The morning call., 1893-08-06
COULDN'T BE DROWNED.
The Wonderful Vitality of an Abyss
Sinian Girl.
The Million.

Inc MllllOn
Sir Samuel Baker gives an account of 4
thrilling incident which illustrates the folly OF
taking unnecessary risks. He was stationed
on the banks Of an Abyssinan river. HIS tents
were pitched upon the verge OF a cliff some
thirty feet in height, down the side Of which q
rugged path led TO the water. The rainy sea-
son 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 narrowed the
passage until just beyond there were some
powerful rapids. Near their head was ford
where women were accustomed to cross, carry
irg their burdens of fagots from the opposite
shore.
Zone day." says Sir Samuel, II was en-
plOyed outside the tent, when L observed a
thrOng OF women. each laden with a bundle OF
wood, crossing The ford in single file fr ON the
opposite bank.
'Among them were two girls of about
. years. and l remarked that these, Instead of
marching In line with the women. were wading
in dangerous proximity 10 the head OF the
rapids.
"a few seconds later noticed that they were
iDcliDing their bodies upstream aud were evil
IDENTIFY struggling with the current. Hardly
had l pointed out the danger to the men
around me when the girls ching to each other,
and, striving against their fate, they tOttrred
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
toward The river; but before they had reached
halt way the girls uttered shrek, lost their
footing. and in another instant threw their
arms wildly above their heads and were hur-
ried away in the foam of the rapids.
Zone disappeared Immediately. The other
was visible, as her long black hair foatad on
the surface; she also sank. Presently. about
twenty yards below the SPOT, a pair of naked
arms protrudeu high above the surface. with
ivory bracelets upon the wrists, and twice the
hands clapped together as though implOring
dsappparPd
"rhe wafer was by this time full OF men who
had rushed TO the rescue but they had fool
isbly 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 capped together, aud in the clear water
we could plainly see the dark nair beneath.
Still she sank again, but almost lmmedl.
atey she rose head and shoulders above the
surface, and thrice again she clapped her hands
for aid.
"Thls was her last effort; she disappeared.
BY This time several men had wisely run along
the bank below the tail OF the rapids, ana
having formed line across 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 a fit subject
for The Royal Humane SOci,.t SO supposed,
but 10 our intense establishment, she no sooner
was brought TO the shore than she gave herself
a shake. threw back her long air. wrung out
and arranged her dripping rahat. aid walked
leisurely back 10 the ford. which she crossed
with the assistance OF the Arab who had saw ed
her,"