St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-04-16
rHe .'vwArER -wuTcH..


rHe ''NATER -WTot." M
Nassew EssaDs 1rsa Death n lGesneaau
Il had IN encounter with . 'watel
witch when I was in Utah" remarked
ono Of party Of young men who were
seated round . small table (no matter
where) telling tales Of adventures BY
land and sea In response TO general
demand the speaker told this story:
I'm the month Of July, . few years
ago. camped with . party from Salt
Lake City on the banks Of the Provo
river. The Provo. rs we used to say at
school, rises amid the snow-clad peaks
Of the Wasatch mountains. flows south,
and empties into Utah lake. The track
Of deer discovered ono morning within
the borders Of the camp caused some
excitement among m. ..- .s
The next day Mr.. F. and shouldered
our guns and went out to shoot the in
vades. We crossed the river BY bridge
few miles below camp and climbed .
bold mountain wall At the end
of long tramp found myself
on the opposite bank Of the river.
about half . nile above our camp I
was alone. having separaked from my
companion early in the hunt was in
disgusted frame of mind. had start
ed the deer. had an excellent shot and .
touch Of buck fever. although the deer
was doe. and had missed.
''rhe way had come looked long and
hard, and resolved to ford the river.
At the time it was 1t full bank, deep
and swift crossed one arm Of the
stream to . large island without diff
Guilty, the water not coming above my
knees From this island the other
branch Of the river looked more uncer-
tain. The water was certainly waist
deep. and the current was swift no
ticed that at the lower end Of the
island, where the two currents Joined
again, the water foamed up three or
four feet high. rs il breaking over .
rock. On each bank there was dense
growth of willow bushes. with long.
dropping stems which reached out over
the river. some Of the tips touching tho
water.
Though no hunter 1 am good swim
mer. and have always been accustomed
to the water from boyhood. The
thought Of any personal danger in
crossing stream not more than twenty
yards wide never entered my mind. I
thought I might possibly drop the gun.
and was quite certain TO ruin . box Of
cartridges carried in my pocket
These considerations alone made me
give any attention to the lay Of the
land and the course of the currentA
II entered the water and advanced
toward the opposite bank. holding the
gun In one hand and high. 1t was
deeper than I thought, the water COM
iuR quite up to my shoulders was
about 70 reach for one Of the bending
willow stems when made . misstep
and was swept OF my feet. the current
carrying me swiftly to the center Of
the foaming water At the end Of the
island. where I went to the bottom
like lead. came MP far enough to see
daylight shining through the water
when I went to the bottom again
still had the gun. As came up the
second time ! began to spin around like
. top .... ;,
''Then realized that I was in
trouble. dropped the gun. and with
the aid Of both arms brought my head
above water and clear Of the whirlpool.
I was gasping for breath when I got to
the air, but had not taken in any wa
ter, and. although much exhausted by
the pounding had received by tho
1eree current was oongratula&ing
myself o " s@eA Fhe1 Aeeaisg
~. VIII botA eSQa- -. ) Selt NJ
~ slevb ba sns1I sethg tnes.
~TIss oIs51lEr NJ SsEssI III
~ ! tAp1Kht ~ ~ nonsaes - NE
he'd come Luckily. there came With
this thought the resolve Of desperate
man to die BY inches and to cling to life
until the last gasp. There was . great
inpulse at hrst TO cry out for help. ]
could hear the clip Of the Mormon
farmers hay-rake in the field on
the other side Of the river.
and his chirp to his horse. But
I knew in that awful moment
that the call for help was only 70
waste the breath had resolved TO hos
band. felt my strength going - you
feel . pair Of reins slip through your
hands Every foot, slowly but surely.
I would 60 under. Then. BY desperate
exertions with my arms, I would bring
ny nose and mouth shove the water
again. The river swept me under .
bunch Of those long. graceful willow
branches but again I was steady
enough not 70 catch hold Of them. I
knew that TO do 90 was to waste my
Efforts for life in vain. They were
slippery. they were small. and would
not hold me- - -.
'At such . time ones thoughts travel
faster than light Ihave heard Il said
that drowning san easy death To- die.
Il did not present that phase 70 me.
In going . hundred yards. in spite Of
every effort on my part went under
times. but never to the bottom
''As was shot along out Of reach Of
The willows I saw IN old log lying
half on the bank and half in the water.
Ny hopes rose again, and ! thought
should certainly save myself there.
came to it I went under again,
md the current swept me up against II !
hall length tried 70 grasp it but It |
vas slimy and could not hold 70 it.
Ind pushed myself free from It. The
current made bend round . little
point there. and - rounded IT, not six
Ieet before me . willow root - thick
- my wrist elhowed out over the we
'er direstlyin my path. and ! caught Il
With both banda
~ doubt IL even then I could have
lrawn myself ont I was 70 nearly used
ap; but - my legs Strengthened out BE-
lore the force of the current my feet |
struck against another root / caught |
ny wind In D few. minutes anA then