The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-27
IN THE IRON CANYON.
A Thrilling Adventure of California MIN
ing DAYS.


The general run of the claims averaged
five dollars day to the man. Work
was pushed through the summer. II
supplies ran low an OK would be killed
or a few days hunt in the mountains
would add venison to the larder. Sal
mon could be bought of the struggling
parties of natives that were already
leaving the great mass of savage peo-
pie to whom thew were bound by an
inextrica bic -tangle of friendship and
hatred and were attaching themselves
to the new civilization through the
vices of both races.
In the fall many gathered their
blankets and necessities together,
packed enough of -four AID bacon in
canoe, cached or gave away the re-
nlainder and went down to Sacramento
to spend the winter. Rough times
were those that gathered together in
those cities men who were unbounded
in their expectation of wealth as they
were free in its s9uandering. Present
poverty was no dampener to the hopes
of future wealth.
The camp was located fifty miles
from the great rapids of the Sacra-
mento, where, through long walls of
rock, the river rushed along at terrific
speed This was the Iron canyon.
Between the camp and it the river de-
scribed an immense horseshoe, which
greatly increased the distance between
these points by the river
A little removed from the main camp
lived six New Englanders, who, leav-
ing one town in New Hampshire, kept
together until they had spanned the
continent. They mingled little with
the miners in the main camp because
they formed in their own crowd a So
ciety large enough to satisfy the desire
of men for varied companionship They
were temperate and not fond of gam
ing, SO there was little to tempt them
into the large circle of the frontier bar
room. People were not then fused in
to solid communities, and the greatest
independence characterized the frontier
settlements
1t was the youngest who was the
cheery-natured one. Neither the
brightest nor the dullest, there had
come upon him little of decision or of
care, and his natural good humor was
unchecked. This was Porter Donley, a
tall, straight, active boy.
In the early fall they put their tools
in the cabin, took from their stores
what they would need on the journey,
took blankets and one set of camp
utensils, and with the legend ''Gone
for the winter nailed upon the locked
IF ho-r NJ hai
canoe and pushed out into the current
with paddle in hand and a rife lying
ready in the bow.
AS they passed the main camp they
heard a halloo and put in to shore. A
butcher of beef, the ownership of which
was at least a question, joined the par
ty. How could he be denied? A man
with canoe is in some sense public
carrier without the right to refuse pas
nodded good-by to the villagers they
saw, and moved rapidly down the river.
now high with the autumn rains, their
heads moving in unison with their pad
dies, that flashed together in the morn
ing sun. The camp moved astern and
was lost in the bend. Now and then
an Indian canoe was seen. Sometimes
a flock of ducks would start up with
loud quack. Chapparal covered the
shore, pines darkened the high slopes
of the hills and the SUBMITS of the
were already white with the
winters snow.
AS they entered the canyon not soul
was visible. The river stretched on, a
dirty milk white in color. A curious
of color marked one part /
of its course. Above this, at low water, |
a large rock stood out but it was now /
completely hid by the freshet. None |
knew of this rock. If the butcher had !
made this journey before it was as
passenger, and an unobservant one. |
None of them were expert enough in
to read the record these OBJ
structions write on the surface of the
water.
Suddenly the canoe entered this
swirl, gave thrill, the bow sank and
in an instant canoe and men were
sucked down by the whirlpool.
There are crises in which men do not
get excited. They have not time to
realize their situation The mind cam
not comprehend nor the will cause vol
untary action. Such crisis was this
for one of them. Donley, almost with
ont resistance, yielded TO the waters
His lungs filled. He felt that he was
drowning. but he was without pain.
Events OF his life passed before him.
Bright images were seen. The sound
Of the waters was musical TO his ears |
He knew that death was coming, but
the fear of it was gone, nor did he
to preserve life. The canoe
turned bottom up and rose TO the sur
face with Donley hanging over It As
it came out of the water his head hung
over the side and his weight forced the |
water out OF his lungs Then came ex-
pain. lie cholked as his
partly enptied lungs drew in the first
breath OF air. But a violent TT of
coughing expelled the last drops, and,
exhausted, he knew that he
was saved. In few minutes he sat mp
astride of the canoe and looked around
On the bow sat one other of she crew.
the butcher. But all his comrades
were gone forever. He looked over
the waters-the paddles were floating
DID the surface, but not one other es-
capped from the whirlpool
With brief moment g anxious and
research Donley turned his
thoughts 20 his own perilous position.
They must get TO shore. The butcher
still held paddle. but he was waving
i overhead and singing. The agony 81
death had crazed him DonIeg said he
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