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Article THE BOATMAN'S RESCUE.* ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Boatman's Rescue.*
and stormy day , that two " broadliorns " were seen floating down the tide , about midway between the points on which now stand the towns ot Memphis and Randolph ; but ivhich then boasted no other population than a few Indian traders . The two rude crafts were lashed together , and the skill and strength of their united crews had been severely tasked during the day to escape the dangers by ivhich they were encompassed . The " head captain " was a Mr . H—na venerable and hihly
respect-, g able farmer , ancl one of the principal owners of the cargo , while his son acted in the capacity of "mate , " or captain No . 2 . Mr . H—n was a minister of the Gospel , and the first Master of the new and flourishing Lodge , No . — , then recently established . The day had been cold and stormy ; but the wind increasing in fury , it was deemed expedient to land ancl " tie up " until the weather should become calmer . All hands were put to the oarsand the
pon-, derous mass had been urged to within about a hundred yards of the shore , when crash !—they were immoveably upon a snag . The lashings ivhich united the two boats together snapped like flax ; and quick as thought the largest boat , freed from her consort , glided past the danger ancl went bounding down the tide , without steersman or crew—for in the confusion all happened to be on the grounded boat , and the movements of the other were unnoticed until she was out of reach . AVhat
was to be done ? One boat was stuck fast upon the snag , in a most dangerous situation for her safety , while the other was fast receding from view . Short time was allowed for deliberation . To jump into the only remaining skiff , and after landing him and his son , with their axes for the purpose of cutting sweeps ancl poles , to go in pursuit of the runaway boat , land and tie her up securely , and then return , were the prompt and promptly obeyed orders of Captain H—n to his crew . Propelled by the brawny arms of the hardy watermen , the little skiff shot down the stream like an arrow , and was soon lost to sight beyond a bend in the river .
It was not until their task had been accomplished , and the two H—ns sat themselves down to watch the frail ark with whose now doubtful safety was adventured the fruit of their year ' s hard toil , that they were made fully sensible of the perilous situation in ivhich they were placed . They were on a wilderness shore , without any means of reaching the boat , without food or fire , ancl with the comfortable prospect of perishing from the biting cold , if by any accident their friends should be prevented from returning before nightfall . Such a resulthoweverwas not
, , deemed probable ; and our voyagers made themselves as content as one may deem such a state of mind possible to two men , situated as these were , exposed to a piercing winter wind , laden with snow and sleet , ivhich now commenced falling thick and fast—the sky giving every token that there was going to be a most pitiless storm . Minutes , hours wore away , and although Capt . H—n and his son strained their eyes through the thick-falling sleet over the expanse of
waters , heaving like a miniature ocean under the influence ofthe terrible nor ' -wester by which their limbs were chilled into insensibility , nothingwas to be seen of the returning skiff—ivhich had now become to them , literally the "life boat , " without which they must inevitably perish during the fast approaching night . To follow on through the tangled thickets ancl bayous of the river ' s bank , and overtake their companions , was impossible ; to reach the settlement some twenty miles above , equally so ; while to attempt getting to the stranded boat , in such a tempest , hy any means within their reach , ivas but to embrace a speedier death than that
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Boatman's Rescue.*
and stormy day , that two " broadliorns " were seen floating down the tide , about midway between the points on which now stand the towns ot Memphis and Randolph ; but ivhich then boasted no other population than a few Indian traders . The two rude crafts were lashed together , and the skill and strength of their united crews had been severely tasked during the day to escape the dangers by ivhich they were encompassed . The " head captain " was a Mr . H—na venerable and hihly
respect-, g able farmer , ancl one of the principal owners of the cargo , while his son acted in the capacity of "mate , " or captain No . 2 . Mr . H—n was a minister of the Gospel , and the first Master of the new and flourishing Lodge , No . — , then recently established . The day had been cold and stormy ; but the wind increasing in fury , it was deemed expedient to land ancl " tie up " until the weather should become calmer . All hands were put to the oarsand the
pon-, derous mass had been urged to within about a hundred yards of the shore , when crash !—they were immoveably upon a snag . The lashings ivhich united the two boats together snapped like flax ; and quick as thought the largest boat , freed from her consort , glided past the danger ancl went bounding down the tide , without steersman or crew—for in the confusion all happened to be on the grounded boat , and the movements of the other were unnoticed until she was out of reach . AVhat
was to be done ? One boat was stuck fast upon the snag , in a most dangerous situation for her safety , while the other was fast receding from view . Short time was allowed for deliberation . To jump into the only remaining skiff , and after landing him and his son , with their axes for the purpose of cutting sweeps ancl poles , to go in pursuit of the runaway boat , land and tie her up securely , and then return , were the prompt and promptly obeyed orders of Captain H—n to his crew . Propelled by the brawny arms of the hardy watermen , the little skiff shot down the stream like an arrow , and was soon lost to sight beyond a bend in the river .
It was not until their task had been accomplished , and the two H—ns sat themselves down to watch the frail ark with whose now doubtful safety was adventured the fruit of their year ' s hard toil , that they were made fully sensible of the perilous situation in ivhich they were placed . They were on a wilderness shore , without any means of reaching the boat , without food or fire , ancl with the comfortable prospect of perishing from the biting cold , if by any accident their friends should be prevented from returning before nightfall . Such a resulthoweverwas not
, , deemed probable ; and our voyagers made themselves as content as one may deem such a state of mind possible to two men , situated as these were , exposed to a piercing winter wind , laden with snow and sleet , ivhich now commenced falling thick and fast—the sky giving every token that there was going to be a most pitiless storm . Minutes , hours wore away , and although Capt . H—n and his son strained their eyes through the thick-falling sleet over the expanse of
waters , heaving like a miniature ocean under the influence ofthe terrible nor ' -wester by which their limbs were chilled into insensibility , nothingwas to be seen of the returning skiff—ivhich had now become to them , literally the "life boat , " without which they must inevitably perish during the fast approaching night . To follow on through the tangled thickets ancl bayous of the river ' s bank , and overtake their companions , was impossible ; to reach the settlement some twenty miles above , equally so ; while to attempt getting to the stranded boat , in such a tempest , hy any means within their reach , ivas but to embrace a speedier death than that