Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-07-11

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me, tossing me like chip, FIRST to
this side and then to that, as il en-
deavoring to tear me from my pre-
carious perch; and my rapidly vain
ing strength was hardly sufficient
to battle against that power.
/ shouted wildly for help, al
though ! we'll knew at the time
that in the depths Of that gloomy,
tenantless canon, not even q Wild
beast, much less human, would
hear my CRY.
Minute after minute, centuries to
me. the wild river rushed on, and
my poor body was swished helpless
liz about, while my aching arms and
numb fingers were clasped deeper
ately about the slippery rock that
was my only hope.
Suddenly a wave, breaking over
the summit Of the rock, das he'd
squarely into my face, taking my
breath. Before had recovered
from the shock, second followed
it. The water got into my mouth
and nostrils; strangled, and be-
gan to cough. AS ! coughed, in
some manner my fingers became
unlocked. and, before was aware,
they were slipping over the smooth
stone.
grasped desperately at the rock
trying to dig my fingers into its
smooth sides, but nothing to which
could hold met my frantic clutch
es. Finally threw all my re-
manning strength into a last clutch
at the summit of the rock, grasped
it, steadied myself for a moment,
and was torn away by the powerful
water. / was then aaoat upon the
wild river, where no one knew bet
ter than myself that there was not
one chance in a thousand Tor me TO
escape with my life.
Ithrashed my arms wildly about
me, but they touched only the
rushing water.
Something brushed against my
face. With the despair of q drown
ing man, I clutched at it and
caught it.
drifted on for q mement more,
then my hand received a sudden
jerk, and came near losing its hold,
upon whatever it was that had
grasped, but threw out my other
hand also, caught and held desper-
ately.
My hands were jerked ont of the
water, the waves swished about me,
and | realized that | was holding
to something that had given me q
respite from the food. What it
was l did not know, and, for the
moment, / did not care.
For O full minute I remained
thus, regalning my breath and nv
senses.
Then 1 peered up through the
almost inpenetrable gloom of the
canon; aud managed to trace what
appeared to be tiny thread to the
cliff above. I realized then what
it was that had saved me. The
slack Of the rope by which ! had
descended the canon wall had been
carried down the stream by the
force Of the powerful current, and
had been swept within my reach.
By the merest accident, in my mo-
ment of greatest peril, had grasp
ed it.
drew myself up q little, and
With some difficulty knotted the
rope about my shoulders. Thus
supported. 1 rested my weary arms
for some minutes before attempt
ing to scale the canon vail. The
current was so swift that no effort
was needed to keep my head above
water.
1t was not dilficult matter to
draw myself hand over hand to the
base Of the cliff, and then to the
summit. Soon | clambered upon
the broad shelf that | had left so
carelessiy bat few hours before,
and, without even removing the
rope from about my shoulders. l
flung myself fiat upon the rock,
exhausted.
never again descended into the
canon Of the Colorado. | had lost
my "nerve," ~ many another
guide has done, and | threw up my
job. For few weeks drove the
stage, but even that was too closely
connected With the horrors Of that
black raging food, and / gave it