The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-14

EApoFe Tue udIlLueTlIS OIL tue wagon
wheels against the rocks there rose an
unmiStakable roar-a dull rumble
mingled with sudden cracks and
crashes.
Then a solid wall Of brown water,
eight feet high, swept majesticaily
round the point above them, rearing
its crest in the air and seeming to lean
forward in it's fight.
Writing in the depths behind, great
treetops slashed up and plunged from
sight like spectral hands; and, racing
f~uriously before the wave, there raced
a little cloud of dust, only to be licked
up the next moment by the towering
wall Of water.
One glance at its immensely, and
young Westbrook scurried owe the
washed boulders of the river-bed like a
desert lizard.
"You can't make the bank! Catch on
behind" cried Shaw, as Westbrook ran
past the wagon. =
The bank was indeed too far away,
the inundation too imminent. Not
Knowing what else to do, he obeyed,
and the next moment the horses were
headed down the canon toward the
lone cottonwood tree on the knoll-the
tree which showed the water-mark six
feet above the ground.
In q mad runaway the two horses
jerked the light wagon over rocks and
bushes, fleeing from the bank of water.
Spreading far out across the widening
river-bed, the torrent lost for the time
its burst of speed.
Then a second great rush, like the
surge of q tidal wave at sea, leaped
high above the point, and rolling on,
swept down the middle Of the canon.
When that tremendous mass Of
water, twice as high as at first, ap-
peared, Ezra Shaw knew that he was
caught. Yet he pulled the horses into
a new course and dashed them into 4
fury.
Fighting against fate, he now tried
to get in line with the lone cottonwood
knoll, so that when the water struck
them they might perchance be washed
against it, if it stood before the storm.
Whishee whishee - whisheei they
heard the sage brush bowling. before
the wave front.
Brr-up! came the slapping water be-
hind the wagon, and then up they
went, while 4 great surge of icy water
Tapped over them. taking their breath
like the cold douche of q shower-bath.
For q moment the horses rose with
the water. Then. as the bed Of the
wagon began to float above the run
ning-gear, they sank from sight. The
heavy wagon wheels dragged them
back and down, and the wagon bed
swept upon them.
But although the leaky wagon bed
rocked wildly beneath him, Ezra Shaw
did not abandon his struggling team.
Gripping the reins, he braced his feet
against the dashboard and heaved their
heads up from the muddy water. Then
the wagon bed crashed into something
solid, and stopped. The horses were
swept past, and the wagon wheels
fouled and stuck fast.
They had struck the lone cottonwood
that stood upon the knoll, and in q
momen. there was q bewildering tangle
and uproar-the horses hung by the
heads against the current, great clots
Of brush and small trees smashed
against the wagon bed and stuck fast;
and above all was the thunder Of the
brown water rushing past.
For q second the two men balanced
where they were and looked at the
roaring torrent. Then the old pros
pector handed the reins to Westbrook,
and clambered out on the swaying
wagon box, now stacked high with
drift.
Back he came 18th a long picket
rope, one end of which he tied hur-
riedly TO the bending cottonwood.
We've got about three minutes to
get out of here before the whole island
goes" he shouted in Westbrook's ear.
"Ill 80 down and cut the horses loose
first, and then We'll swim for it."
Then he threw the free end Of the
rope out Ovcr lie horses backs and
slid down into the water.
First he passed the rope through the
slack Of their belly-bands and knotted
it swiftly. Then, as they hung by this
support, he twlcled the reins from
Westbrook, cut the horses apart,
reached down and slashed the tugs,
and beckoned for him to follow.
Before the pressure Of the food the
lone cottonwood groaned and popped,
bending slowly. On each side of the
accumulated snag a mill-race of bob
bling. trees, posts and bushes swept
past, and the rumble of huge boulders
rolling on the bottom sounded above
the swash of the tumbling waves.
But deepest of all, like the growl of
some destroying monster, came the
roa Of the immediate waters, burrow-
ing beneath the roots of the sturdy
cottonwood, washing it's little island of
soil away like sugar. and threatening
at every moment to root it up and over
whelm horses and men alike. as they
lowered behind its protecting bulk.
There was no choice about it for
Philip Westbrook. He went down the
rope with q rush, clutched the first
horse. and was passed on by Shaw to
the second.
Then, at the touch OF his knife, the
picket rope popped like a rifle shot, and
they were swept on with the torrent!
Huge, sinuouS waves. four and five