Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-07-07
MR. BAaNGs's LEAP FOR LIE.
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MR. BARNgS'S LEAP FOR LIE.
IIsase y. Eai.n. In >sw Yort rc-.l
Among the frst to settle In what IL now
the town of Topsham, on the grcai fall.
of the Androseoggin River, was young
man named IIsrnes. lie was of great
stature. NEARLY seven feet high, IL u ssl,i,
aud strong and active, being especially
noted for swiftpess In running. lie se-
Iectc,I as hIs choice for home tract of
forest land some distance from the little
settlement. Holder than his neighbors,
be- went In advance of them and began q
clearing, In the forest lying upon q
small river, siill called by the Indian
name II the "Cathance."
TIL. I. q beautiful stream, and though
not long FROM its source to u. mouth In
the broad ksnnebec River, winds through
many very romantic aud picturesque
scenes. one of these Il q dep rocky
gorge, where the .trram Il suddenly mar
rowcd In from q Wide. lakc-llkc expanse,
and flows betworn the high wall. ~
granli. rock, that either their own force
or other powers of nature have rcnt
asundcr for their passage. The wall. are
upright on either side aud th. chasm u
nearly thirty feet deep. AZ its narrow
e.t width, the place that u still pointed
out q. th. scene of ih. pioneers daring
leap. the distance L. almost twenty-five
feet.
u was upon land adjoining thi. str-am
that he had settled and not FAR from the
gorge described. which, sine. hls .s-
ploit, has borne the name 10 harness
Lap" At IA. time of thl. occurrence
ia. hunter. aud scout. of the settlement
had reported that there were small hands
of hostile savage. prowllng In the forest,
and mo., ~ the pioneers had taken their
wives aud children Ia the security ~ the
settlement, while they themselves kept
at all time. within cssy reach.
Hut our hero had no wife nor child,
aud With a daring nature and consciou.
of hI. strength anil swiftne.s, b. went
boldly To- hi. work upon hls clearing,
which VA. thr,- or four miles distant.
Armed With hl. nnc and axe, he trusted
o. hIs vatchful eye and ear TO guard
against any surprise.
Hut the Indians were very sklllfnl In
IN. art. 10 woodcrait, and one day The
pioneers caution was o,crmitchci.
bu.Ily at work In Telling huge tree, the
nol.. cf al. axe stroke. o,ercsme all 9th
er sounds. A the tall trunk fell be- laid
down hls axe Ia wipe hl. brow, when
cultural volc. spoke Ia hlm from behind,
aud he turnci Ia ace party ~ Indians
standing a short distance away. each
wlih a ride pointed at him. Come, the
leader aid. In broken Engli.h, "you
brave man; no kill: go With me to
Canada"
Whether this would be hls worst fate
or not ~. plonecr dld not stop Ia think,
hut h. Instantly locked for hls ride,
knowing that hls cowanlly foe would
not risk their own live. against hls. lie
had always kept hls ride within reach,
but nov Il wa. gone. The savage sas
al. surprise, and pointed Ia the ride,
which on- of their number had Ia III.
hands.
IN. woolmin VA. follci and the lnii.
aus smiled grimly a. they ssw ", aud
evidently felt sur ~ their captive,
though they knes hl. great .bc and
strength.
IIe knew they would not attempt to
.hoot him go long a. they felt there Ms
a chance for his capture. For that pur-
poe. the hand had 90, between him."lf
sni ~. place ~her, hc crossed the river
Ia the settlement on = bridge ~ fallen
tTrc-.
II WAS nov In tie early spring, anil the
melting snow. had m,dc the stream q
rushing torrent ~ water aud blocks of
broken Ice, aud IA. Indians believed he
could cros. nowhere else With his lie.
Hut the woOsiman's superior knosl-
.,lg, of the locality reminded him ~ the
narrow gorge, which ~. In the opposits
direction. Icfhsp. he had AZ some time
measured H.. width With his eve ani felt
that In an emergency he would dare e.
ri.k thl. awful leap, sni " .o, the time
had come for him Ia put hl. power to
th. test, for thi. was nos hi. only way
of escape.
To think was to act With the daring
man. Throwing up hl. hand. AZ N Ia
surrender, the pleased .ayagrs rrlinqulsh-
ed their guard ani loserri their guns.
Instantly the pioneer wheeled about aud
ds.h-,i With hl. great stride. In the dl-
r-,tIon ~ the river. Some of th. indi-
ans rsi.cd their rihes aud firri, bat their
bullet. went Wide oi the marx and they
all started In hot pursuit. The Indian.
of ih. i'cnoh.cot tribes were, many of
them. .wift runners, bat th. tall woo'i.-
man knew thst few, lfany, were a match
for himself. Hut th. pur.uer. had on
hlgh mOcca.in., while be wore heavy
shoes, aud several ~ them were gaining
upon him. AZ tuin In the forest path
he stopped aud cut III. strings Ia hls shoe.
aud fung them OF. Now In hls stocking
feet he could hold them q more even race.
The river soon cam. la sight, aud his
.a,sg. pur.uer. ycllcl With delight, for
they thought this would surely bring the
white man to bay. aud all rcioublcd their
speed Ia share In hl. capture.
The point on the river to which the
wooi.min seemed Ia Dc heading was
vide aud Imps.sablc. but he knew that
Just below the broad current made
sharp bend aud flowed In peni-up tor
rent through the narrow gorge. To-
ward thl. be- suddenly wheeled aud dash
ed At hl. highest speed. The path lei
down q rocky ridge, thlnly covered with
trees, aud al II. edge the granite rock
wa. bare and smooth. Gathering all the
power of hI. mighty .lnews he nnng him
self from the brink out OF over the boil
Ing chasm.
With united yells 81 rage and wonder
hi. foremost pursuers halted, M doubt
expecting to sce their prey swept from
them, q mingled corpse la the rushing
waters and Jagged rocks of the channel.
Hut they were disappointed, for the
iesper's confidence In hl. power was not
misplaced. and he landed safely on the
farther cllf. ili. boldest pursuers dared
not attempt Ia follow, for no other man
could bridge thi. chasm with leap.
From thl. safe vantage point the tri-
umphaI. pioneer greeted his cre.tfallen
foe. with a shout of derision aud then
made his way In safety to the settle
ment.
GOT THE WORST or ".
Even the preachers are not ayerse Ia