Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-05-02
A PERIL0US ADVENTURE.


stands
Their. were few settlers IN that vicinity at
the time and game. such rs deer, w'd tur-
seys geese and ducks, we're found In great
nnniter. along the stream
Jo who was the proud Preseason Of Il
double barrele-i shot gun, spent much Of his
time when not engaged in wGrA on the claim,
IN roaming through the wn-sis IN -earch OF
gnnlr, and managed by tne-s frequent excur-
sions into the woods 10 keep the family well
suI.,lied with fresh meat
the river ran a westerly course from the
Barton rauiu for ai-Iai mile, then made
abrupt curve 10 tbs left, flowing in a south
es.,tsrly direction Just where the river
makes the snort turn, on the left bank stands
a steep elf that rises to the height of 10
feet above the water This Is known as Ia
gle ins:k. deriving its name fro'n the fact
that for many years a pair Of eagles built
their nest Ia the rnexS about midway along
the face II the cliH
Jo often passed by this ledge in bis ram
bles through the woods and une warm DC
tot.r dag he discoy cred that d swarm u bees
were birsily at wors ia creyIce OF the rocks
at.uut forty or fifty feet frorn the summit OF
the ri
lie toll his father OF this fact on his return
him to devise some means Of obtaining the
honey
hut Mr. Barton discourl ged any such eff
forts, and replied that it was an undertaking
Of more danger than profit.
But this was far from checking Joe's de
termination to what could he done in that
direction
He returned TO the clig the next day, and
took mental survey of the surroundings.
On a closer inspection Of the ledge, he dis
Covered that a shelf Of rock ran along Its face
just bsluw where the bees had taken up their
quarter md could easily he reached by let
ting rvTn, down from the top
Ie had brought a rope with hin--one that
his father had used in sinking a well It was
afout twenty-five yards long, and would
easily reach from the top Of the cliff to the
shelf VI rocks to which he wished to descend.
fle tied one end of the rope 10 small tree
that stood on the very edge Of the precipice-
Then he threw the other end over. and com
menced to descend
TIE first twenty feet Of lis descent was
more Of an incline than u perpendicular, and
he slowly rnade his way over this by means
Of the rope he noticed Sims that indicated
that some sort of wild animals had recently
made their den IN the rocks
descending a lirtle further, he came to n pro-
Jection in the cliff and discovered several
large holes extending lack into the prccipice
He continued his descent till he reached the
,hclf below and here he found an easy foot
NJ
A few yards along the cliff. just above the
shelf OF rock, he discovered the bees busily
swar'ning about large crevice
But he saw at II glance that 1t would be i'm
possible to obtain the honey without the Use
OF l.pwder to blow away the rocks.
The rrevice or opening in which the bees
had taken up their quarters was cecurely pro
tected from INVASION BY huge howlder that
would weigh ton at least
After examining the place carefully. Joe
came To tho conclusion Ih. the bowlder could
readily be removed by placing good charge
of powder in the crevice hehnd it and light
ing 1t 10y means Of n fuse.
1t would take but short time to try the
experiment. nj least. and he made up his
mind to do 81 at once
lie hurriedv climbed to the top of the clif.
and then returned home, where he obtained
n couple OF pounds of blasting powder and
about twenty feet of fuse, that had been left
over from blasting IN the we'll
He said nothing 10 his parents regarding
MS lntHtlunS, uut Hullle'! Nack 10 inc CHI
alone, anxious to put his plan into execution.
He placed thecpowder and fuse in his coat
pocSrt, md again clitnDed down the rope to
the shelf of ru"a ON the lace OF the Gill lie
then Wrapped the powder in u long, aat par
eel aud placing one eud Of the fuss in this,
he tied 1t securely with Irvine He then slip
ped the parcel into the crevice behind the
bowld rs far as he could. and made ready
tn lirht the fiISa
The tees few about him angry at the in
truSlon, and drove him along the shelf sew
eral yards. where he waited for their rage to
subside before lighting the fuse
He then looked at his rope, and made sure
that 1t was all right and ID its proper place.
1t would not do to make any miscalculations
He must be ready to climb the minute he
fired the fuse there would lie no time to
lose.
Seeing that everything was secure and the
rope in place. he plcked up the end OF the
fuse and drew match from his pocket lie
eas'a eiahce over the euee Oh the piSlpi'e
as Ne a'd 80 ana ufe" oa'N WIN a snuauer'
huhuFei tcet ue'o" Tue river roared
througn MASS OF su'rP' HeSeu roehs,
=" nat II 'ne rope oy Sonic u'S'llahee snouia
become detached from 'ts fastening ano'e'
re tooS III OF inc rope nSd'h ana puiied
on 1t IL was s'hh secure ou' as the rope
moved Mt ms 'ouch re hearn signt noise on
the sheh OF t~A oNcrnrh ne glanced up
ward ana as he dih 50 ~ h"'l sisht taa'
ehi1iei h'in win terror
H'ah"nls on the 'thy 'use aoo'e us
head, It's restless eyes taShihg ana long tail
iashiiS the r"'k' s'"~i a iarso mountain non
I ror one orIet' F'o'e moment j" stooi as
! II frozen 10 inc spot ne eouu see the am.
mai : large cal IKE eyes hNen upon Nun, anu
| the o's paws rem, uiag out along tue rocSs as
It sli1ed Slowly and uoiseicssiy toward him
10 ha1 never ehcouh'ereu one oi THESE am
mas before, though ne knew "nat u was al
glance anu Recognizes Tue TACT tnat ne WIS
/ III tue most deadly peru. lie MI no n'eaiis
/ or deieh!ins hiilSeI AMI escape was hnpossi-
Die II 1t should attack BAN
| The only "eai"n ~ hls POSSESSION was
| PofN', l-"he' OUT an atiei''" 70 uri eili hhh-
sell "'ta such tfaii means OF 1s1eiSe 6g aiis'
/ the attack OF such an animal was worse than
"Stle><'
| lie knew by Its movements that the lion
| was making preparations nspring upon him.
| lie t7tsi hurried glance anout HIM. but no
/ where could he see any avenue of escape. A
| feeling ct terror and despair came over him
| slowly the savage beast crept along the
| edge Of the ledge and then it lay fat on the
rocks. rs ewes flashing. its whole frame trem-
uions with suppressed ferocity
10 knew then that It was going TO spring.