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Show H ' HACINfr TOR U U H TColiail lieen prope"tlni? for a month H llirotigli the Unnsollnn nioniitftlnft. In H AiIuim, awl lia I met with the ponrrrl M luck lamlnati! Itelng almost nut ol M profhiuni mo (Ireiilttl to return to the H ranch, for wii were fully convince! B tliAt the nrrclons metals wero entire j M tno-irce in that Iwillty toVarrant M tu In prospecting further. M There wero three of lit In the party M l'aul HuiIorO, Arrajo owl injrtelf. M Arrajo eras a halt limal part Hpnnlili M juiJ part Znnl Indian anil a (icrfcct M riant In strengtli. Ho was not oecr M fhofect lit, nnil was rather hear In liullil, yet ho was as quick and as actlro M as n panther 1 never know his age, M though 1 think It could not hat teen H over thirty at tha tlmo of hlch I H Iuil Eanfonl was a slcnilcr youth of H eighteen, while 1 teas a sear lounger, H yet wo wero nearly tho tamo sire 1 H liait coino tn,Arlr.onn ill weeks beforo H to wiy A Ion; promised llt to l'aul, H vrho was a fonncr schoolmate, and H whoso filler owned a ranch on the U fills, near where tho l!lo Hallnat U cnptlcslts waters Into that stream, fl Wiortly after my nrrlial at tha ranch fl wo luid connived tho Mm of a pro H (icctinit tour niuolift tho mountains, U and Immediately broached tho subject fl to l'aul father. At lint ha oppewcl fl the Idea of twobo) of our aligning fl on what ho comljcreil a hazardous ei fl ivdltlon, but alter considerable icr- M smMori on our part ho llually Kim Ml H coun.nl, but on tho condition that w M wero to bo accompanied by Arrnjo, fl who was ono othLt must trmtctl ranch H hands, and wero to bo under his culd H nnro during tho trip. H This arrniigcuiriitvai erfretly satlv H factory to us, and after i-ii! iplurf our H seise with threo pack bunos, tools, H rovilon, arms, etc, wo set out for H the Mongnllon range, a distance of ser- sbbbbbI iitvinllMfrAiiitliurniieli. Afternearlr H a month fruitions prospecting wo Hail- H ved on our returiu Tho country oxer H w(hlch wo wcru cunljtelleil to imss In or H d'er to tenth tho ranch wainf thorough- H est chnracter, abounding In Jnnl B cliffs, ttotip hills and deep ravines M making travel l-oth todluus ami U- M Lorlouni 1 It was owing to this fact that undo- M eldeil to tako a different routo on our M return from tho ona wo liad couio over. M Our plan was to mako a rait hrM 1 enough to contain ourseliet, our jack H burros and pro-poctlng outnt, and lloat down tho ltlo Snlirms till within a few H miles of tho rapids, whin wo woull H land and complete our Journey by tho H ovirltnd routo. 'Ihlswoull not only til- us n forty mllo tramp ncrmwn v i ry rough evuntry, but would plueo us wltliln thirty tulles of homo hi n frosli condition, besides riving us about two days In tlmo lly tho aid of nn ai, which wo carried car-ried with u Art -Jo toon luid n mill-clciit mill-clciit numlier of plno logs cut to bull I the raft, Iheso wero then roll! out Into tho stream and fastened Keurrly tojithir by inenns of stout wltheaof hlkknry and inrvjulto. When evcr-tlilng evcr-tlilng was hi readlneius to 1-rghi our louruer wo tilaced our tnips aboan! Ihu raft. Via found great dillleulty, liowertr. In gtttlug tho burros aboard, Mid It was only alter wo liad blindfolded blind-folded them that wo succeeded lunu-complUhlug lunu-complUhlug our purpose. Then, liy tho minus of a hrgo oar vthlcli ho hid fulilnnedoutof npllio uippllng, Arrnjo pushi'd tho rait out from hnd, and wa Hunted swiftly away on tho bosom of tho stream. It was our purpo-o to lloat down tha r(r r somo forty nilles, which was as fur as wo could venturo with our raft, nw ing to tho tutbuUnt rapids mid dan-firuiis dan-firuiis falls below tho point whiru wo protiosed to land. , ll was early hi tho morning wluu wo coiimuu?! our Jouruty, and wo had hojH-a of leaching our lauding iolnt bo-loro bo-loro smiKt. Wo