Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-10-17
A PERIIOUS VOYAGE.
YOUNG WESTERN HUNTERS
THRILLING EXPERIENCE.

THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Caught by water witch" and Carried
Down Stream. Now sinking. Now Rising.
Until ut Last Friendly Root Inter |
fered to Rescus Him from Death.
Il had an encounter with water
witch when was in Utah, remarked
one OF party OF young men who were
seated round small table the other
evening mo matter where), telling tales
OF adventure by land and sea In re-
Spouse to the general demand the speak
or told this story:
I'm the month OF July, a few years
ago, camped with party from Salt
Lake City on the banks Of the Provo
river. The Provo, as we used to say at
school, rises amid the snow clad peaks
OF the Wasatch mountains. flows s0uth
and empties into Utah lake. The track
Of deer discovered one morning within
the borders Of the camp caused some
| excitement among us.
1.-THE next day Mr.. r. and shouldered
our guns and went out to shoot the in.
vaders We crossed the river by bridge
a few miles below camp and climbed a
bold mountain wall. At the end Of a
long tramp found myself on the oppo-
site bank Of the river about half mile
above our camp. l was alone. having
separated from my companion early in
the hunt was in Disguised frame Of
mind. had started the deer, had an
excellent shot and touch Of buck fever,
although the deer was a doe. and had
missed
The way had come looked long and
hard, and | resolved to ford the river.
At the time it was at full bank, deep and
swift. | crossed one arm Of the stream
to large island without difficulty, the
water not coming above my knees. From
this island the other branch of the river
looked more uncertain. The water was
certainly waist deep and the current was
swift. | noticed that at the lower end
OF the island. where the two currents
joined again, the water foamed up three
or four feet high, as if breaking over a
rock. On each bank there was dense
growth of willow bushes, with long
dropping stems which reached out over
the river. some of the tips touching the
water.
TERRIBLE VOYAGE.
Though no hunter lam good swim
mer, and have always been accustomed
to the water from boyhood. The thought
of any personal danger in crossing a
stream not more than twenty yards wide
never entered my mind. thought
might possibly drop the gun. and was
quite certain to ruin box of cartridges
| carried in my pocket. These consid-
erations alone made me give any atten-
ton to the lay of the land and the course
of the currents.
II entered the water and advanced to-
ward the opposite bank. holding the gun
in one hand and high 1t was deeper
than thought, the water coming quite
up to my shoulders. Twas about to reach
for one of the bending willow stems
when / made misstep and was swept
off my feet. the current carrying ME
swiftly to the center of the foaming water
at the end of the island where went tc
the bottom like lead. | came up fan
enough to see daylight shining through
the water when went to the bottom
again. still had the gun. As came
up the second time began to spin around
like top.
"Then realized that was in trouble
dropped the gun, and with the aid OF
both arms brought my head above water
and clear of the whirlpool. | was gasp
ing for breath when | got to the air, bu,
had not taken in any water, and al
though much exhausted from the pound
ing had received by the fierce current
| was congratulating myself on my
escape when, floating easy with botl
arms free, | felt myself slowly but surel,
going under again.
Then something like terror seized me
thought my last moments of life hi,
come. Luckily there came with thi,
thought the resolve of desperate maj
to die by inches and to cling to life unit
the last gasp. There was great i'm
pulse at first to cry out for help. coulo
hear the clip of Mormon farmers hay
. rake in the field on the other side of tn,
river and his chirp to his horse. But
, knew in that awful moment that the cal
for help was only to waste the breath
. had resolved to husband
THE WATER WITCH.
Il felt my strength going as you cal
feel a pair of reins slip through You
; hands. Every few feet, slowly bu
; surely, would go under. Then, b,
desperate exertions with my arms,
r would bring my nose and mouth abov,
the water again. The river swept IN,
under a bunch of those long, graceful
5 willow branches, but again was stead,
. enough not to catch hold of them.
r knew that to do so was to waste my eff
J. forts for life in vain. They were slip
perry, they were small. and would no
hold me.
e ''At such time ones thoughts trave
:. faster than light. | have heard it sal,
a that drowning is an easy death to die
n It did not present that phase to me. Il
>. going 100 yards, in spite of every effor
!. on my part, | went under several times
I but never to the bottom.
= las was shot along out Of reach o
e the willows saw an old log lying hal
o. on the bank and half in the water NJ
' hopes rose again and thought shout,
a certainly save myself there. As cam
. to it went under again and the curren
n swept me up against it full length.
tried to grasp it, but it was Shiny and
! could nor hold IN If and | pIshad my