The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-08-03
PRISONER ON NARROW LEDGE.
POPE'S BOAT CAPSIZED IN AN
ALASKAN RIVER.
Granite Walls 4.5OO Feet High on Either
Side, Raging Waters Below, Star.
walton Sure.

CAuoj ANhRtnR waters Below STAR
walton Sure.
With granite walls 1900 feet high
above him, raging waters at his feet, and
only narrow ledge TO stand on, A. F.
Pope, of Mclean, ILL.,, was imprisoned
three days. This is the story of his
wonderful escape:
Pope went to Valedes, Alaska, last
March and lost his outfit by the upset
ting of boat in the Tazalena river. On
returning to Valedes he hired out to
United States Army officers. With
party of soldiers who were trying to find
a summer route to the interior he struck
east until he reached Lou river, swift
| stream not on the map.
On log raft the party started down
stream and finally came to canyon x
miles long and walled up high.
At 2 p. m. on May q the exciting ride
down the unknown canyon commenced.
For two miles they shot along at terrific
speed passing har-raising curves and
having narrow escapes from death on
sharp rocks. Suddenly they saw rock
studded rapids ahead They could not
stop their raft, and banging up against
the rocks it was swept over.
AT the foot of the rapids was 16.foot
jump. The raft plunged into the pool
and was dashed upon a big rock 1t
turned over completely and broke. The
men were thrown into the water. All
save Pope succeeded in catching pieces
of the broken raft.
An undertow kept Pope under longer
than the rest, and the raft, with the sol
diers clinging TO it, was far down the
stream when he came to the surface all
but drowned.
Pope succeeded in reaching a ledge of
rock that was few feet long and just
wide enough to give a foothold. The
day was dismal, and Pope was drenched
with icy water. Granite walls lowered
above him 1, 500 feet, with hardly a foot
hold in the rock for the2frst 100 feet
above his head.
To plunge into the stream was mad
ness. Pope paced his narrow prison.
Night brought no relief. He was afraid
to lie down for fear of falling into the
stream. All night he tramped up and
down the five feet Of rock.
Day found Pope in worse plight than
before. Hunger was added to his other
troubles. Night br ught a Id rain.
He waved his arms and stamped
his wet feet to keep up circulation.
At noon on the third day in the can
yon ray or sunlight gave him hope.
He determined to try once more to climb
the wall. He had attempted it time and
again, only to fall back bruised and
bleeding. He began hacking at the
bushes which nature had left on the
rocky ledge. He tore off ten bushes,
and with his suspenders lashen them to.
gether. He was weak from loss of sleep
and lack of food.
For seventy feet the rock went up al
most perpendcularly. Pope himself
cannot explain how he hung his ladder
on the jutting points of rock and clam
bered up. A single slip of the ladder or
misstep, no matter how slight, meant
death.
At times he was forced to make fright
full swings, but the ladder made with
nervous haste, never failed. 1t took him
more than an hour to reach the top.
When he finally got out he was so weak
that it was hours before he was able to
commence the thrty-mle walk to Vale
des.
Great was his surprise when, week
after the accident, he finally reached the
soldier camp to find all the bluecoats
there uninjured They had been thrown
up on the opposite bank, about 200 feet
below the rapids. Hard climbing brought
them to the top of the canyon in safety,
aud ealy next morning they reached
Valedes. They thought Pope was
| drowned. New York World.
Beggs' German SalVe
is used in every house, writes one man
from country town. Entire neighbor
hood uses it fer piles, cuts, burns,
bruises and all skin diseases. The fame
of its cures necessarily spreads from town