Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1901-01-25
B ACLOSECALL 5
) BY I. W. Birney.



Kentucky. The scenery in many
parts of its course is of the grandest
description, and numbers of tourists
annually visit the locality to contem-
plate its beauties.
Especially attractive is spot
few miles from the town of Danyille.
Here the river widens to twice its
usual breadth, and flows between
thickly wooded hills; though the cur
rent is still strong, its whole aspect
is that of peaceful and harmless
stream.
But the apparent calmness is mo-
mentary and deceptive; 30 yards be-
low the water narrows again, and
rushes swiftly between banks which
become constantly sleeper and more
rocky, until finally it dashes over
fall of 40 feet, frowned down upon by
precipitous cliffs which rise more
than twice that distance toward the
sky.
The quiet spot above the falls has
been great deer crossing. Many
noble animal has here met his death
from the hunters rifle, as he shook
the water from his TANKS on one side
or the other.
Sixty years ago, however, the coun-
try was thinly settled, and the only
person in position to take more
than occasional advantage of the
crossing was woodsman, named Joe
Hatton, who had cabin on the hill
above the river. and spent his life, as
was customary with men of his kind,
entirely in hunting and trapping.
Hatton was good shot, and as he
kept, moored in the bushes on the
bank, canoe, which enabled him to
pursue deer in the water, he never
wanted for venison.
In all his excursions, however,
whether for hunting or fishing, he
never padded down stream, knowing
full well that If he once got between
the cliffs it would take more power
than lay even in his strong arms to
propel his boat back again.
Finally he had an experience which
amply justified his respect for the
rapids" as it was called.
1t was about ten o'clock of a bright
October day, and Hatton, having fin
ished his Chores" was sitting at the
base of tree, short distance from
his cabin door, whiting a stick with
his hunting knife, and lazily trying
TO make up his mind to visit his traps,
when he perceived deer walking
down the gully that led to the river
shore. 1t was a fine buck, but was
evidently partially disabled, for its
movements were slow and painful.
The hunter sprang to his feet, and
showing his knife into its sheath, hur-
ried down the hill, intending to pur-
sue and secure the animal in the wa
ter.
Just as the deer reached the bank
1t saw him, and the change of de-
meanor was instantaneous. With
bound it flung itself into the water
and struck out for the opposite shore.
Hatton whooped with delight, and,
pushing off his canoe, padded quick
ly after. But so swiftly did the deer
swim that ii had almost reached the
other bank when the boat shot be-
tween its eyes and the wished-for
goal.
At that II turned and started bacd
but this time the hunter overlook
in midstream.
Being greatly weakened by its ire
mendous efforts to escape, he was able
to seize ii by one horn.
Dropping his paddle and drawing
his knife, Joe reached over with hi
right hand to make an end of
quarry maintaining firm hold VI
his left hand upon the horn.
But as the steel touched his me-
the buck made convulsive sprn
and flung his head desperately in then
air. A prong Of his near horn caught
Hatton under the arm, and the next}
instant the hunter was struggling inn
the river.
His first feeling on coming to thd
surface was of anger, and, being pei
fectly at home in the water, he mad|
a dash for the deer, to finish the 10
he had begun.
The animal at first seemed not to
care to avoid him, but when HattoffI
seized his horn, with the intention of
putting the poor beast out of his mis-
cry, he struggled with all h
strength, springing from side to side
and shaking his head in vain effort
TO free himself; for the longer ii
contest lasted the more determipI
did Joe become, as he growled to hi
self, to git that buck or bust"
But suddenly shadow seemed
fall on the water, and, raising b
eyes, Joe saw, with dismay, that
his reckless struggle he had been ID
by the current far below the en-
ing and that he was almost betw
the cliffs.
Instantly he released the
dropped his useless knife and stI
out for the shore, endeavoring1
swim diagonally up the stream.
II was too late.
In spite Of his great endeavof
could see that the mark on Wild
had fixed his eyes was slowly I'D
ng from him, and in a few nor
he had passed into the jaws
canyon.
The fact that he was being
oward the falls came to him
lwful distinctness, and. with
'onic sentence, "Joe, the rap1
got you at last" he ceased to 5
gle.
Then he turned his head
searched the base Of the cliff W
yes, in the hope of seeing sol
ection, some shrub, to VI