Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-02-01
RIDE HAD THRILLS
Kew zeaIandef Probably Broke
Many Speed Records ~
Fsrtunats 10 Liys 60 Write OF Mad
Journey Across eFeclpless and .
Night Of Terror.

"A thrilling adventure IN the timber
Lands of New Zeagaad is related bg
sir. David Blake, who met with IL asa
result Of d quarrel with man naases3
smertz. DO gSu know the great divide
On Mount SIBERIA asks ar. Blake IN
tile Wide World Magazine. had the
entract far cufting ont and sending
down the timber frsm the upper
slopes. Across the gulch, ta0t IS 9
lt0W-Siring. Steel cable stretched for
eight hundred feef. The kanri lcss.
SlGng TO an UNDERLYING trolley running
IN huge shelves, were sent over the
wire 10 tile utEer side 4 guide rope.
lIos,ssed to the trolley. served 10 check
the run anG ease the timber 10 the
landing sage below.
Rod Mckenzie. Duncan and Smertz
worked ia my gang. It WIS the end Of
the day in late autumn. The last log
monster twenty feet long by tiiisty
III cirlhhnng ready for launching
wns on tiie poins OF giving the signal
wien, faneying ! noliced q slaclsness
III o-e of the slinSs, mounted The
iog.
This was Smertz moment for de-
ferred vengeance. AS quick a. light
ming be SWING bis ax and sprang he
hooi: Of the guide rope from the SOCK
1T. On the instant tlle huge los sath-
cred heatiwGy down The taut wire.
Solae one screamed. Jump. Dave.
lump But there was no tine
ali this happened III a flash. threw
mySelf face down upon the l02 agld
eripped the sling chalns with Il grip
ef death Isuslses, ground and tree
s1umps flew backward bencath me IA
d lnad latlr ~ speed. The racing
sIleayes, III their iron block casing,
screamed and shrilied. Fire flashed
from them. Fire ran along the wire.
showers Of sparss flew out upon the
sind,
Suddenly there YVES a jar the grind
end a'4riek of pgal on metal j
screamed ard closed my eyes There
was 4 jerk that wrenelled my arms
in their sockets, and the mad rush
stopped The strained wire above
snrarg. bent again and hunrned Ike
a twaneed beNstring. The leg. hang
Ing beneath liaued IN ard down, up
and down. was ioiied from mr. hold
and. for Il horrible minute, with one
ls:lia. eii.t hsl III ~ Sl,.ns. htna orsr
The ahySs Slowly, raitiifGliy. I dragged
10y II L up saln II serves werS in
raes NJ ii;ab Shoes. ansi Ag fea y
el.aael.vd. | tsoE az ~ Eelt nd.
reevjg Il ilsroNgn chain link. Sniff
cti position: thcn reauckIcd the
strong leather round my vaist
This IS what Lad happened. TIE pin
In the iouer bloc, had worked loose.
The wire had inIapea the '.eeoye in
tIae slleare wheel. becoming iammed
between ii and the iron cas.ng. and
tie log had brakel Itself by It's ofn
weight
A stiff wind had blown during the
afternoon. md with night 1t hardened
into 4 gale from the southeast IT
roarad. swoopin= through tie tiefie
Rain and uinddriyen hail liissed
across the darkness In fierce gusts
Flannel shirt and trousers. which rep
resented all mye clothing. we're little
protection afsainst the fierce cold /
could NOT move to- ease my position
Tee formed on The eeslins and on tho
wood my clothing frnze hard and STIFF.
The night was as dark ~ the mouth
DC Il pit. 4 single blk SER isrol:e III
Intervals filralgh The wfaek os flying
.5,,tf r.,Ft.jt.31 II iafv ~ l.fy IN =