Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-03-23

w 10y AhO "oNlt vi wait
with the winding line of the embanl
ments curling like a great green SCI
pent, and from its bosom seemed I
rise the minarets and domes of the di.
tant city, while over all the tall co
ums of the Mosque of Mehemet A
kept ward. At II feet crouched III
sleepless Sphynx brooding over tn
scene as she has done for fifty Ger
turtles.
We explored the Tomb of Numbers
and the temple in ruins, lunched a
the pavilion built for the Prince o
Wales, summed ourselves in the sane
as we watched the granite monster,
and wished a genius vas there to un
seal those tightly closed lips, and dis.
close the things that those eyes hat
seen.
Then as the shadows We're lengthen
ing, tired and WORKOUT, we returned
to the boat. Whether the current wa,
stronger than in the morning, o,
whether the rev were tired | can no,
tell, but certainly the boat did not
obey the helm, but drifted at the
mercy of the wind, and rocked from
side to side. The great danger was,
OF course, in running against a snag,
but providentially, though she bumped
many times, the boat did not strike
heavily, and we drifted on in the right
direction, for she seemed to be entirely
out of the control OF the boatmcn.
The situation was pcrilous in the
extreme, night was coming on, there
we werv~>wiles from any chance of
succor, wholly at the mercy Of the
current, and liable at any moment to
be overturned.
AT last we drifted toward one of the
bridges which had been thrown over
the canal, and Immediately we were
sucked into the current that poured
with tremendous force through the
opening. just as we went under, the
sail which they had been trying to
take in fell with Il crash, and swept
one of the boatmcn into the water.
With IA shrek he threw up his hands,
and went down like lead. Every
effort was made to keep in the middle
OF the culvert, which was twelve feet
across, and in that way we succeeded.
The bridge vas about fifteen feet
high, and just as we rushed along, the
top OF the tall mast caught on one OF
the timbers of the bridge, and held
fast. Back and forth rocked the boat
in the rush of waters, but the hold of
the ropes never relaxed. From side
to side we were tossed with a dizzy,
sickening motion, just escaping each
time being dashed against the rocks
which formed the side of the bri DIRE,
and expecting every instant to be
capsized.
have heard of the Eastern indifTcr-
ence to death, but it certainly was not
manifested there, for the Arabs
shrieked with fear, and called upon
Allah to deliver them.
The boat was half full of water, and
it took all of our efforts at bailine to
keep her from filing; but the men
were of no use. They sat down in the
and rocked from side to side,
bemoaning their fate, till the captain,
patience, administered sound
kicks to them, telling them to 90 to
work and stop their bowling.
One of them slyly took out his pen
knife, and approaching the rope was
Just about to cut it, when |, seeing
what he was about to do, called to him
drop the knife. The fellow got
closer, and had just touched the rope
when | pulled Il revolver from my
saying; "If you touch that
'ope, I'll shoot you.n
The outstretched arm dropped as if
)aralyzed, and the knife fell in the
water.
Our one chance Of life, and it was
a slender one, lay in the holding
of the rope. There were men
working on the road above us, we
Knew, and If we could only attract
heir attention, it might be well with
Is yet. But, Of course, the chances
we're that the rope would wear away,
md then the almost certainty was we
hould be dashed to pieces.
Half-mad with fear, one of the men
Jumped into the water to try and gain
he embankment. He was a tall,
powerful man, and magnificent swim
ner, but the water tossed him about
ike a piece OF cork. We saw with
Iorror his red fez go up and down on
he waves, until his upturned, agon-
zed face drifted by us. and he sank to
Use no more. Horror-stricken We sat,
thinking that the next mo-
lent such might be the fate of the
of us, particularly as | thought |
NV signs of the fraying of the rope
here it worked against the mast.
We fired off two or three shots in
apid succession, and then shouted at
he top of III voices, but no answer
anne, savt the rush of the waters.
One OF Il party rose and threw off
is coat.
''What is that for" | asked.
81 am going to try to swim to shore,
believe | can do it,
with Abdallah's fate before your
| returned.
Yes" he said, 81 will try it, and
OF be killed here"
at would be suicide" | replied.
gain taking out my revolver, land |
ill fire il you make a motion to leave
he boat. We will take our chances
But what chance have we here?"
VERY little, but none in the way
gu are trying"
Silently he dropped back in his seat.
loud exclamation from the captain
every one, and we looked up
} where his finger pointed. There
through Il %crevice in the floor
,g OF the bridge was a round, bead
Ike eye looking down upon us, and
resently, finding a larger assure, Il
Dal-black face beamed upon us.
Never was apparition more welcome.
n IA few words the captain explained
nc situation we were in, and told the