The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-08-02

Il
wide loop of the rope so that II
curled round the two-foot timber and
caught fairly clear up next the fee
Then he recklessly seized upon the
line as IL ran Kissing cut from the
heap OF coils in the bottom of the
bateau. and held back as much as he
could. / sprang 10 help him, and
together we drew with considers BILE
force upon the rope. But the wild
career of the bateau was only slightly
checked.
| Though the hemp was tearing
through out hands at a rate that was
burning ont the palms OF our thick
arctic mittens and soaring the fesb
beneath. Burton called:
| Hold harder
| 1T was impossible 10 do so. See
ing that the whole length of the hun.
dred-and-fifty-foot rope would soon
run out, he dropped his great knees
upon the whizzing line and pressed IL
hard against the bottom boards OF the
tSteau. | was carried down with
him, and quickly followed his ex-
ample by pressing upon the rope
with my own knees. The bateau now
began 10 slacken speed perceptibly.
But at this moment Felix Cam
pau shouted that we were rushing
down almost upon a ledge OF ice
projecting out from the wall just
above the water.
Then jump for your lives. all OF
you' cried Burton. We're not go
ing TO stop the boat
The two breeds gathered them
! selves for a spring.
but you?' / gasped 10 Burton,
! for he made no motion TO leave the
rope.
'Go-jump! he thundered. III
| hold il for a moment
1T was no time TO argue. I sprans
up, gained the side of the bateau, and
leaped close behind Campau and La
! barge, as they flung themselves like
| agile cats upon the little shelf. two
feet wide by ten long, extending along
| the canon wall so low down that the
water almost Tapped over II. ! land.
ed on the extreme edge of the ledge
| from falling backward into the rae.
ing torrent.
Burton had no opportunity at ali
to jump until the bateau was well
| by. But If ever a man in crisis
used his head ii was this rawboned
| Yankee.
when the rear end Of the craft
| f,,1l fxra L,
he planted a foot on the back edge.
board and hurled himself toward us,
at the same time shutting tight hk
! grip on the rope playing through his
hands. His huge body, drawn by
the impetus OF the bateau, fairly flew
upward through the air, and landed
in the whirling flow of ice-filled wa.
ter more than halfway up the length
Of the ledge. Then two Of us-Felix
Campau and reached out, clutched
him by an arm and the fur collar OF
his coat, and drew him upon the
ledge beside us.
For "A moment we all stood there
silent on the narrow shelf and looked
after the bateau, mercifully empty
Of its human freight, dashing or
down the rush of waters; then W,
heard the voices OF the men as they
came running down toward the place
where we were, and we gave them
joyful hail. Soon three OF the mer
were standing above our heads, tell
ing us that the other two of theil
party had gone ashore TO theh
sledges for a line to draw us up from
the ledge.
within five minutes these two re
turned, and we were quickly hoistet
up, one after the other, to the sur
face OF the jam. BY this time Bur
ton was sbeeted in icy armor, and
was so numb he could barely stand
and 10 save him from freezing, We
had TO hurry him TO the river-banB
and build a roaring fire.
Our friends in need proved &c
be ns.ers from the Birch River dis
trict travelling TO Dawson, and curl
osity as to the remarkable forma.
tion of the jam had drawn them out
TO the edge OF the canon in time tC
give so opportune warning TO US
Now that the bateau was lost, We
we're forced TO turn back 10 Dawson
with the miners. But before start
ing we graufied a desire 70 view the
whole of the terrible death-trap from
which we had escaped by so narrow
margin, and we followed the canon
down until II terminated in the great
ice-pack that blocked the whole width
of the river for three-quarters OF
mile.
And there at the canon end VIC
saw the mad current go swirline
down, in whirlpool sixty feet IN
diameter, into the hole IL had torn
under the Jam.
Great cakes OF ice ran into this
vortex with the speed Of railway.
train, up-ended, and instantly dived
beneath the pack. Below they came
ont all ground TO mush. Even the
water, when IL appeared after 81,
plunge, was nothing but gush of
| % Attuf MI hat