The sun., 1895-05-05
BY THE GRACE OF A SNAKE.
HURRF's STORY OF ADVENTURE IN
NIAGARA WHIRLPOOL.

Peri,ous Navigation, on n I,oe with . Rat
tiesnnko for n crew-The Nan Spared
the Snake and the snake sacriaeed IL.
Life 60 save the Mas, the Man Declares,
NIAGARA FALLa May Andrew" the
reporter said. did you ever know or person
who had naviRnted tho Whirlpool In safety3"
yes" said the old man.
"who was It
INV tho answer.
This answer did not bring an expression of
surprise. because old Andrew Hurry has dono
little OF everything since he came, sixty five
years ago, TO eit down md grow his vine and fg
tree within sound OF the falling waters of Mag
ara. lie has always been n famous story teller:
his yarns have been spun to succeeding genera
tiUns. and all have hau attentive listeners. Some
of these tales have been suspiciously Muuchau-
sen-ike, and. had the reator been other than
old Andrew, they would have been received with
incrcdulous smiles. But those who know him
best are thoroughly impressed with tho idea
that in the early days OF the century he must
have chopped down cherry tree or two, since
he seems to have been inoculated with tho virus
OF truthfulncss They never think OF doubling
him; whatever he tells is accepted without
thought of the chance that 1t may be untrue.
Andrew is unique figure on the frontier; one
who Is known, respected, and admired, es-
peeially by his older acqunintancos. Strong,
straight of figure, md broad -shou uldcred, he
walks the streets to-day with littlo to show his
S5 years save his white hair and beard. Yet 1t
was before the war Of 1912 that Andrew came
into being over in Canada, and there, among
his sturdy Scotch knsfok. lived until 1t became
wise to cross the border. In keeping with his
name, he came over In hurry In the year 1890,
and here he has ever since lived. In tho Cana
dian rebellion of 1898 he stole back to his
native land. took part In the uprising and,
when It collapsed. again crossed tho river be-
tween sundown aud sunrise. You may see him
any day passing up and down tho street, his
bonnie bonnet on his white head, a gray shawl
wrapped about his shoulders In place Of n tar
tan, and n big cane In his hand. All like him:
all are glad TO hear him talk. and never doubt
his veracity. The story of his voyage in tho
Whirlpool is givon therefore rs strictly true.
Andrew Hurry has always been great walker
and q tireless hunter. Even in his later years
his tramps have xtended over the whole frontier,
and few care to-day to attempt the task OF tiring
him out. So long rs there game 10 shoot on
the river or In the woods ho rarely missing GO
Ing out on II good day. trnmping into tho sur
rounding country. his handsome gun upon his
shoulder. and an ample game bag by his side.
Often he would start, In the long days OF sum-
m.r. before the cock crew. and when his wife
came into the kitchen to prepare the morning
doorway smoking his scotch clay and the newly
killed birds on the table hard by. But one
morning he did not come back; breakfast was
eaten by the wife alone; dinner and supper
found Andrews seat vacant. and It was not un-
I'll long hours OF suspense had slipped by that
his heavy familiar tread was heard outside the
door. He brought no game this time, even his
trusted gun was missing; but he started up the
fire In the kitchen stove nevertheless, and pro-
ceeded to dry his dripping clothes. while his wife
brewed him a stiff glass of hot Scotch.
Tho Whirlpool lies some miles below the cat
arnct. The river has narrowed. and for seven
miles or more rushes impetuously to the level OF
Ontario. Sometimes the bluffs are devoid of
shrubs; again they are covered with dense
forest. which clings to the almost perpendicular
sides. The basin of the Whirlpool lies at an
angle In the river. perfect horseshoe in shape,
Ing faster than n man can run. enters the pool
IL the upper heel or the horseshoe and strikes
the Other heel But pro5aby more water enters
than is seen to go out: rnssiby there is bter-
rsnean outlet. through which may go the bodies
OF cattle and OF mon which are seen sometimes
IN the .whirl, and then forever disappear.
Around the outer part OF the horseshoe flows
terrific, speed. its white foam. its dashing bill
lows. Seemingly it is recovering its breath after
bed. and is gathering strength for its coming
battle with tho rocks and lodges of the lower
bOlles are sometimes seen HORtlng IN
the stream for months. Great trees and logs
circle around the pool for months before they
pass out.
The danger in tho Whirlpool lies not in any
one great suction, but in the countless eddies
which are seen all over it. These small whirl-
like the spring of a clock toward u centre, where
the water seems to be sucked down. These
and go suddenly. and in unexpected places.
Then. again. the water will begin to boil, and
Tie bottom o ths oe obeess ossnr
Hostey 1Se Marlpos ~ w suddenly dssHDpeSar S in the
hey Viii BE- soen
expelled by one Of the great bubhling springs.
Floating H Ing 10 log; will sometimes get into the sue
II the n boat sp. woad PGs He bt
short time in the Whirlpool. and no man has
force which seeks to draw him down.
.,,aa On morning 9sn in June. ls4l, Andrew Hurry
Gun upon his shoulder, pushed. out Of the vii
is1., .,. lie IN had no special plans for his move;
Fsi mae the Ss the oa
breaking down tho river came fast flight OF
abound in the Niagara the % entire ire yea. year. hut But
while Andrew watched, another and yet, another
beyond the spray Of the falls. He thought that
at at'eo oncs eeioTs re haS he seen 50 many dncks
Ss grounds at shr whrpSol III ao knew
eft h.s he shG4d 60 thsre his shooting would 6e
@ hs ana soon Sf the
strongly toward the Canadian shore. There.
MAKING last his boat he started on his five-mile
tramp down the Canadian side. Not being on
kond terms as yet with his old Government. he
t tSrso9k the roads, and shaped his course through
}ss dense woods which then lined the other
UanI Uank' Arriving at the bank above the Whrl-
.r .rs ne looked down into the great basin, to lind
they were swimming about close to the shore,
Aeehng well away from the eddies In the pool.
andrew quickly scrambled down the steep
.sl;S sank' snomStimes digging his heels into the
i"a itn winch lay In the rock creyices or swing
W. himself along by the branches OF the trees.
fnaay fss, he stood on ledge of rock some four
deet above tho water. Below him lay a long log,
ar end resting on the beach. the other buried
,Sut ,Sr out In the stream: As he watched. pcepinR
Srsn Sprpngh The trees the sun, now some hours
Thaa poured its hot rays down upon the scene.
th e sspttom OF the gorge began TO grow sitting;
wa,. sns nickHr OF the juno heat hung over the
ws; s.er; all nature began to feel the increasing
"rr "s,in'h, and the air became sultry and oppres-
80 80 suddenly the hunter was startled; the |
c.sn'"S mhirr OF u ruiiief sounded loud and
snan, ssIr, Andrew usually gave no thought to the
ii,n"Ses' i,w' but this time he glanced behind him.
IN" was ,owsl well he did the snake was Just spring,
w,ns waisr to moyc he must leap for, the
sn'pl INTO Tho DOOl. Action and thong ht cnmo