Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-12-14
PRINCE.

HJ III Spllhk vi lOoo III IS" ENiohS
. came with rush. The winter had
been lorg and hard. On the first OF
September snow still covered all the
ranges. 1t lay in patches about our
house, and stretched, an unbroken field,
on the great ridge across the river.
How longingly we looked for some
break in the weather, for even a day
when the sun might appear over the saw
tooth ridge above Davis's Bend for the
three or four hours during which, in win
ter, it shone into the great gorge of the
Clutha, where my father had his placer
mine!
The Clutha is the largest river in the
South Island of New leland. Rising in
Lake Wakatipu, it is fed by countless
streams pouring from the lofty sides OF
the Dunstan and Obelisk ranges. ltwindS
along a devious path where many an
earth convulsion has cleft way through
ridge and hill for waters once pent in an
cient lakes. Along the banks the humble
placer-miner digs and washes for gold,
and great dredges gouge out the gravel
and root out huge boulderS in search OF
the same reward.
That winter the river was lower than
usual. Filled with masses Of floating ice,
it went softly by. Suddenly all was
changed. A tropic wind came from the
north; rain, warm and heavy, fell inter
mittently; thunder growled in the dis
tance; the snow vanished The opposite
hillside showed numberless lace-like cas-
cades, and the river started poSt-haste
for high-water mark.
Then, from a cloudburst that fell in the
upper country, came an enormous rush
of water that sent the flood-mark up nine
feet in three hours, and caused the Clutha
to become truly imposing as it hurled its
wild waters down the deep and deSolate
gorge.
That morning all the dwelerS at Doc
tors Point were out on the banks watch
ing the flood and salvaging any drift that
came within reach. These were my faith
er and mother, derelict Scotchman call
ed "Dunstan" Jim. All Kim, Chinese
miner, and Prince. Prince was DunStan
inns dog. How such dog and such a
man happened to be together is mys-
terry. An enormous dog,-mostly New
foundland, but little st. Bernard,-black
and white, wavy-haired, good-natured,
and almost preternaturallY acute, Prince
had all up and down the river a success
sion ofsympathetic and suspicious friends,
sympathetic because of his good nature
and general sociabilitY, and his frequent
abuse at the hands of his ne'er-do-well
master; suspicious because OF the belief
that considerable part OF the masters
living came from the thefts which the dog
had been trained to commit from the min
ers' camp.
The intelligent and powerful brute, it
was further whispered, had been taught
to steal sheep for his master, who, when
ever he ran out of meat, would send him
up to the high ranges above the gorge to
bring down sheep. Men laughingly
told how Prince, from a natural desire to
get the biggest and best, had once brought
down fine imported Spanish merino
ram of ancient lineage and great dignity,
which arrived at Dunstan's hut with
somewhat lessened dignity. but other
wise undamaged. Princes master, they
said, Immediately turned the animal loose,
while the dog, abashed and surprised,
followed the Inundated ram, as he slow
ly climbed the cliffs, with glance that
seemed to say, "a wonder what was the
matter with that one ?"
lust now Prince was by far the busiest
and most useful member OF the party at
Doctors Point. Into the water ne
plunged again and again after drift point
ed out to him by his master. The rise
had been so sudden that many people
living near the river had been caught un-
awares. Furniture, miners cradles, wa
ter-wheels, sluice-boxeS and wrecks OF
huts were passing IN endless procession.