The National tribune., 1896-12-03


claring that the "men folks III Kill We
suah if they cotch We" ] soon finished
nv dinner, for the earlier lunch had
partly satisfied me. and gave the woman
So Confederate bill in payment Tor
our meaL She remarked that she would
prefer a greenback for 81 if | could give
it to her | had the greenback, but |,
too. preferred it to the rebel money; SO
[ pressed the larger bill upon her.
/ was beginning to get very uneasy
myself We had remained upon the
island almost an hour, and the guerrillas
were
LIKELY TO RETURN
at any moment. But Baker ate calmly
and deliberately-it seemed to me he
would never finish. Two or three times
he noticed my impatience and remarked
that he was going to eat enough while
be had a good chance, danger or no
danger.
| kept walking from the window to
the door and from the door back to the
window, watching closely for the guerrilla
raft. At length [ stepped outside of
the door and surveyed the river in a
new direction. There was the raft, al
ready close to the island, and approach
ing with great rapidity.
stepped back and nodded to Baker
IN a manner that could not be misunder-
stood. He took not another mouthful.
Rising in haste, he thanked the women
for their hospitality, and followed me
out of the house.
When we had turned the cabin cor
ner we sprapg into a run, and at the
same time began taking off our outer
clothing. 1t might prove fatal to US to
been numbered by clothes in case the
dug-out, very unstable craft, indeed,
should capsize. In a few moments We
reached the water, then pitching the
clothes into the dHg-out and springing
In ourselves we pushed off from the
dangerous island into the scarcely less
dangerous river.
"Now," said Baker-for while / had
been taking the lead upon land, he was
master upon water" now, boy, don't
you paw any attention to how the boat
goes. Pick up that can and bail all the
tine, but keep yourself as steady as
possible. And if the boat tips over,
you
CLINE RIGHT on Top OF 1T.
Don't let anything get you away from
this log; stick to it always. Tip Baker
will get you over And when we reach
the other side don't go to grabbing at
the trees; wait till we land. Now, you
par attention to what / have said
/ obediently reached for the can, and
Just as the guerrillas arrived at their cab
in, Baker with few quick strokes sent
the dug-out directly into the main cur
rent
Instantly we were snatched round and
round and whirIed down stream at least
a ahundred yards; but with his oar Baker
fought Ike a demon, and at length
brought the boat under control. The
waves Of the rapids dashed over the sides
of the craft, half filled if with water, and
threatened every moment to overtum US.
] worked with my can as if my life de-
pended upon it, and with all my exer-
tions barely managed to keep us from
swamping.
But Baker was all right. He headed
the boat this way ard that TO avoid the
dangerous waves-now shooting swiftly
through a small one, now holding back
desperately that large ore might pass
by; new pulling violently sidewise to
shun a frowning rock, or riding with
breathless rapidity down the foaming
current. And ever as We darted along
the roar of fall below us grew and
increased until it almost overtopped
the clamor of the rapids. But all the
time the northern shore became more
and more distinct, and the volume OF
water slipped farther and farther south
ward.
At length we passed out Of the surg
ing channel into the quieter waters neal
the side The difficulty now was IL
landing, for the banks were almost per
pendicular, and the overhanging tree,
threatened to pull us out of our boat.
was wrought up to such pitch that Al
soon as we drew near / began catching
at the branches The boat dipped
whirled round, and shot back into tn
current. Baker swore yiciously, ant
with the greatest difficulty coaxed tn
boat back to the shore. This time W
succeeded in making landing, and W
climbed the bank not stones thro,
above the cataract.
The guerrillas attempted no pursuit
for they doubtless supposed We woul
drown. Our peril indeed had bee
great, and only an experienced boa
man, aided by good fortune, could hap
brought us through. But now we wei
saved, both from the deadly rapids an
the heartless guerrillas. Upon the yer
next day we re-entered the Union line
Bishop William David Walker. of II
missionary jurisdiction OF North Dakota. wi
has been chosen Bishop of western New Yor