Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-24

S& was pushed through the
S summer. If supplies
| ran low an OK would be
o killed or few days hunt
| - SSD in the mountains would
add venison to the
larder. Salmon could be bought of the strag-
Cling parties of natives that were already leav-
ing the great mass of savage people to whom they
were bound by an inextricable tangle of friend
ship 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
and bacon in a canoe, cached or gave away the
remainder 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 squandering. Present
poverty was no dampener to the hopes Of future
wealth.
| THE IRON CANYON.
The camp was located fifty miles from the
| great rapids of the Sacramento where through
| long walls of rock, the river rushed along at
| terrific speed. This was the Iron canyon. Be-
| tween the camp and it tine river described an
immense horseshoe, which greatly increased
the distance between these points by the river.
little removed from the main camp lived
six New Englanders, who, leaving 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 society large
\ enough to satisfy the desire Of men for varied
| companionship. They were temperate and not
| fond of gaming. there was little to tempt
| them into the large circle Of the frontier bar
room. People were not then fused into solli
| communities, and the greatest independence
/ characterized the frontier settlements.
| 1t the youngest who the CHEEKY
natured one Neither the brightest nor the
dullest. there had come upon HIM little OF de-
cision 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 door OF
their cabin they loaded their canoe and pushed
out into the current with paddle in hand and a
rifle lying ready in the bow.
TOOK IN BUTCHER.
As they passed the main camp they heard q
haloo and put in TO shore. A butcher of beef,
the ownership of which was at least question,
| Joined the party. How could he be denied?
man with a canoe is in some sense a public car
rier without the right to refuse passage to any
one. So they took him In. nodded goodbye to
the villagers they saw. and moved rapidly down
the river now high with the autumn rains their
heads moving in unison with their paddles, that
| flashed together in the morning sun. The
camp moved astern and was lost in the. bend.
Now and then an Indian canoe was seen. Some
times a flock of ducks would start up with a
| loud quack. Chapparal covered the shore
pines darkened the high slopes OF the hills and
the high submits of the mountains were al
ready white with the winters snow.
As they entered the canyon not n soul was
| visible. The river stretched on. dirty milk
| white in color. A curious irregularitv 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 tins
! journey before it was as passenger. and an I'M
oDservant one. None OF them were expert
enough in navigation to read the record these
distractions write on the surface of the
water
| SUCKED DOWN BY THE WHIRLPOOL.
Suddenly the canoe entered this swirl gave a
thrill. the bow sank and in an instant canoe and
men were sucked down by the whirlpool.
There crises in which men do not get ex-
cited They have not time TO realize their sit
uation. The mind cannot comprehend nor the
| will cause voluntary action. such u crisis was
| this for one of them. Donley. almost without
| resistance, Welded to the waters. His lungs
! filled. lie 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 ia his ears
| He knew that death was coming. but the fear of
1T was gone, nor did he struggle 4
preserve life. Ihe canoe turned bot
tom up and rose 10 the sr,face with
! Doniey hanging over it. As it came cut OF The
| water his head hung over the side and his
| weight forced the water out OF his lungs Then
| came excruciating pain. He choked as his
partly emptied lungs drew in the first breath of
air. But a violent fit of coughing expelled the
last drops, and, completely exhausted be knew
| that lie saved. In a few minutes he sat up
astride of the canoe and looked around On
the bow sat one other Of the crew. the butcher.
| But all his own comrades were gone forever.
| He looked over the waters-the paddles were
| floating on the surface, but not one other
escaped from the whirlpool.
| ALL LOST But ONE.
With brief moment of anxious and sorrow
| full search Donley turned his thoughts to his own
perilous position. They must get to shore. The
butcher still held paddle. but he was waving
it overhead and singing. The agony Of death
had crazed him. Donley saw he had only him.
! self to depend upon and he scanned the shore
| A half mile below him he saw bush projecting
| into the river. As the current bore him in to
| shore he crouched upon the canoe and Just be-
| fore reaching the bush he sprang out and
| cutched it as he sank into the water He chung
for dear life until he caught his breath again
| and drew himself upon the bank He turned
| and looked at his Communion and watched the