The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1904-12-24

az sudden as flash. The boat was al
ready running deep in the water from
the weight Of the sea which it had
taken from below, and when its rotten
hull struck the snag it was practically
torn asunder.
1t went down like a rock, and the
young fisherman had either Of two al
ternatIves. One was to take refuge by
elinging to the cause Of his disaster
and the other was tc swim for the is
land.
But there was no time to waste un-
der such conditions. As soon as he
had recovered from the shock which
had sent him deep below the surface he
arose and SWAN for the spag which
danced about for a moment, after its
contact with the boat, like top.
He chung to this for several mo-
ments when he discovered that it was
taking course ranging farther from
the island and heading directly for
Disappointment rocks. The expert
enced fisherman knew what this
meant. Raising his head as high as
he could above the surface of the water
he sighted the dark outline of the near
est point on Sand island as marked by
the accumulated driitwood, taking
Tillamook lighthouse for his guide,
and swan in southwesterly direction.
Dan Lapham was good swimmer
and was strong and experienced, but
the water was cold and the current
pulled at him like a thing of life.
Battling to keep from being drawn to
disappointment rocks and at the same
time to gain the nearest point of the
island be soon found it telling upon
his strength. ~...
Benumbed and exhausted he felt
that ease coming over him which is
never experienced except under certain
conditions. He had heard men rescued
from drowning, tell of this sensation.
He knew at once what it meant. His
strokes grew weaker, and in spite OF
the fact. that consciousness came over
him that he was gradually giving
away he felt certain amount of relief
that is said to always come to the per-
ishing nan in his last moments dir
zy, lulling feeling that makes death
rather welcome than appalling. *
A dull buzzing sound entered his
ears. His limbs moved as if in q
dream. The water seemed freed all al
once from its chill. The darkness
gathered more deelpy, but it was as
gentle as the shadows Of sleep. The
waves rocked him as smoothly as q
babe in a cradle.
''Sankala!'' he spoke. "sankala
1t cannot bel / cannot leave you.
must not surrender. Arms and legs
you have never failed me. Heart, senc
forth that blood you owe to sankals
and revive this body to battle the waves
and live for the poor, unfortunate or.
phan eirlP'
| With spasmodic effort he arose
from his sinking attitude. He sho
forth his limbs with forced and awk
ward motion. It was then that Dal
Lapham discovered the weakness o
will power compared with the grip o
fate. He saw that youth, strength
determination, must all yield to the in
evltable. ~
But the same fate that had carried
him to the border of the dark SHADOW
now threw straw within his reach
A dark solid object grated against hi
side. He was caught by it and carrie'
along at q slow but steady rate of speed
He reached out his hand and claspet
} the limb of tree. One of the fallel
} monarchs of the upper country ha'
} been caught in the food and was bein
! carried to the ocean.
Lapham dragged himself upon it
branches and closed his benumbe'
: hands upon two of them that he nigh
3 not be swept away. Thus, exhuaste'
: and in a semi-conscious condition, b
g lay upon the drift, which was pursuin
: its course toward the ocean.
''Steer clear of that drift, mate,
exclaimed mans voice, low an
! husky.
Five men were seated in a boat
! Four of them were lying upon thei
!, oars. The fifth was steering the craft
. The men were merely using their oar
! to keep the boat from drifting seawar
! and the steersman was holding he
: along side the current. While the me
held the oars in their hands long, blac
: guns lay across their laps.
!. It was the advance guard of til
q southsiders. They were in waiting fc
q the approach OF the northside fisher
a men. A slight redness above the hori
= Fan to the east indicated that mornin
!. was approaching. The men had bee
h watching for the approach OF the north
!. sidels for several moments. The
a were the lower guards, who expected |
:. apprehend the fishermen of the traE
= in the lower bay. A large log wit
branches extending in many direction
Il had almost run into them. So dar
If was the night that it had approache
!. them very Glosley before they saw i
i. It was this that had called for the con
"a mand to the steersman.
g There is man aboard that drift.
h exclaimed one of the men. "Tie on
y the drift, said the leader.
d One of the men grabbed branch
"a | 4ha InsfR ard Eka naok o11l lac,