Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-07-23
SAVED BY A RAVEN
BY EDMUND COLLINS.

dor coast. George was seventeen and
Frank fifteen, ana both the boys in sum-
mer ranged the coast in small skitf col.
lecting birds eggs and other specimens.
George owned pet raven, which he had
trained to follow him, carry small parcels
in his mouth, and do many other intel
ligent things, aud the bid was exceed
ingly attached to him. Whenever
George went into the woods or among
the hills Jack, which was the ravens
name, jollowcdhin,, cawing and chat
tcring, sometimes walking, sometimes
fluttering, and frequently darting far
ahead with lond, delighted screams. He
liked also 10 60 with his young master
in the boat, but that he was seldom per-
mitted to do.
One lovely June morning the two
boys and their cousin, Ned Bradshaw,
put out from the little wild dock in an
open skiif with two tanned sails. to
make an excursion to Cormorant Islands,
about three leagues down the coast.
Jack came hopping and flying down the
rocks. appealing piteously, with loud
cawing. TO he taken on board. George
raised his hand and shouted, mo, Jack
can't come. Home, Jack, snd then the
skiff was pushed of, while the poor,
lonesome bird stood on a rock close by
the waters edge. Then he raised his
wings, flew out over the water and cir
cled over the boat cawing and looking
at George as If begging him to relcnt and
take him on board. But George arose
in the boat and, in stern, angry voice,
ordered him TO 60 home. The disap-
Posa.sd-hird turH><. ana hosv qaiesiy
ashore, perching on the edge of mar
row strip of meadow, looking discon-
solately after the fast disappearing boat.
The object of the visit to Cormorant
Island was to get some Of the eggs of the
cormorant, which are rather difficult to
obtain. The boys had not told their
parents where they were going, but they
had decided upon nothing less than the
ascent of the island, the sides of which
rose almost perpendicular out of the
sea to height of nearly four hundred
feet. The island had three sides, and on
one of these sides was series of rocky
shelves resembling a stairway, but some
poshpRe w gee aaste9d p f6othoru upon
them.
When the coast fishermen passed the
island they shuddered because so many
tragic events were connected with its
name. Five or six adventurous persons
had scaled its shelvy sides and got up
among the multitude of birds, but not a
man of them had ever been able TO make
the descent. The boys very we'll knew
the history of the island and its dangers,
but George had for more than two years
been studying the problem of how to get
up and come down in safety, had exam
ined every rock shelf on the side through
a'glass, tracing the same on paper, and
had talked with every fisherman on the
coast who knew anything about the place
and obtained his opinion as to the safest
ways Of descending.
So he had quietly provided himself
with two short hand gaffs, with stout
wooden handles, having on one end a
running loop of cord to be fastened
around each wrist, and on the other end
q strong steel hook. These were de-
signed for getting hold in cracks and
assures in the face of the cliff where it
would be impossible to draY ones self
up by means III the fingers, for George
knew that the most daring and expert
The coast was bold "a and d "a ad ssRY6iSess anu
contained no habitation between the dock
from which the skiff had set out and the
island, or for s.veral leagues beyond.
When they reached the base of the ISL
and, which stood close TO the mainland,
they pulled their skiff upon a small plat
form of rock, got their guns and began
shooting the birds that circled around
the island and nestled on the terraces.
Then George told that he was going up.
They knew how expert he was, and re.
membered ell the dangerous places that
he had climbed before. but their faces
grew white with fear as they looked at
the 400 feet of sombre, rocky wall that
lowered above them.
"Now, boys" said George. as he threw
off his coat and frightened his belt. don't
be bit frightened about me; with these
gals L. can climb up there without any
trouble, and l can come back, too, with
the greatest safety. I'll take your bag,
Frank. for the eggs, only put plenty OF
oakum in it so they won't break when /
am coming back" Frank brought him
the bag, aud his hand trembled as he
put it around his brothet's neck, but
neither of the boys seemed to know what
to say.
Now, good-by, boys, for the present
I'll be through in twenty minutes; these
cormorants defend their nests so that
may be able to gaff some of them. Look
out for them as throw them over"
Then selling his gaffs tightly in his
hand he sprang toward the cliff, running
nimbly up half-dozen PAGES almost as
light footed as weasel. The two boys
looked at him in SPECIFICS terror. but
they had great faith In his skill and
courage. He found little difficulty in
passing the first dozen lodges or so. fol-
he could easily reach them, and they
gave sure footing. Every minute or SC
he stopped TO consult his drawing, which
was complete chart OF the face Of the
cliff. After third of the descent was
made he paused, and, rs the boys could
see from below, looked somewhat ncrv
ously about him and again carefully
studied his drawing. II was plain thai
the path which he had traced out fol
himself in dotted line was an impos
sible one. Nevertheless. he turned hii
hand behind him and waved q signal o.
encouragement, but he never once looked
back or down. Then he seemed 4
gather resolution; stuck fast one gaf
and then another, into two tiny riffs II
the cliff and drew himself up over I
space of seven or eight feet to the ledg'
above. Then, for the first time, h
turned and looked down. These rift
ran obliquely, and from his gestures J
seemed only too plain that he doubted
II he could get back. But his courag
| did not fail him and after minute