The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1904-12-15


the weight OF the sea which it ha
taken from below. and when its rottel
hull struck the snag it was PRACTICAL
torn asunder.
1t went down like rock, and tn
young fisherman had either OF two al
ternatves. One was to take refuge b,
olinging to the cause of his disaste
and the other was tc swim for the is
land.
But there was no time to waste un
der such conditions. As sooz as h,
had recovered from the shock which
hao sent him deep below the surface b,
arose and swan for the snag which
danced about for a moment, after it
contact with the boat, like top.
He chung to this for several mo
ments when he discovered that it wa
taking course ranging farther from
the island and heading directly fol-
disappointment rocks. The expert.
enced fisherman knew what this
meant. Raising his head as high as
he could above the sur face OF the water
he sighted the dark outline OF the near
est point on Sand island as marked by
the accumulated driitwood, taking
Tillsmook lighthouse for his guide,
and swan in a southwesterly direction
Dan Lapham was a good swimmer
and was strong and experienced, but
the water was cold and the current
pulled at him like 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 dig
zy, lulling feeling that makes death
rather welcome than appalling.
A dull buzzing sound entered his
ears. His limbs moved as if in a
dream. The water seemed freed all at
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 a
babe in cradle.
"Sankalav' he spoke. "Sankalal I
1t cannot be- cannot leave you. IL
must not surrender. Arms and legs,
you have never failed me. Heart, send 4
forth that blood you owe to Sankala
and revive this body to battle the waves
and live for the poor, unfortunate or
ohan grill"
With spasmodic effort he arose
rom his sinking attitude. He shot
orth his limbs with forced and awk.
ward motion. 1t was then that Dan
-apham discovered the weakness OF
will power compared with the grip OF
ate. He saw that youth, strength,
determination, must all yield to the in
vitable.
But the same fate that had carried
lin to the border OF the dark shadow
low threw a straw within his reach.
dark solid object grated against bis .
ide. He was caught by it and carried ,
long at slow but steady rate Of speed. /,
lie reached out his hand and clasped :
be limb Of tree. One of the fallen :
of the upper country had !
cen caught in the flood and was being :
iriied to the ocean.
Eapham dragged himself upon its
ranches and closed his benumbed
ands upon two OF them that he might
ot be swept away. Thus, exhausted
nd in a semi-consciods condition, be
y upon the drift, which was pursuing
8 oourse toward the ocean.
"5teer clear OF that drift, mate" 9
mans voice, low and o
1sky. y
Five men we're seated in a boat.
our Of them we're lying upon their ;.
rs. The fifth was steering the craft. y
he men we're merely using their oars
keep the boat from drifting seward .
d the steersman was holding her ',
ong side the current. While the men
Id the oars in their bands long, black -,
ms lay across their laps. u
1t was the advance guard Of the .,
outsiders. They were in waiting for :,
e approach OF the nortbside fisher y,
IN. A slight redness above the hori- =,
n to the east indicated that morning ~
IS approaching. The men had been =,
itching for the approach OF the north ~ ~
leis for several moments. They =,
re the lower guards, who expected to :.
prehend the fishermen of the traps -
the lower bay. A large log with "
snches extending in many directions q,
d almost run into them. So dark ~
8 the night that it had approached - -
I'm very cloeley before they saw it. ~
was this that had called for the COM ~
nd to the steersman. ="
There is a man aboard that drift" N,
claimed one Of the men. "Tie on to m,
. drift" eaid the leader. nI,
)ne Of the men grabbed q branch OF 20.
} drift and the boat and log fosted su
Dg together.
The mans dead" remarked one OF
fishermen as he came neal the OBJ do
t. bring him aboard, anyway" mo
the leader, land we will bury him
the sa nd anti -