The Washington herald., 1907-01-13
A RIVER TRAGEDY.
From the Los Angeles Times
From the Los Angeles Times.

The Mendocino redwood country is not
the pleasantest place in the world 70 be IN
during rainy weather. Once the wet sea
son has regularly set IN, the belt that
stretches for miles north Of the Gualala
River along the coast presents abou: as
cEeerless and dismal prosyect as a de-
pressed Imagination would care 10 pie
turc. Life. however, is stirring at such
times. The freshets which then occur
upCn the river carry down immense guam
titles Of timber 10 the coast. where it is
collected, assorted, and held ready for
transport TO San Francisco or other COM
mercial centefs. This. CT course, entails
activity commensurate with the fall OF
the rain and the extent Of the freshet
The Gualala River is the natural drain
for the great basin OF the MendCeino red
woods. ana though its actual course is
short, compared with other California
rivers, It's north. middle and south forks
together form d very respectable aGgre-
gate of water highway, the logging busi-
ness on which is By no means the least Of
the industries of the State. Two or three
winters ago / chanced 10 be in this sec
ton Of the country just as the first heavy
rains were settling in, and. as luck would
have it, had got caught in the district
lying between the middle and south forks
OF the Gu3lala River When heavy rains
SGT in it is no uncommon thing for the
dwcllers between the forks 70 be kept
wator-bOund for several days at a time,
with the alternative Of either crossing the
swollen torrent or making difficult pas
sage over the FLASHING. scggy. mountain
divides TO the stage road in the interior
of the country. Such was the state Of af-
fairs when l found myself unexpectedly
caught at 4 small logging camp near the
banks Of the creek, thankful enough. how
ever. under the circumstances. TO have
shelter over my head. roaring FIRE 70 sit
Jt. and - bunk 10 turn into when / got
ready
RAINS a-comln' down purity lively. ="
remarked one OF the three wOodsmen
who occupied the cabin. as he finished
cleaning the supper dishes and lit his
pipe. "Startin in purity early, amt IL,
Jim"
WAL. no. replied the party addressed
.
stretched upon his blankets. reading some
old papers by the light of a candle. 7
recklect II comm down heavier nor this
afore January. Seventy-six. warn't it.
Bill. when the forks was a-boOmin' ar
We cuddent make the Point for nigh onto
two weeks
The third parsonage, addressed rs BILL
assentcd with Il nod Of The head. from
stool before the fire. where be sat with
BIS chin upon his hands.
NO. nor ] wouldn't keer 10 make the
Point on scch a night as this" observed
the FIRST parsonage who spoke, as he
drew up stool beside B.ll and myself
and puhed away at his pipe.
It's a matter OF some difficulty then.
Gro sslEs the river is it, I asked with
tiDSe of anxiety, as 1 knew very well
that the Point" alluded TO was the SET
Element of Stcwar-s Point. toward which
/ was then travelling. and TO get there IL
Wcs necessary 10 cross the fork Of tile
river We were now On
The slight smattering which I possessed
Of woodc-aft was enough TO tell me that
the remarks just made related 70 an ener-
nous pile OF heterogeneous logs and
trunks Of trees, that formed a compact
mass bridging the stream some quarter
of a mile above the slippery and treach-
erous nature Of which might well prove
fatsl 10 a tyTO I'm the redWuods, should he
attempt 90 cross that rude and perilous
causeway. which. I noticed On passing III
the afternoon. constituted then the only
practicable connection between shore anG
shore.
The company had relapsed into silence.
only broken by the swish OF the driving
rain upon the cabins walls. when sudden
ly the door was thrown open and Z fourth
woodsman stepped unceremoniousIy IN.
Hello. Dan Higgins, exclaimed the
trio, almost in a breath. as the newcom-
er brought his dripping, ollSlin-cIad figure
nearer the ire.
What's brought We out in sech n night
as this?" said Bill. making room for him:
I'D ha' thought you'd rather ha' stayed
1 in doors wi the old woman. ! shud, in
your place, YOU bet"
I came down 10 borrow yer hook re
+ turned the person addressed as Dan Fig
gins. shaking the rain from his clothes
mines broke"
What ye want with a hook t-night p"
/ chorused the crowd.
'Gwine TO cross the creek an git med
cine for the little gal replied Dan.
Shes took awful bad wi the newmonay.
and aotin n do the old woman but 70 cit
medicine from the Port right away
Whar's yer hook? Oh. thar IL is in the
corner" he continued, walking TO one end
OF the cabin and taking up q long pole
tipped with steel. something Ike boat
hook. used occasionally by loggers 70
steady themselves upon such passages as
Dan now proposed 10 make
How were the loss lgobia' rs yc coIae
along. DaB?" asked Bin. refectjvcly
The water was lappia EN- purity live
. L. f,I hfey
trunks lyin right cross stream below.
and itIl take a mighty big push to start
/ her. Guess she's all right for a day or two
,-.t