Year: 1879

Boston Herald.


On either side of the river men took
stations with ropes, ready to throw the
adventurous voyager in case he should
be caught and held, and at the narrow
channel or gulf rope was stretched
across, held by sturdy men, prepared to
drop it into the flood at a signal from
Boyton, if he felt it impossible to leave
the boiling water in any other way.
The bridges banks and rocks on both
sides of the river, and the roofs of the
factories and workshops below the falls
were occupied by a multitude of people,
many of whom had come from miles
around to witness that which no man
had ever before accomplished, namely,
the flight of Bellows Falls at low water
by man in rubber suit.


At last Captain Paul was ready for
immersion. He was about to enter the
river just below the first rapids, when
a cynical old fellow remarked "Oh,
you don't dare to make them rapids,
eh 7" "My friend" said Boyton, "those
are scarcely important enough to take,
but as you speak of fear, let me say to
you that | know no fear as you will
see." He then went further above, and
entered the current just below the dam.
He passed the first pitch very easily.
He then rushed past the jutting rock on
the Vermont side, barely avoiding it,
and was carried over by the great cuI-
rent toward the other shore. AS he
passed down the stream the force of the
water was so great that he


WAS SHOT LIKE A FEATHER


out of the current and into the cove
among the eddies. He padded down
to the lower end of the cove, and then
piled his paddle vigorously to get into
the current again. He succeeded only
in getting far enough to be pressed back
again into the cove by the back flow.
He tried again and again, but failed
each time, and his repeated efforts
were suggestive of the intervention of Il
superhuman power to hold him back.
Ladies on the bridges and other points
of observation turned away, while 9th
ers ejaculated expressions of sorrow and
distI ess at what they termed ''flying in
the face of nature" While he was
struggling to free himself from the eddy,
huge log came tearing down the
stream, and he waited a while that it
might have time to get to the end of the
falls. This log went crashing down
with such force as to indicate that
lighter object must be tossed about like
IA cork. Some of the men thought of
procuring a boat and forcing Boyton to
desist but before they could do so, he
had padded back to the entrance of
the eddy, aud by vigorous work, slowly
forced himself into the current, and al
lnct .,lA Il
full moment as he flew toward the jaws
of death. With quick eye and strong
hand he evaded the deep hole of back
water, and shot the first great fall as if
sent from the mouth of cannon. Peo-
pie on the bridges held their breaths in
horror, and one lady tainted. Captain
Boyton tumbled into the boiling flood
and was engulfed during il period of
about five seconds. Suddenly the blade
of paddle emerged, and directly af-
terward, BOytOn came to the surface
blowing, and WAS rushed with terrible
speed to the fourth pitch or second falls
through Il kissing and madly foaming
stretch of water. He was under few
seconds, came to the top, ....


SWUNG AROUND AS IF POwERLEss,
and then shot toward the New Hamp-
shire shore, with the current, and down
another fall. Another mighty Iush of
water succeeded, and the paddler was
down again in another mass of fielcely
surging water. As he dropped he stop
ped short, and was held Il few seconds
by the back waves, but swinging around
feet toward the receeding water, he APP
piled the paddle with all the strength
and skill he possessed, and passed out
OF danger. The crowd cheered Justify,
and many persons followed him down
the bank to still water, where cheers
and applause were renewed. Boyton
was then taken in wagon to the hotel,
whittier he was followed by large
crowd