Evening journal., 1904-09-06
THEY RAN THE RAPIDS.
What the Indian Could DO the Pc
nobacot Men Must Try.

nObaCOt Men Must Try
An instance Of the dogged pluck Of
the Penobscot men is given IN true
story Of the Maine woods told in the
Atlantic Monthly by Fannie Hardy
Eek storm.
Fourteen logmen we're running the
Penobscot river. with back breaking
work Juggling their heavy boats over
the Carries" So at length they came
to the Sowadnehunk falls and rapids,
dog tired in the heat Of fierce noon
day sun. There was no help for II.
The path was there because men could
not run the fall and live. Twelve
OF the men accordingly, with CALLED
shoulders and much language, picked
up two Of the boats and lugged them
over. Then they lay down in the shade
to wait until summoned by the other
two men TO come back and lug the
third boat.
But the boss of that boat was the
famous Big Sebattis. 26O pounds Of res
olute Indian. too lazy to like Juggling
boats where they might perhaps aoat.
His bowman was a worthy mate. For
glory and for ease they ran the falls
and rapids. just escaping as II by a
miracle. At the bottom they hurriedly
splashed out some of the water they
had shipped and gravely waited for the
others. who came scrambiing along to
look at them.
The best part Of that story is to come.
Thus Miss Eckstorm tells it:
"Then the men all looked again at
the boat that had been over Sowadne-
hunk. and they all trooped back to the
carry end without saying much-two
full batteau crews and Sebattis and his
bowman. They did not talk. No man
would have gained anything new by
exchanging thoughts with his neighbor
"And when they came TO the two
boats drying in the sun they looked
one another in the eyes again. 1t was
a foregone conclusion. Without a word
they put their CALLED shoulders under
the gunwales. lifted the heavy batteaus
to their places and started back across
that carry, forty rods to the end they
had just come from.
what for? 1t was that in his OWL
esteem Penobscot man VIII not stand
second to any other man. They would
not have it said that Sebattis Mitchell
was the only man Of them who had
tried 10 run Sowadnehunk falls.
$50 they put off again, six men Il
a boat, full crews, and in the stern OF
| ono -tooJ To- Atffar nho wyac Tho
reau's guide. and in the bow Steve
Stanislaus, his cousin. That sets thu
date-that il was back in 1S70-for 4
became the occasion for another and {
sadder tale
"And they pushed out with their TIVE
boats and ran the falls.
But the luck that bore Sebattis safe
/ ly through was not theirs. Both boat
were swamped. battered on the rock
into kindling wood. Twelve men wer
thrown into the water and pounde,
and swashed about among logs ant
rocks. Some by swimming, some b.
the aid of Sebattis and his boat. clever
OF them got ashore, "a little damp n
no doubt the least exaggerative OF then
were willing TO admit. The unluck,
twelfth man they picked up later, quit
undeniably drowned. And the boat
were irretrievably smashed. Indeed
that was the part of the tale that ran
kled with Sebattis when he used to tel
it.
"Berry much she blame it us Ctha
is, HIMSELF that time John Loss (Al
ways to the Indian mind John Ross
the head contractor OF the drive, wa
the power that commanded wind, log
and weather) she don care so muc
cause drowned It man, cause she ca
get blenty OF men. but does 'e'er boat
she talk bout berry hard"