The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-04-27

had cleared little, they boldly plung-
ed out into the snow; but all land
marks had been covered, the guide
lost his way, and after hours of search
ing they unwillingly decided to go
back to their shelter The return they
found as difficult as the advance, their
tracks had been covered by snow and
they had no idea of the direction of
the ravine Their horses were so
numb that it was difficult to urge
them on and hope seemed to have fed
Dismounting DR.. Whitman kneeled
in the snow to face death in prayer.
Then the guide noticed a slight but
intelligent movement of his mules
ears. Calling the others to follow,
he gave the animal the rein, and soon
they were led back to the shelter and
the smouldering brands Of the fire
they had left in the morning.
On one occasion. while the little
party was trying to dodge band Of
hostile Indians, they had an encount-
er with a ferocious panther They
were making their way down "a narrow
gorge, single file, with the guide at
the head. Suddenly the guide stop
ped Upon looking for the cause the
doctor and Mr.. Loveioy saw a large
panther crouching in small tree not
fifteen yards ahead, evidently prepar-
ing for a leap. They were in guam
Diary, for where they then were the
path was so narrow that but one could
pass at a time They couldn't turn
back, for they had every reason to
believe the Indians We're close behind,
and to fire at the beast would be fatal
Before they had time to consider the
matter the animal made leap, and
landed almost at the feet Of the guide,
who Immediately ierked out his hunt
ing knife prepared for the struggle
which he saw to be inevitable. An
other lightning like spring, and then
commenced a deadly encounter. The
brute received a stroke Of the knife in
its side, causing the blood to squirt
out like a jet from a fountain. The
next moment they were both upon the
ground. Before either of his cOmpan-
ions could come to his aid. the guide
arose victorious. His clothing was
almost in rags, and there was terrible
cash across his thigh which took
weeks to heal The struggle though
brief had been terrific. Over and over
they had rolled, tearing frightfully at
each other in their desperate struggle,
though for the mastery, ripping up
the frozen crust and profusely sprink-
ling 1t with their blood. The guide
came uppermost and holding his an
tagonist beneath his knee till he could
free his right arm from the lacerating
hold of the monsters claws, he rapidly
plunged his knife five or six times IN
to has body.
The most thrilling and hair breadth
escape Of all they experienced on the
18th Of January. They had come to a
small river which ran like a mill race.
Seeing that the current ran their way,
and thinking to expedite matters, they
built a small raft and embarked.
Everything went smoothly for about
twenty miles, and they were about
congratulating themselves on their
mode Of conveyance. when suddenly a
dull roaring sound was heard ahead
The doctor noticed they were going
through the water much swifter and
instantly came to the conclusion that
there must be falls not far in advance
They didn't think anything of that,
however, until suddenly on rounding
the bend they saw about three miles
ahead what appeared to be a wall of
solid rock. The booming noise grew
louder. At last it dawned upon their
startled faculties that they were being
carried straight to the opening Of an
immense box canyon. Too late they
tried to make for the shore. With
their frail paddles they could make
no headway against the fierce current.
1t carried them on like a feather. All
their desperate efforts were futile. BY
this time they were travelling over
twenty miles an hour and their little
craft was tossed round and round like
cork. The grassy shores had dis
appeared and in their place walls of
rock, which rose higher and higher as
they advanced. The rest is best told
in the doctors own words.
Suddenly the mouth Of the canyon
loomed up before US We barely had
time to take one last look at shore and
sky when, with rush and aroar as of
heavy artillery, we swept through the
opening, and darkness-impenetrable
darkness closed about us. The roar
ing noise, the doctor describes. was
probably y caused by geysers.l No pen
can describe the anguish Of mind ex-
perienced DO Us as we lay there upon
the frail raft clinging on with a death
grip holding ORr breath IN suspense
and waiting for our craft to be suaash-
ed into kindling wood against some
unseen obstruction. The wind whist
led past our ears, and deeper and
blacker grew the darkness, There
was no sound heard now save the rush
Of the waters against the bank on
either hand, hut the speed with which
we were moving was simply appalling
The darkness was SO intense that 1t
seemed as though the walls and roof
of the canyon must be within reach of
my head Believing that a recumbent
pasltlon was safer than an upright
one, | threw myself backyard, and
with head resting on our tent and eyes
directed toward the top Of the cavern,
waited for-death. Now and tnen a
little patch of light far above would
shoot by with such surprising swift
ness that nay hair would fairly stand
on end and | would clutch the raft
with tirmer grip and wonder how
much longer this wild ride must con
tinue, ana hoE long # would be before
the end. The slightest obstacle in our
course would have ended all suspense
| and anxiety IN an instant of time.
But there was not even d brush nor
anything else IN our way. The chan
mel was as smooth and deep as it was
in tbs valley we had left-how long
ago! l did not know, fof / could not
take note of the flight of time Was
, it an hour or day? The interior of