The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-12-28
I'M THE TRACK OF THE TOW.

81 AIbert W. ToIlnan.

Dt "a Cgf4 pnuy frIiU1OEn 0f n fOV.rnne
dragglE liz stern ana iudped
from hen aoWs that She probably had
two coal-Ne i bafges behind her. /
could he'd ,,she voices Of the men
on hmsrd growing fainter IA Tho d,s.
lance
Another black phantom passed #
was the first barpe. loaded low II ira
water: after her At an intervaI Game
another. As they were loaded txnaxv
that they were heading east and
TINT The shore Therefore Inv IN front
Of me. / settled myself 81 the thwart
and bfaced rny feel FOR flse row il.
SO interested had been IA nv eal.
cuIations that had barely noticed 4
confusion OF whistles that occurred
shortly after the massage OF the tow.
Hence was altogether unprenared
after my third stroke 20 hear another
boat approaching through Tie foe from
the opposite direction. / backed water
vigorously gust in time 10 escape be.
ing run down BY q tug that was maxi.
ing the water tiy as She dashed west
ward
caught flie splash Of rome ana
waited Soon came the huge bunk of
All empty barge. rising hIah above TIC
wafer 1t passed "a near that / backed
smother stroke 10 be out Of the way of
The one which fell sure was follow
Zig 1t. Soon beard another towrope
whipping the surface. and second
barge tile slze of the first swept by.
listened FOR several seconds. Dut hear
ing no further sound, I bent to my
oars again, feeling sure that there
were no more barges.
had gone perhaps thirty feet when
something struck the bottom of my
skin. Al large cable rose suuarely
beneath the boat. swapping 1t into
the air. AS my boat dropped back
It fell stern first and capslzed. throw
ing me out. When / went under |
lost my grip Of the oars. and on coming
to the surface again moved my hands
frantlcaIly 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 ii like
wise. Ii was the cable which had
rapslzed me. A third barge had been
towing after the other two. ana Its
hawser had proved the cause OF the
disaster.
Higher and higher 1t rose. lifting
me above water until was only waist
deep. The waves rippIed against my
body as was Dragged along. caught
a last glimpse 81 my oars ana water
logged boat drifting away II the for.
Then they were Swallowed 40 ana /
was left cllnging to tie sodden rope.
1 did not dare let 80 of it to attempt
to regain my skiff. Indeed. 50 con-
fused was that the idea did NOT enter
my head until the chance was gone.
The hawser began 10 sink again.
Lower and lower 1t fell until / was
submerged to the neck. Deeper II
went, and deeper still. had no choice
but to let 20. 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? | was not 4
strong swimmer aud the land was i
mile or two distant. To start for It n
tint fog would be suicide as should
soon lose all sense 81 direction ana
circle aimlessly about untIl sank.
MY only salvation was ID keen near
the rope. so that / might CRASH il when
II rose. Onca lot ma lose thaf. ana /
should drawn 81 s. RIM down IL
some nassine boat
Up cams the hawser nxnln Vim ]
snap catching me Violently across the
chest Regaining nv hold Will aim.
Guilty. / was lifted m I'M MIN nnlv
my legs dragged IN the water rhes,
,,,>.,,,, ! ~ax.i. ,..,s., an a., $500 IS $3.50. /