The sun., 1898-07-31
MINER PoPEs PREDrcAnrrNn
Three Days on Marrow Ledge at the B0AO
tom of n Deep Canon.

From De 81. LOuis Globe Democrat !
SEATTLE. July 24-In prison Of granite IN Q
box canon in one of the mountain streams o.
the Copper River country. Alaska. E. A. Pope,
OF Mclean. ILL.,. spent three terrible days and
nights on narrow ledge OF rock. At his feet
rushed the mad torrent Of Low River. and above
him lowered the granite walls OF cafion for
several thousand feet. with narrow opening
at the top. through which tho sun fllckered and
gave an occasional hope to the hungry freezing
man below.
How Pope got into this predicament and how
he finally managed to get out makes an inter-
esting story. He had met reverses in the in%
terror and hired out to Government party AZ
packer. With six troopers he started out to
explore an alleged Russian trail. On reaching
the headwaters OF Low River the party cone
structed a long raft and started down the
stream.
Without warning they entered box caIon
and were unable to land The raft went ovcr
waterfall and broke In two. Pope was caught
by the undertow. and before he came to the
surface the pieces OF raft. with the soldiers
cinRinR to them were far away.
Pope managed to reach small ledge OF rock
about five feet long and wide enough to stand
on. The day was cold-dismal even for Copper
River-and he was thoroughly wet with icy wa
ter. The granite walls lowered above him fog
1900 feet with hardly foothold in the rock
for the first 100 feet above his head. To plunge
into the stream was madness, and he did not
see how he could climb the wall behind him.
His only hope was that his companions would
reach shore safely and come back with ropes to
get him out
stony prison afraid to lie down Tor fear OF fall.
| his hunger worse and a cold rain added to his
| misery. Pope was wondering II it were not
better to plunge to certain and quick death in
the roaring stream than to die slowly Of starVa-
| tion and exposure in the little box canon. The
rock gave him hope, and he determined to try
| once more to climb the wall. He had attempted
It time and again. only to fall back bruised and
| bleeding, after getting up few feet.
Pope was driven to desperation and began
hacking at the bushes, for which nature by, Q
| ledge. He hoped to make sort OF ladder TO
which he could cling while climbing up the
side Of the canon. He tore of ten Of tho largest
| bushes. and, with his suspcndcrs. lashed them
| together He was weak from loss of sleep AND
| lack OF food. The task before him was one that
| would try the nerves Of man in the best con-
| ditions. For seventy feet the rock went up ale
| most perpendiculary.
In some way. Pope himself cannot explain
| how he hung the ladder on Jutting points oe
rock and clambered up. single slip ot the
ladder or q misstep. no matter how. slight.
| frightfu swings. but the ladder. made with
nervous haste, never failed him. 1t took him
moro than an hour to reach the top. When he
| finally got out he was so weak that 1t was hout0
| before he was able to commence the thirty
mile walk to ValdeS a-=i -! -
On reaching Vades he found the soldiers had
| managed to get ashore on the opposite bank
and to climb out with some difficulty.