The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-05-23

s"'oBo ioes cIamDerlnB down the
face of the rocks towards orr
nights encampment. All was silent
Tor minute, when series of
prolonged warning signals burst on
the air, to be answered from the oppo-
site shore; and then, crouching low in
the canoe, we were treated to the nm
welcomed sensation of murderous
slugs flying over our heads.
turning for n moment to catch n
glimpse OF our late assallants, of whom
by this time l had calculated we had
seen the last, my blood nearly froze
In my veins with terrors, when L saw
that they had likewise launched n
canoe, manned by four stalwart pad-
dlers, and were striving to overtake
us; while dusky savage in the bow
us off.
80 intent had we been on the dan
ger from our pursuers that we had not
taken notice of new and more men
aclng danger ahead. For fully two
miles we had been dashing along at
fnghtful speed, accelerated by the
swlttness of the current, which flowed
IN markedly perceptible grade.
when the banks on either side
seemed suddenly to converge into
huge cliffs not more than forty feet
apart, through which the seetbinp
waters tumbled and boiled as in a
mlll-race. Like an arrow our little
boat shot through the gloomy portals.
frowning on either hand, darling this
way and that, dipping and dancing
about like cork, and doing exactly
what the current willed At the yerv
hrst swirl, / made discovery that
gave me an additional SILVER. The
canoe, rudely caulked, was beginning
to show signs of distress, and tiny
streams of water were pouring through
the partly re-opened cracks. Neither
would 1t bear much longer, 80 it
seemed, the pressure from the paddles.
which were now used merely to guide
our course from being wrecked on the
numberless Jagged reefs and boulders
projecting above the seething waters.
If the water pulled one way and the
paddles another the frail thing
squirmed and twisted like q snake in.
stead of obeying the steersman. so
that 1t was quite impossible to make
her respond readily or effect q sharp
turn. No doubt Denazee discovered
TINS as soon as [ did, but he gave no
INIT OF it, as with intent face and
skllliul arm, he did his part of the
work to perfection. The half-breed.
meanwhile, lay sobbing aud moaning
in the bottom of the boat. until
aroused him to action by sundrv
kicks, and impressed on his sadly be-
tuddled and dazed brain the necessity
OF unceasiDg baling to keep us from
laundering.
what satisfaction might have been
gained from this welcome fact was
dissipated by new and more porten-
tous danger. From the slimv cliffs
rising sheer and smooth two hundred
feet into the air came the menacinp
peal of angry shouts, and almost i'm
mediately we were running the pount-
let of n shower of huge boulders from
new assailants who had gathered on
the top of the cliffs. We did not dare
to turn round to see ii those i'm the
pursuing canoe were following. but
from the fact that for several minutes
we had heard nothing from their di-
rection we concluded that they had
not dared to enter the canon; never
theleas, we felt that our doom was
sealed by the force which they had
planted on top OF the cliffs. The mar
row gorge contracted still more, and
we had now come TO n spot where
whirlpool followed whirlpool in fear
fully quick succession, and we no
sooner caught our breath after escap-
ing on5 than we were struggling
wildly with another Our frail craft
appeared 20 undulatc over the frotbino
waves rather than Co cut through
them, and it seemed as il every move
meut OF the water might be felt
through her thin skin.
Suddenly my paddle was wrenobed
from my hands as hugo boulder,
which had been thrown from above
struck 1t but q few inches from my
hand We gave ourselves up for lost.
and the meanings Of tho half-breed
were pitiful 60 hear He had been
struck with several Jagged stones, and
his arms and shoulder were bnthed in
blood
For mile after mile we were tumbled
about, and tossed from wave 10 wave.
over whirlpool, rock, and rapid like n
chip ~ bark At times n huge wave.
curling and kissing would lift MS clean
out OF the wator and hurl us through
tho air for several feet To make mat
ters worse, tho seams. from I'll ESQ sc.
we're bufetings, opened wider and
wider every moment; and although
both tho half-breed and myself
crouched low in the canoe and baled
witS that deqperatiOn horn Of Iovc Of
life, we did it so clumsily in our haste