Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1902-12-12
in THE TRACK OF THE TOW.
BY Albert w. To1man.

could then determine the quarters
OF the compass; for if the boats were
loaded knew that they would be
going east; If light, then west. on
their way back to New York.
| Oo-oo-ooh! Oo-oo-ooh! The increas 6.
Ing loudness of whistle to my left
told that tug was swiftly approach.
ing. Lying on my oars, I waited. pre.
pared to row forward quickly or back
water, as might be necessary. Nearer
anu nearer came the footing, and /
could hear the rush of water beneath
the unseen Prov, and the puff. Duff of
steam. Suddenly, twenty feet away,
appeared black stem, nosing rapidly
through the fog. 1t was little too
close for comfort. AS the tug swept
by caught a glimpse of a tow-rope
dragging over the stern, and Judged
from her size that she probably had
two coal-laden barges behind her. ]
could hear the voices of the men
on board growing fainter in the dis.
Etance.
| Another black phantom passed; II
was the first barge, loaded low in the
water; after her at an interval came
another. AS they were loaded l knew
that they were heading east, and
that the shore therefore lay in front
| of me. 1 settled myself on the thwart
and braced my feet for the row in.
| So interested had I been in my cal
culations that I had barely noticed a
confusion of whistles that occurred
shortly after the passage of the tow.
Hence l was altogether unprepared,
after my third stroke, to hear another
boat approaching through the fog from
the opposite direction. I backed water
vigorously, just in time to escape be-
ing run down by tug that was max
ing the water fly as she dashed west
ward. ~, iss
l caught the splash of rope, and
waited. Soon came the huge bulk of
an empty barge, rising high above the
water. 1t passed so near that backed
another stroke to be out Of the way of
the one which I felt sure was follow
ing it. Soon l heard another tow-rope
whipping the surface, and second
barge the size of the first swept by.
listened for several seconds, but hear
ing no further sound, l bent to my
oars again, feeling sure that there
were no more barges.
L had gone perhaps thirty feet when
something struck the bottom Of my
skiff. A large cable rose squarely
beneath the boat, swapping it into
the air. AS my boat dropped back
it fell stern first and capsized, throw
ing me out. When l went under I
lost my grip of the oars, and on coming
to the surface again I moved my hands
frantically about in the hope of find
ing them.
Two or three inches above the water
my fingers encountered something
round and wet, and closed about it like
a wise. 1t was the cable which had
capsized me. A third barge had been
| towing after the other two, and it's
| hawser had proved the cause of the
disaster.
Higher and higher it rose, lifting
me above water until was only waist
deep The waves rippled against my
body as was dragged along. caught
last glimpse of my oars and water
logged boat drifting away in the fog.
Then they were swallowed up and 1
was left clinging to the sodden rope.
Gid not dare let go of it. to attempt
to regain my skiff. Indeed, so con-
fused was that the idea did not enter
my head until the chance was gone.
The hawser began to sink again.
Lower and lower it fell until / was
submerged to the neck. Deeper it
went, and deeper still. 1 had no choice
but to let go, unless wished to be
dragged under. released my hold
and was left struggling in the waves,
padding to keep afloat.
Should I abandon the cable and
strike out for shore? 1 was not a
strong swimmer, and the land was a
mile or two distant. 10 start for It in
that fog would be suicide, as l should
soon lose all sense of direction and
circle aimlessIy about until sank.
NY only salvation was to keep near