The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-29


so thick you could hardly see a boat
| length. shut down OF US We had
compass. of course, and We steered due
south all the time. Now that was where
we made our mistake We forgot that
there was strong drift to the east or
down the lake and we ought to have steer
( ed strong southwest so as to have offset
the drift
''As it was, We tugged and toiled and
pOled and rowed in the fog hours and
hours. We worked so hard that we didn
suffer none from the Geld, but we kept
getting uneasy and uneasier and by y
or I o'clock We knew we were lost. The
lady passenger, she got mighty cold af-
ter time, and then she got frightened.
and then she got to moaning and crying,
and that didn't help keep up our spirits
none. not a bit sir. BY or half past
amt ashamed to say that we were all
pretty well scared besides all being tuck
cred out. I'll admit that I'd about given
up ever seeming shore and the babies and
their little mother any more when of
sudden, at almost exactly o'clock. the
fog lifted and we saw just where we were
miles down the lake. bpt good deal
nearer Put-in-Bay than the mainland.
Now. I'm telling you that we got to the
island as soon as we could.
Il did say that night that I'd never go
out with the mail again. not for $500
trip, but did often and for 81 a trip, too.
THROUGH A SUCK-HOLE.
Once we had a lot of fun with drum
mer who was passenger. The boat had
to be towed that-day, but we didn't ask
l1zl,a t,r tan
fat and didn't look as though he could
pull none. But he had to walk, and We
fixed him up with 'creepers, so that ne
shouldn't slip. and told him to keep close
to the boat for fear he'd fall through a
thni place and get wet.
well. he did just that. The sun was
shining the air was bracing. he felt pref
ty frisky, and he let go OF the boat. BY
and by he got to skylarking around and
then in a minute he was IN up TO his arm
pits He's stepped through a big suck
hoie'-nade by rain-and all we could see
of him was his head and arms. He wasn't
really in any danger. though it must
have been mighty unpleasant for him, but
he thought he was done for. sure.
on. I'm drowned he screeched I'm
dead. I'm dead, sure. Won't nobody help
me out and save my life?
I'VE fshed him out. but it was a pret-
" rough trick, for he was heavy and as
helpless as big bag of potatoes. After
we got him out he wanted TO get into the
boat. but We wouldn't have that. He'd
have taken cold sitting still after his ice
bath and got pneumonia. and besides he
wa stoo heavy to haul.
That same winter the two carriers got
a fine wetting and came near being drown
ed. Iwasn't along. thank goodness but
all Bass islanders remember it. There
was no ice TO speak OF. except floating
cakes. az the time; there has been a
hreakcup owing 10 high winds and the
men had TO row and pole the boats one
morning they started out from South
Bass with a hig load OF fish besides the
mail There had been solid freeze for
weeks. the islanders had been lucky FISH
ing through the ice and the carriers were
freighting the hsh to the mainland. The
sea was running high and the boys were
warned that il might be risky 10 Try TO so
through the breakers with so big load
But they took the risk. and say, When
they got out 10 the breakers they JUST
rolled right over. and men. mail bags and
fish were sal siat in minute. The folks
ashore had a great time reseuing them
with ropes and such and there wasn't
any mail brought 10 the mainland that
day.
TYPICAL LAKE ERIE YARNS.
Perhaps the most picturesque of the
stories told by a certain weaiher-beaten
old carrier who never uses sleigh when
the ice is solid. prefering his siedge-boat
instead To this he harnesses the horse,
a hroncho which doesn't weigh more than
ss'l or 7e9 pounds al most
-'Twict says the old man il = dia-
lect which i; would be impossible to more
than family indicate IN type. when warm
cd Gp;n the company OF his friends. i
have struck open water when was max
ing the trip with me pony. Dc you know
what done the FIRST time: Why, I JUST
got cut ne ak BE- ing. and ! cut o. .
big cake OF Ice. Re gosh. and | put me
pony On the Ice and I get me boa ton
II, too. ard rofsd the big cake and the
peny and the boat and al right acEcSt-
Couldn't have did il e the water had been
roughi And it was fool thing 70 do. :