The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-28
STRADDLING A SNAG.
General J. III. Dickinson Thirteen
Hours in the Sacramento.
Fortunate Rescue of Capsized Hunting
Party Above Tehama-R Night of Tor
ture Over Swift Rapid

the Sacramento River. With the reading
OF this account the rank and file of the
Second Brigade will have the first intima-
tion of the close shave which their beloved
commander had from death by drowning or
exposure.
The General went up to Red Bluff on
Saturday evening. the 2lst inst, on some
legal business. and prepared. also. after the
same to go cunning for geese and ducks on
the river; for not only is he an enthusiast
in military matters, but, when the occasion
presents itself, an ardent yachtsman and
sportsman. The legal business was salts
factorliy concluded, and the General, with
Mr.. Chase, an attorney of Red Bluff, and
Clerk Low Of the Fremont Hotel, arranged
for the hunt and started down the river in
skiff about noon on Monday for Tehama,
about twenty-five miles.
The hunting grounds for which they were
particularly headed lay about fifteen miles
down the river, and by dusk they had al
ready had good sport on the banks OF the
stream and had baGged from twelve to IF
teen fine fat geese and four or five ducks.
They had entered the skiff again to pursue
their journey further, and were about four
miles from Tehama when young man
named Lanksbine, who had charge of the
Sk.tf, and acted as pilot, lost his bearings
ana maze LOT Tue wrong one OIL Two or three
channels.
SUDDENLY CAPSIZED.
The blunder was discovered in an instant
when they found that their frail craft was
suddenly seized in the swift current of
rapid, but nothing could be done to avert
the threatened disaster. There was at this
point quite collection of drift logs, aud
there was danger either of capsize in run
ming against some of these partially sub
merged logs or against snags which stood
upright, or being Swamped by the broken
anu chgrned-up waters Of the rapids. 1t
was already dusk. SO that no one could well
make out what was beyond them. The sit
uation was critical aud thousand thoughts
flashed through their minds when suddenly
the crisis was at hand.
The craft. over which all control had been
lost in the whirlpools of the rapids, ran
head on against a Snag, which stood erect in
the channel; but it glanced of, and then.
by the undertOw, was broadSide on sucked
up against and under another drift timber,
which showed above the water but was
secured TO the bed OF the river by tho
branches. What happened at this juneture
and how 1t happened no one in the party
can we'll relate.
Simultaneously with the Slowing around
OF the skill after contact with the upright
snag and the grazing OF the second. which
hod the butt up. there was gurgling and
seethinS OF the water, the skiff turned up-
side down in iiffy, all four were tumbled
out, aud on the following morning the boat
was Hound sucked under a pile of drift
wood aud under four feet OF water. For
tunately, when the bat turned and was
carried from under them by the current. the
late occupants seized held of the snag or
convenient branches and straddied IL
No ANSWER To THEIR CRIES.
They yelled Justify for help, but no an
SweT was vouchsafed them. All their be-
loneings valued at over $500. were at the
bottom Of the river. The right bank of the
river was more than thirty feet from them
between 1t and the snag on which they had
very uncomfortable sea. the water boiled
and seethed, and there was quite n roar rs
il chUrned itself IN the descent at the rap
ids, SO that they doubted themselves that
their cries for assistance would have been
heard very fur. To their left was another
snag, but the water between was q wild
stream like mill-raCe.
Ahead of them was water ard as far as
could be distinguished in the dim light what
seemed to be jam OF logs; but even If
they could reach them, there was no telling
What worse predicament they might find
themselves in after having advanced thus
far No one answering their cries for help.
they concluded TO maks the best of it-walt
for daylight aud hope that rescue might
come, or Mt any rate that tie early light
would point out to them n way out Of their
dilemma. The four sat astTadde Of the wet
and Shiny log. which was some eighteen
inches in diameter.
Al times their legs dangled in the water,
and when tired OF straddling some one had
10 wade over the outreachirg and partially
submerged branches 10 help the tired man
change MS position 10 tecumbent one the
length of the log above water not permitting
all to take such comforts at one time. The
longer they remained on the log the more
sore and cramped they became, and every
hour lessened the chances of a rescue. All
vowed they would never again 60 duck
shooting on the Sacramento River. and the
General concluded tina: if ever again in the
Legislature he would introd uce bill to
have life-saying stations on the in land rivers
and the banks would be patr0iled.
EXERCISING on THE LOG.
The General and his companion, Chase,
also swore that they would learn to swim,
they being the two of The party that were
not up IN this accomplishment; while the
others had doubts of their ability TO breast
the strong current at this particular point
and III the darkness moreover. But the
General, being soldier, had not forgotten
his early instruction. and so drilled himself
and companions in the setting-up exercises,
and all worked their arms and legs as best
they could, thus keeping the chill out OF
their bennIu bed bodies.
But even this became tiresome, there was
limit to human endurance, and things
looked decidedly blue, they having been on
this log now from about z. 81. on Monday
until ABOUT o'clock A. NJ on Tuesday.
Mr. Low had by this time become desue-
rate, aud declaring that he might as well be
drowned as TO die from wet and exposure on
the log, took e survey as best he could and
decided 10 make an attempt to reach the
night bank. He strained every nerve and
made the jump OF his life from the straddled
log to an outlying and partially submerged
branch sunk III the right bank.
Luckily he covered the distance then
rested lew minutes IN the water and then
SWAN ashore, the water on the other side of
the snag being comparatively smooth. Lank-
shine followed In about ten minutes and
both safely reached the bank, Dickinson and
Cnase remaining on the log 10 console each
other over their inability to SWIM Low and
Lankshine built themselves fire and thaw ed
the COLD and stiffness out Of their bodies,
ana their condition may be imagined when
1t Is stated that il was 3 o'clock before they
found themselves In state physically to
march off for help.
RESCUED AFTER THIRTEEN HOURS.
The 1oTlorn castaways out on the log in
the river Ind almost despaired OF their re-
turn. for it was o'clock ON Tuesday morn
ing before promise of help came and they
lad now been on this log thirteen hours
But Low and Lankshine had plodded in the
dark and had finally arrived at the farm of
): c. Tyler. two miles from Tehama, and that
kindly gentleman had at once set GU. to
the rescue. He had brought a wagon. n
the rope to the plank. then plunged into the
river below the rapid. and by detour swan
and wadod until he reached the snag to the
left OF the castaways.
The plank covered the five or six feet of
the race mill between the snags and Dickin-
son and Chase tottered across, more dead
than alive. They made the right bank by
clambering over snags, or rather the
accumulated drift of logs. and by wading a
part of the time in water as deep as the middle,
and gave feryent thanks for their deliver
ance. Reaching the shore they had to walk
two miles to Tyler's wagon. and were
wrapped in blankets and overcoats and rap
idly driven to the farni-h house, where all
that could have been done was done for
them. Il don't begrudge the loss of my
gun-and 1t was a good gun, too" said the
General, concluding his narrative.
None OF the gentlemen in the party suffer
from their experience. because both at the
farm ana ut Tehama and since they have
undergone as heroic treatment as when on
the log in the middle of the river, to conn
teract any Of the i'll effects. The party. of
course. lost all their effects, consisting of
TO ur fine guns. with ammunition and hunt
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