The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1893-08-10
SHE coUs.DN'T BE DROWNED.
The Wonderful Vitality Of an Abyssinian
Girl.


Sir Samuel Baker gives an account Of
a thrilling incident which illustrates
the folly of taking unnecessary risks.
He was stationed on the banks Of an
Abyssinian river. His tents were
pitched upon the verge of a cliff some
thirty feet in height, down the side of
which a rugged path led to the water.
The rainy season was so far past that
the river was rather low, though at
the foot of the cliff it was broad.
Lower down the shelving rocks mar
rowed the passage until just beyond
there were some powerful rapids. Near
their head was ford where women
were accustomed to cross, carrying
their burdens of fagots from the oppo-
site shore.
zone day." says Sir Samuel, "I was
employed outside the tent, when OBJ
served a throng of women, each laden
with a bundle of wood, crossing the
ford in single file from the opposite
bank.
Among them were two young girls
of about fifteen years, and / remarked
that these, instead of marching in a
line with the women, were wading
hand in hand In dangerous proximity
to the head of the rapids.
"A few seconds later 1 noticed that
they were inclining their bodies up
stream, and were evidently struggling
with the current Hardly had pointed
out the danger to the men around me,
when the girls c1ung to each other, and,
striving against their fate, they tottered
down the stream toward the rapids,
which rushed with such violence that
the waves were about two feet high.
with praiseworthy speed the Arabs
started to their feet and dashed down
the deep descent toward the river; but,
before they had reached half way, the
girls uttered shrek, lost their foot
ing, and in another instant threw their
arms wildly above their heads, and
were hurried away in the foam of the
rapids.
''One disappeared Immediately. The
other was visible, as her long black
hair fioated on the surface; she also
sank. Presently, about twenty yards
below the spot, pair of naked arms
protruded high above the surface, with
ivory bracelets upon the wrists, and
twice the hands elapped together as
though imp1oring help; again she dis
appeared.
''The water was by this time full of
men who had rushed to the rescue; but
they had foolishly jumped in at the
spot where they had first seen the
girls, who were, of course, by this time
carried far away by the torrent.
''Once more, further down the river,
the hands and bracelets appeared: again
they wildly clapped together, and in
the clear water we could plainly see
the dark hair beneath.
''Still she sank again, but almost i'm
mediately she rose head and shoulders
| above the surface, and thrice again she
clapped her hands for aid.
| ''This was her last effort; she disap-
| peared By this time several men had
wisely run along the bank below the
tail of the rapids, and having formed a
line across a very narrow portion of
| the stream, one of them suddenly
clutched an object beneath the water,
and in another moment he held the
body of the girl in his arms.
''Of course she was dead? Or fit
subject for the Royal Humane society?
So supposed, but to our intense aston
ishment, she no sooner was brought to
the shore than gave herself shake,
threw back her long hair, wrung out
and arranged her dripping rahat, and
walked leisurely back to the ford,
which she crossed with the assistance
of the Arab who had saved her: :"-The
Million