Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-03
A FLIGHT FOR LIFE
Dodging Death In the Path of an
0nruShing Flood.

TO understand what follows you
must know something Of the country
where the incident occurred. Light
ming creek. a famous trout stream Of
northern Idaho. rises among the gla-
ciers OF the Cabinet mountains and
comes tearing down through narrow
canyons heavily forested with pine and
cedar At all times the stream is
swift. In the spring. when the ice caps
are melting. It is a torrent
July 3, 1906. fishing party OF FIVE
were hauled from the nearest railroad
station TO the end OF the wagon trail
on Lightning creek. where we made
camp. The next morning the professor
and myself decided TO ascend 10 the
head Of one of the creeks tributaries.
Shouldering our creels. We made our
way through the timber toward the
glacier. cleaning in the sunlight. Five
miles from camp we came TO a fall,
where we began to fish. There were
plenty OF trout. but they were small
'Lets> see If there are larger ones
above the fall" my companion sug-
gested
Agreed" l replied, and we clam
bered up the steep rocky walls
Our hopes were realized. We fshed
up the stream until past noon. when
we sat down 70 lunch BY the time we
had finished eating a tiny cloud mad
crept above the mountain top and
lowered over the glacier. 10 few
minutes another cloud crept up and
joined the first. then another and an
other until the mountain top was GOV
cred.
1t is time we were getting out OF
here" | said. Il believe we are in for
wetting"
AS II to emphasize my words a fash
OF lightning quivered through the black
mass, and in few seconds the thunder
rolled down the canyon with a roar
like battery OF siege guns
AS We hurried down the creek the
lightning became continuous and ter
rifying in its brilliancy; the roll OF
thunder was inCessnnt We made all
the speed we could and had nearly
reached the falls when the rain came
in q dOwnpcur
Suppose we get under this spruce
and wait until the storm is over?' my
companion suggested
Suppose We get into more open
country as soon as possble" / rejoin.
ed and kept on
Suddenly the lightning ceased the
thunder died away. and there was no
sound save the dashinE of rain. The
sudden calm was startling. and pauB-
ed and looked toward the mountain.
saw a great column OF FIRE shoot
downward out of the clouds The glH-
Cier shivered as though struck by
some titanic force. split apart and
crashed down into the canyon. There
was a roar OF thunder. and | saw the
water pour from the sky as II all the
windows Of heaven had been opened.
"A cloudburst,' | cried Run for
your lfe."
Fear lent wings TO our feet. We
sped down the canyon. leapinG fallen
logs. tearing through dense under
brush, ClamberinE over rocks fleeing
from the pursuing hood that roared
down the canyon, uproo&uG trees aud
hurllng great powders before 1t as Il
saltic clif. with some stunted fir trees
growing on II. stood in an open space
10 outrun the water was impossible;
the cliff was our only haven.
dashed up. with my companion at
my heels Behind us we saw a solid
column Of water that bore tangled
mass OF drift and advanced with the
speed of the wind We had only time
10 seize upon q tree before the GOOD
was upon us II struck with a grind
ing roar: the rock trembled to its very
base: the water surged over us: We
were battered bv the rushing logs
scratched by the drift. suffOcated by
the water. hut We chung on desperate
ly. IN n minute. NJ the f,lrthest tine
food swept on, leaving ruin in its
wake
About the cliff the trees lay piled in
tangled. broken heap We crept
down. drenched bruised and bleeding.
and made orr way TO camp. But the
spot where the camp bad stood was
swept clean. We sank upon the water
soaked ground 10 consider what we
should do. In short time we heard
the voices Of our friends They had
been fishing the main stream above
where the branch entered and thus
had escaped
There was nothing left for II but to
make our way back to the railroad sta
ton. where we arrived after dark. For
months fishermen discovered articles
Of our camp eQuipaCe scattered along
the stream.-Youth's Companion.
Formation Of Worlds.