hnd only travilol a lew miles when thu rlvtr narrowed and grew more rapid. On cither bank now roMt high bluffs and precipitous dllfs, whoso blackmcd and stmlsconhid luuunlt throw a grateful tlintlo ccro-n Iho stream, affording a most wilcomo I rotw tlon from tho llerco rn)! of tho uimiKr sun. Tho Keucry along tho Illo fiallnns Is not what might lu called beautiful, )it It Is grand and luipres-he, rival, lug tho gnat Colorado hi Its sunless gaps and grivt (.lootuy can) ons, whoso vrallsof lenuied an! blackmed loiks form a secno of wIM gruudeur rarely v.ltnessed hiAtiKrlra. '1 ho Journey onthoraftwosn novelty andnleasumto Iwth l'uul niiliuy ilf, nu.l wo tujo'cd It with tho kn it rest ol ) ontli. 1 w III not uttempt to go Into tho d tails of that Journe), for It , Is only my purposo hi I Ul sketch to fh o a lru nceuuut of an Incident that shortly folloAml nno of Iho most startling and dangerous adventures of my life. tAto In Iho afternoon wo lull left Iho s,reat cauyt us mid had n ached n lnt hi tho rivtr when tho clllfs along lliobiuka wiro lass high and prtx-lp Itous, though It was plain to S't) tint Iho current if tho river was growing mora rapid with every mllo tlmt wo Iravvletl 'lliostin had gone down Uhlnd tho lowering hills, but tiioii tlulr Jagged nmiults still lingered tho red, sultry claro. L'mn tho lift UvnU of Iho itn-aul roMi ierieiidlcular clllfs n huti iln'dhct nlxiia tho water, but on tho 1 othir tide Iho illlls ran hi a low chain along the water's fnlgi. am! it was to want the 'litter that Arrnjo cast his tie, looking cogtrly fir a pluo to land ' (loo.) hndlng placnnllttln furthoi ,j I down tho river," ho said, after soan f a nlng tho bank fur somo tlmo. A few tulnutoK aftir ho miutl ton tip In t V tho clllf on tho right han't, nnd ov ' w prevsed his Intention of lauding there "j Tho laco was still un Ighth of a milt IkiIuw us, but ho cuuimeueed to steei -,J the lKit toward tho shore JjJ Hut lit that In t nit lin gl inre I tr waftl D,a tho clilf, uitcriug nn Old iniation ol i crh curprhu as ho did so- Js Vi i "iu'eti I n i -pi' ' ' cl in 'lug hsmr to tin others do In I began t gtn ! thu raft bark toward the n liMln of tha strin UlnnWug shoreward, I svw A senro el plumed and ulntd enrages cnicrghig front n clutup of biihot uion tho hill, and running toward tlio river. I saw a gleam of wwt-on hi their hands, anl heard tho sharp warning voice of Ar rajo. coniinandlng us to fall Hat ujioii Iho rait I had barely tlmo logru-p tho startled nnd lerrltlod l'aul by tho shoulder and forco hhn down with me, when tlm loud report of firearms sounded on tho clllf, and n shower of bullets cut tho water about us rr burled thtmwlvcsln Iho logs of tho raft. Tho frightened burros uttered snorts of terror, atn, would h vie leaped Into tho stream had they not bet ll held fast by tho lariats I realised in n moment that wo wero In tho most deadly perl), and uttering words of caution to l'aul, who lay trembling at my side, 1 hnitlly pulled somo of our camping efforts ho-tween ho-tween ut and Iho foo. 'Iho lint volley from tho savages' rlllei was almost Instantly followed by another, nnd I hml the bullets villi within n fen Inches of my head. At tho tamo tunniout one of tho burn wait down, a build In Its brain, and hy still upon the raft without utlerlng a sound llalfdraggliigl'nul with me, I look refuge Uhlnd tho liody of tho eiplrlng animal, nnd lay there, a prey to tho tu -t acute terror Although we wero welt protl led Willi anus we tnado no cITort to use them (IhuiUnztoward Arrnjo, I was nstnii. Mieillo'seo tlw bravo liaUbreod still standing erect upon tlie raft, using tho oar with all lilt strength hi nn endeavor to forco our craft further from tlu shoro. I culled loudly to llm to, abandon his dangerous poet and seek safety lie-hind lie-hind tho dead burro with l'aul and tne, hut lie e.ave no heed to my words mid npplli-d tho oar