The suburban citizen., 1902-12-13
in THE TRACK OF TIE TOW.
BY Albert w. ToIman.

by l caught n glimpse of n 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.
tance.
Another black phantom passed; 1t
was the first barge, loaded low in the
water; after her at an Interval came
another. AS they were loaded knew
that they were heading east, and
that the shore therefore lay in front
OF me. l settled myself on the thwart
and hraced my feet for the row in.
SO interested had l been in my cal.
culations that 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. l backed water
vigorously, just in time to escape be-
ing run down by a tug that was MAX
ing the water fly as she dashed west
ward
L caught the splash OF a 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 l felt sure was follow
ing 1t. Soon | heard another tow-rope
whipping the surface, and a second
barge the size of the first swept by.
l 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
1t fell stern first and capsized, throw
ing me out. When l went under l
lost my grip OF the oars, and on coming
to the surface again l 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
wise. 1t was the cable which had
capsized me. A third barge had been
towing after the other two, and its
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. I caught
last glimpse of my oars and water
logged boat drifting away in the fog.
Then they were swallowed up and
was left clinging to the sodden rope.
did 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 l was
submerged to the neck. Deeper it
went, and deeper still l had no choice
but to let 90, unless l wished to be
dragged under. 1 released my hold
and was left struggling in the waves,
padding to keep afoat.
Should l abandon the cable and
strike out for shore? / was not
strong swimmer, and the land was
mile or two distant. To start for it in
That fog would be suicide, rs l should
soon lose all sense OF direction and
circle aimlessly about until l sank.
My only salvation was to keep near
the rope, so that I mig ut grasp it when
1t rose. Once let me lose that, and
should drown or be run down by
some passing boat.
Up came the hawser again with n
snap, catching me violently across the
chest. Regaining my hold with diff.
Guilty, l was lifted up, up, until only
my legs dragged in the water. Then
down sank again, till the rope passed
below my reach in a line Of phosphor-
escent bubbles. This could not last
forever. IF, after the cable had sunk.
the barges should make a turn and pull
1t from beneath me, so that could not
regain my hold when it rose, my posi-
tion would be serious indeed. Every
time let go those twisted strands my
life hung in the balance.
/ saw that the only thing for me to
do was to make my way at once to one
Of the barges before my strength be-
came exhausted. The boat behind was
Of course the easier to reach. for she
approached me a little every time
let go the rope.
Splash to the right! Splash to the
left! The hawser was rising again.
Once more it lifted me into the air.
Before it sank l had worked myself
some feet toward the barge After it
was gone padded in the same dlrec-
tIon. Again and again did this.
An easterly wind was rising and the
water was growing rougher. The fog
still clunG TO the surface. Far up and