The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-25

fore-and-aft bulShead was run in the bilge
of the Normas bow. The hold forward of
the fire room was filled with cord wood to
resist the shock when the steamer struck,
and all matches were nailed down. Then
the crew turned in on what, for all they
knew, was their last night in this world.
Capt Gray was thoroughly satisfied after
an examination of the falls that boat of
the Norma $ dimensions could not be taken
over without striking the bluff somewhere
The river here runs through a channel
about 100 feet wide. Large boulders line
the Oregon shore, and on the Idaho side
rises a steep cliff fifty feet high An ugly
reef twenty feet across and eight feet un-
der water stands at the brink of the fall
or run, about one-third of the way across
from the Oregon side 1t makes broken
drop and throws the current against the
current on the Idaho side. When the cap
tain told the crew that ii would be neces-
sary TO strike this wall Of rock, some UNI
easiness was manifested. but from what
they had already passed their confidence
in him was unlimited.
In the morning when everything was
ready Capt Gray called the men and said
to them; 90. 49,, e.
there is danger to the boat. but not to life
If she should strike hard enough to knock
her side out, or even break in two we can
take the small boats and make the shore
before she sinks. Don't get excited. Obey
orders and don't jump overheard under
any circumstances, as that is death. Suck
to the ship"
"A lew minutes later the NOTfNd QI0HDtQ
into mldstream. shot through a swift rapid
that anywhere else would be regarded
as impossible, came out into eomparatlVel
| ~ clear water, and in another moment
entered the draw Of the falls about fifteen
feet from the Idaho Cliff. 1t was a moment
OF intense excitement. As she broke over
the falls her timbers creaked and groaned.
When she took the final plunge the cap
tain cried "Starboard' and with the weight
of himself and assistants at the wheel the
SpOkes fairly flew around. The engines
were backed and the cliff was frowning
over the boat. She struck IL with her star
beard guard and seemed to hang for q
moment, while the waves broke over her
deck. The surf flying back from the cliff
drenched the men In the pilot house. Then
the little boat bounded away to mid-chan-
mel like a handbalLThe engines were stop
ped and the Norma drifted down the river,
with the crew yelling like demons, the
happiest men in two states, who had an
experience that will last them lifetime.
The steamers nosing was smashed for
about two feet and three deck beams We're
raised a few inches. Otherwise she did not
suffer from her battering.
Just below the falls the boat steamed
through Hell Canon, place about 200 feet
in length, where the overhanRing cliffs
seem to come within a few inches of meet
ing directly over the river, and hundreds
of feet above. During the next ten miles
she shot over four different rapids Wnere
the water ran like a race horse. Then the
channel narrowed to fifty feet and the cur
rent sped along twenty miles en- hour. one
place was encountered Wnefe the river ran
straighter and swifter than a mill race for
something like two miles, and in covering
the distance the engines were not moved
nor was the pilot wheel touched.
So the Great Box Canon of the Snake
was passed, and the Norma came into COM
paratiVely still water at what is known as
the head Of navigation on Snake river. At
noon on May "a, she steamed up to the
wharf at Lewiston and moored beside the
big wheat boats of the lower river. This
remarkable journey occupied eight days.
travelling time. The distance from Hunt
ington down 10 the head of navigation" is
about $50 miles.
Once before was the trip made, but never
again will any one be foolish enough to
build q boat on the upper waters for the
sake of bringing her down over Copper
Greek run to a field of usefulness. Some
twenty-five years ago the steamer Sho-
shone came down over the course followed
by the Norma. and the voyage was made
without serious mishap. She was over a
year in making the trip however for she
tied at Steamboat bar for twelve months,
her crew refusing TO run Cooper Creek
| Falls.