vlth undluihilthnl v Iiror ' 1 shall never forget tho fiellngaof nihalratlon with which 1 regarded tin Mlf (acrlflelu; liallbreed as lie stood thera fenrlowly at his iost, cswsl to the bullets of Iho Merciless foe. I now discovered that tlie cii-renl of tho river wo growing mora raiild every moment, and looking townnl tlio short1, I sawut wo wero fiut leaving tin' In-dlalit In-dlalit UhlmL llowovor. Ihey laid un-hofpated un-hofpated this It stiems, (or I taw tin rj Initily scramhlo up tho nieky ledge tu Iho hill above and como running swiftly hi pursuit Hut wo wore now bejcnd guirvhot of them, mil, lloatlieg rapidly wltli Iho no swlftlj running carrent, wo prolix ineel soon to outstrip til in in Iho rueo an I loavo thcin for liehind. Hut being fully aware that we niuld not baud em Iho np-alle si!, owing to the precipitous precipi-tous cliffs that skirled lira left Kink of llinstreum, lliey still kiiitup tlm pursuit. pur-suit. 1 1 was soon evident, however, that they woul 1 ntver lo nolo to overtake over-take us nnd lliey dnuhtVcM realised this, for alter following along Iho lialik of Iho river for nearly two inllew, lliey iiiihhnlyitopivd upon the summit of a high elllf, end stood looking after us till wo rounded a bend In tlio stream a mile below. Aksooii as wo lin 1 eieed l-cyond tho reach of tho pursuing savages, l'uul and I roe from our recumbent positions posi-tions upon llm raft "Wluit iliull wo do now, ArrnJoT I askeil. Hut tho I aUbrred made no reply. I saw him glnneiiig eagerly from ono shoro to Iho other, an nuslous nil I Iron! Iel look crosiag his face. Suddenly ho liilwl to tlio precipitous precipi-tous cliffs tlmt sklrtod tho shores of tlio river and said "Wo have am-l tho list l-lidlng placet uo will soon bo hi the treat rupI.lsP Ills wonlt sent a chill of fear to lny heart, and in an Instant I realised tho awful wrllot our situation. Waited In by vrieiidle'idar elllfs with no chvnco of ctt-atie. wo wero Mng swlltly drawn Into the groat raplJt of tho riverl Iiicsealngoneduliger wo luid been forced Into another even Liorv ti rrillo than Ihu lint It Is hnjiotslblo formotodeserlba tho feeling of helplessness help-lessness nnd despair that camo over mo ut that moment. Iknowtlut It woull bo Impoiilblo for us to land, walk-d In as wo were with -wrpcndlcul ir elliTs and thrre wat nothing to do hulwnlt and Irint to Arrnjusnnwrlorkiiowledgo to tug-geit tug-geit some plan of deliverance. Wo were now running nt a fearful rate of tced, and ntready tho water about w.is llucki-d with (mm. 'Jho raft soon bt gnu lu rock nnd Itch violently vio-lently as It was whlrlod tulftly ulong on tho now turbulent waters I'ar Inflow Inf-low I could sens musses of sharp and Jagged rocks piercing tho foaming bll lows of tho rushing it renin. Arrnjo, our In hand, stood ronlyto guide Iho raft through tho dangerous chniiiiel, whlki l'aul and l stood dcs'ialrlng and hi lples not knowing what to do or which way to turn. Tho last L.lam of tho sln'ilng sun hnd now died away on tho summits of tho hills and tho gray shadows ut llm tnlllkht wero fast gathering over tho ilreani lu a few moment! wo had entered tho rock pierced mplds and nil uliout in t h foam cnpHl waters w ere tenplng and whirling with a drafi nlng roar Huddenly n sharp rock loomed Just nl end I taw Arrnjo using thenar with despernto energy, but wo swept rapidly ilowii wn It Therowivsncrash-.il violent shnik as wo ttruek, mil the lieu Instant 1 was thrown lint upon the mtt, nnd clung deirntely to tho timber, clow to the tldo of l'mil and Amijo Tho raft irtexl In twain as n great foaming billow swcfit ov er It, and fur n liniment I Ihought wo weroi lo-t licit, swinging clear of tho rock, wo swept onward. Arrajo still struggling to gnldo us nwny from tho dinge-rous roel.i that lay Iworo us On that urt of Iho raft which In 1 lirokin nwny fnun m wiro tho two biiirus mid the body of tlw