The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-04-03

the winding line of the embankments
curling like great green serpent, and
from its bosom seemed to rise the
minarets and domes of the distant city,
while over all the tall columns of the
Mosque Of Mehemet Ali kept ward. At
our feet crouched the sleepless Sphynx
brooding over the scene as she has done
for fifty centuries.
We explored the Tomb of Numbers,
and the temple In ruins, lunched at the
pavilion built for the Prince of Wales,
summed ourselves in the sand rs we
watched the granite monster, and wished
a genius was there to unseal those tightly
closed lips, and disclose the things that
those eyes had seen.
Then as the shadows were lengthen-
ing, tired and worn-out we returned to
the boat. Whether the current was
stronger than in the morning, orwhether
the crew were tired cannot tell, but Ger
tainly the boat did net 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
q snag, but providentally, though she
bumped many times, the boat did not
strike heavily, and we drifted on in the
| NalhONtiOhy 1OA BLU oCClACo w OO Cn-
tirely out of the control of the boatmen.
The situation was perilous in the ex-
treme, night was coming on, there we
were, miles 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 we're sucked
into the current that poured with tre-
mendous force through the opening
just as we went urder, the sail which
they had been trying to take in fell with
crash, and swept one OF the boatmen
into the water.
With shriok 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 we succeeded.
The bridge was about fifteen feet high,
and Just as we rushed along, the top of
the 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 bridge, and expected every instant
to be capsized.
have heard of the Eastern indiffer-
ence to death, but it certainly was not
manifested there, for the Arabs shrieked
with fear, and called upon Allah to de-
liver them.
The boat was half-f full of water, and it
took all of our efforts at bailing to keep
her from filing; but the men were of no
use, they sat down in the water and
rocked from side to side, bemoaning
their fate, till the Captain, losing pa
thence, administered some kicks to them,
telling them to go 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 to drop
the knife. The fellow got closer, and
had just touched the rope when pulled
revolver from my pocket saying: "If
you touch that rope, I'll shoot you"
The ontstretched arm dropped as if
paralyzed, and the knife fell in the
water.
Our one chance of life, and it was but
the rope. There were men working on
the road above us, we knew, and If we
could only attract their attention, it
might be well with us yet. But, of
course, the chances were that the rope
would wear away, and then the almost
certainty was we should be dashed to
pieces.
Half-mad with fear, one of the men
jumped into the water to try and gain
the embankment. He was tall, power
full man and a magnificent swimmer, but
the water tossed him about like piece
of cork. We saw with horror his red
fez go up and down on the waves, until
his upturned, agonized face drifted by
us, aud he sank to rise no more. Horror
stricken we sat silently thinking that the
next moment such might be the fate of
the rest of us, particularly as thought
saw signs OF the fraying of the rope
where it worked against the mast.
We fired off two or three shots in rapid
succession, and4hen shouted at the top
of our voices, but no answer came, save
the rush of the waters.
One of our party rose and threw off
his coat
"What is that for ?" l asked.
:" am going to try to swim to shore
l believe can do it."
"With Abdallah's fate before your
eyes ~ | returned.
Eyes" he said, ''I will try it, and
not be killed here. "
1t would be suicide" " replied, again
taking out my revolver, "and l will fire
il you make motion to leave the boat.
We will take our chances here"
"But what chance have we here 2"
Every little, but none in the way you
are trying"
Silently he dropped back in his seat.
A loud exclamation from the captain
startled every one, and we looked up to
where his finger pointed. There shin
ing through ereyice in the flooring of
the bridge was round, bead-like eye
looking down upon us, and presently,
finding larger tissure, coal.black face
beamed upon upon US.
Never was apparihon more welcome.
In few words the captain explained the
situation we were in, and told the mau
that couple of English noblemen were
there, and he must hasten.
Like an arrow the fellow flew away to
where posse of men were mending the |
road, and they hastened back; but how
to get at us was the difficulty. Rope !