The Colfax chronicle., 1892-01-02

order TO save the timber from Oeing
lost by going to pieces on the lee shore
they decided to step the two masts one
on each side of the raft, and steer as
close to windward as possible. 1t was
all they could do to get each mast in
place, and when they loosed the first
sail it fiuttered out in the wind and they
were obliged to take turn of the stay
around one of the logs in order to
draw it in and bring the sheet up close
to the wind. They had the same diff
Guilty with the other sail: however, they
succeeded in hauling both close and
then putting out two of the steering
oars with which by hard pushing they
were able to bring the raft close to the
storm. The waves came rolling behind
them fully six feet high, and frequent
ly knocked them over upon the logs,
but they held on to the oars and grad.
ually brought their charge closer to-
ward the shore, from which the hnrri-
cane was blowing. About mile below
the course in which they were heading,
the shore curved out and was covered
with thick spruce and pine forest
almost to the brink of the water. In
the shelter of this wood they would be
safe from the pounding of the waves,
and they struggled with all their might
to get as close in the lee of it as possible;
but the huge mass was gradually drift
ing leeward, in spite of all their exer-
tions and they soon saw that there
was little hope they would be able to
make fast to any part of the sheltering
shore. What made their situation more
terrifying was that the sun was about
setting and huge troops of angry
clouds raced across the heavens and
threatened an increase in the storm.
When the sun sets in stormy weather
on these wild lakes night comes very
rapidly and the water is wrapped in in
tense gloom; so that half an hour after
the scarlet edge of the sun sank
through the smoke of the hills the two
frightened boys found themselves
afioat in the dark without any star
showing, no lights anywhere on the
land to guide them, and nothing that
they could see except the pillows
which broke in white foam around
them.
They had two lanterns in the shanty.
and these they lighted when it became
quite dark, swinging them round and
round in the hope of attracting some
one who owned the boat living on the
wooded part of the shore. They also
lighted a fire in the little house and
put a whitefish in a pot to boil, for
they had tasted long and were hungry.
As they swung the lanterns they
shouted for help. but there was little
chance of their voices reaching the
shore, which was nearly half mile
distant, as the wind whistled and bel
lowed and the waves roared. When
they got past the point it was smooth
er, the land was nearer, and the force
of the wind blowing lakeward was
broken by the solid mass of tall ever
green's. They still kept their sails
hauled as close to the wind as possible,
and they lashed the three long oars in
such way at the end of the raft as to
have them act like three rudders and
help to keep the stubborn raft as near
shore as possible.
Evidently no one saw their signals,
and they sailed past the strip of shell
tering coast, which was about three
miles long, at the rate of about four
miles an hour. They would have taken
down the sails and rested here after
the fury of the storm, but the off-wind
would then blow them out into the
furious part of the lake where they felt
sure the raft would not long hold to-
gether. Meanwhile the great structure
of logs continued to hold its way down
the shore till the end of the forest region
was neared. Then suddenly 1t occurred
to the oldest brother that they had no
alternative between two great dangers
If they continued to sail down in the
shelter of the shore a great cataract
was in the way about eight miles
farther on; if they took down the sails
and permitted themselves to be blown
outward that meant destruction in the
rough waters. While still perplexed
about knowing what to do, and all the
while swinging their lanterns and
shouting, they were astonished to see
two dark objects close by the
side of the raft and moving through
the water as if to get upon it.
Running over to the edge their
lights revealed two deer of the caribou
variety with wide branching antlers
and frightened eyes. Not daunted by
the presence of the two boys or the
cleaning lanterns in their hands they
put their forelegs upon the logs and
endeavored to get upon them. where
upon the brothers laid their lights upon
the logs, taking pity on the terrified
animals, and, seizing them firmly near
the shoulders, drew them upon the
raft The deer in some great fright
had evidently taken to the water and
been attracted by the lights; but they
showed no sign of fear when pulled up
dripping and cold upon the timber
They found difficulty in standing on
the round logs with their little feet,
but they did not shrink from the boys
and the only trace of timidity they
showed was in huddling close together.