
bread into his mouth.
"No; let Moses have some Of this
fried bacon. Itu do him the most
good" said the negro oarsman. =
But Moses shook his head and turned
aside from all the offered food.
IT Sc erbleeged to yer, marsters," Z"
he said, while his white teeth shone
and his eyes rolled wildly. Use
erbleeged ter yer, but hain't sot down
in two days, by tryin' to keep my head
out de watah. an all wants, eff yer
please, is to set down"
He was promptly wrapped In a
blanket and set down, where for an
hour he sat without moving, enjoying
the perfect rest of his new position.
At the end of that time he began to
eat. | draw a vail over his perform
ance in this line. We feared we had
rescued him from a watery grave to
kill him with corn bread and bacon,
although the negro oarsman insisted
that he never heard of ''niggah bein'
hurt by too much to eat" Meeting @
returning boat soon after, we put
Moses in 1t and sent him TO town.
never heard of him again, but presume
he survived both his unusual bath and
banquet.
We resumed our journey, and jus;
before dark sighted the corn crib
upon which q mass of black hu
manity clustered like a swarm o.
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and daylight beginning TO fade away
their condition become most distress
ing, as they sat IN perfect silence
watching our approach.
But we did not appreciate their ex
treme peril until, as the boat STRUCK
against the frail log-house, which wai
in the water to the edges of the roof
it visibly shook and tottered. Th'
poor creatures began to Chamber hur
riedly down to the boat.
''Stopr' / cried. The women anC
children first
The men obediently resumed thei
seats. We took in first the children
and then the women, getting them al
in safely, ard were about to push of
telling the men we would hurry bacl
for them as quickly as possible or SEM
the first boat we met, when a very oil,
woman q noticed she was tho last T.
get in the boat and had done so re
luctantly) seized the corner of tn,
house, and, looking anxiously into m
face, said:
''Marster. amt you gwine take m
ole man?" ud .,ha hos
is too full now. He must wait TIL W
come back"
The words were hardly out OF N
mouth when with sudden spring sh
was up and on the roof again.
/ shook as she scrambled on all foui
upon it and took her seat by littl
withered old black man, whose han
she seized and held as if she was afra