Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-30
CHAPTER III.


CHAPTER III.
We left the logs and walked to
Cornwall, and took sloop down the
river. It was an American boat, bound
for Quebec with pipe-stayes. 1t had
put In at Cornwall when the storm be-
gan. The captain said that the other
sections Of our raft had passed safely.
In the dusk Of the early evening
British schooner brought US to.
wonder what that means" said
the skipper, straining his eyes In the
dusk.
A small boat, with three officers,
came alongside. They climbed aboard,
one of them carrying lantern. They
were armed with swords and pistols.
We sat In silence around the cockpit.
They scanned each Of us carefully in
the light of the lantern. 1t struck me
as odd they should look so closely at
our hands.
"wha' d. ye want% the skipper de-
manded.
This man." said one of them, point
ing to D'ri. Hes British sailor. We
arrest him"
He got no farther. D'ri's hand had
gone out like the paw Of painter
and sent him across the cockpit. Be-
fore knew what was up, saw the
lank body of D'ri leaping backward
into the river. heard a splash and
q stroke of his long arms, and then
all was still. l knew he was SWIM
ming under water to get away. The
officers made for their boat. My blood
was up, and sprang at the last Of
them, giving him hard shove as he
was climbing over, so that he fell on
the boat, upsetting 1t. They had busi-
ness enough then for little, and be-
gan hailing for help. I knew I had
done foolish thing, and ran forward,
climbing out upon the bowsprit, and
of with my coat and vest, and dived
into the dark water. swan under as
long as l could hold my breath, and
then came up quietly, turning on my
back In the quick current, and float
ing so my face only was above water.
It had grown dark, and ! could
see nothing but the glimmer Of
the stars above me. My boots
were heavy and dragged hard. l was
goiIg fast with the swift water, for at
frat had heard a great hubbub on the
schooner; but now its voices had grown
faint. Other sounds were filling my
ear.
After dark it Is wierd business to be
swimming In strange water-the throne
Of mystery, Of thousand terrors. 1t
Is as II ones grave, full Of the black
ness Of the undiscovered country, were
pursuing him and ever yawning be-
meath his body. And that big river Is
the very tiger of waters, now stealing
on pussy-footed, now rushing with cat
like swiftness, Kissing and striking
with currents that have In them
mighty sinews. I was now companion
Of those cold-mouthed monsters OF the
the river bottom, many Of which l
had seen. What If one should lay hold
on me and drag me under? Then l,
thought Of the rapids that might
smother me with their spray or dash
me to hidden rocks. Often / lifted my
ears, marvelling at the many voices
Of the river. Sometimes l thought l
heard q roaring like that Of the Sault,
but 1t was only ripple growing into
fleecy waves that rocked me as IN
cradle. The many sounds were above,
below, and beside me, some weird and
hollow and unearthly. could hear
the rocks rolling over in their sleep
on the bottom, and, when the water
was still, sound like the cropping OF
lily-pads away OF on the river mar
gin. The believing Of q cow terri
fed me as it doomed over the sound
ing sheet Of water. The river rang
like q mighty drum when peal OF
far thunder beat upon it. put out
my hands to take stroke or two as
lay on my back, and felt something
floating in the water. The feel OF 1t
filled me with horror. ! swan faster;
1t was at my heels. / knew full we'll
what my hand had touch ed-a human
head floating face downward: I could
feel the hair in my fingers. turned
and swan hard, but 1t still followed
me. My knees hit upon it, and then
my feet. Again and again l could
feel it when I kicked. Its hand
seemed to be clutching my trousers.
thought l should never get clear Of the
ghastly thing. remember wonder
ing II it were the body Of poor D'ri.
turned aside swimming another way,
and then I felt 1t no more.
In the dead of the night I heard
suddenly a kind Of throbbing in the
breast of the river. It grew to a noisy