d.ndnne Tor ono moment It whirled clo-u to our side, then turlnj It struck w(ttl a irasli at .g i ,i . I w HI i a I p i i 4i f the rill r 1. If i nt . f It u'l pile r I r i no I rlrf in u . t Hi n I i-rli f inward and dnipp iir In tha lining thiol Our frail craft tiorr swept thrnucli the dangerous cliannel and glided into soiootlter water, but w had only niuvd tlie first and tho leaet of llio-J datigcrous -olnts hi tho niphU and I ktiew that It would bo hutelhle for us to pass safety over Ihu-w that lay beforo Tor, glancing down thu river, 1 eould see, not A ,Uarter of A mill ahead, lnasea of Jaggril, rocks In tho chami'-l, around which tho foaming waters leaped n dnren Veet Into tho nir, to fall again In feathery spray Into tlu seething torrent livery vestige of hope left mo aa I saw this and turning to l'aul 1 mw that bo was u tialoosdnitli. Armln still stood with car hi hand, a ttrango look of ptrpt 'tity and resolution on his swarth) vlsnt-e riiiildi nly ho dipped the (air Into the water and steered tho raft towanl tho steep clllf that skirted tho right hank of tho stronui Wat he going to try to land I .No: this would In ntterl) lui (ofsllile, since n smooth. ierrHindlciilar clttf ruse twenty or thirty feet above tho water A fvw v Igorous stroke of the nar nnd tho raft wai gliding nwlfily along the veryedgoof the clllf. Then dropping theonr iiioii the raft ha quickly pi ked up n long lariat ttiat lay at tils feet nno Hint we uwil topiekit the luirrul mid began to coll It In his hands Throwing ono end to me, he said, lu n hurried voice "ion nnd Paul fasten this to your lults ai quick m you lie rrnd, an 1 whin I tell ou, Jump Into tho water " Then ho liegan twinging tho loop which he held In bis hand ubout hit tieud Although neither l'aul nor I had the lightest Idea wliat Arrajo Intetideil to do, we obeyeel his order as iiulckly ai insetble, ( lily too gla 1 to grasp nt the faint ho that his wortli gnvu us Tho sound of the waters ril-hlng Ihrcriigh thn mplds now close ahiud, cauie to us In n tliuuderous roar, sen 1 lug a chill of terror to our hi arts '1 ho ctllT, along whose hose we were in w running, varied hi height from tw nty to ll'ly feet, nnd 1 saw Ihu! Arrijo In d his gaj Hied uKin soma oliject on Its summit nt n (mint whch It was nut over twenty feet high This ohjii-t, us I soon discovered was the slump of n broken jiine that grew on llm very verge eif tho clllf As we drew near 1 mw the loop su 1 detily shoot upward from tho hnlf breed's hand ll roue swiftly till It , reichcd lira top of Iho ehfT then It settled over the strnup of the pine "Jump for your lives,' wast' oshari. hnfieritlvecoiuinnnd from rraJo, and without any hesitation wo leaped front the raft Into tlio rushing stream I f It n quirk, sudden tightening of therno aiel then we were twi pt under I y the roariugllood Though liewlldervd mid striugled, 1 oluteheil tlio ropo tightly, and with tho iustlmtof self pnsr-rv i tlon draw myteilf upivunl till lny heid was above iho wuter. As I did so I ijund 1' ml ami ArrnJ at my side until clinging desperately to the ros The curre'iit hn I swept ut around nimln-.t tho clllT, and there wo clung, with only the suiiill ropo Ik. tween us and n watery grave As soon nt wo got our heads iiIkho water Arrnjo eiplalnet that enauf us limit c'luib to lh top of tho elllf while tlie other two reiuuliicl lu tho wntir, in an tu subject tho ropo to ui slight n ttraluns Mwsible, l'aul, who wai an excellent i Itmbi r, was tho tlrst to iteeeiid tho rope. As soon ashohud roaelieil tho top of tho riyr, Arrajn signaled mo to f.illnw. I did as directed but wasw neirly n-liuusted n-liuusted when I reached tho top Unit I lank down almost helpless li'iuii the rocks Ihcu wo wcrestxin Joinotl by Arralo, whose coolness and bmvery liad reteiiod us frum tho very J iws of death It w is quite dark by this time', anl nlttr wringing the water from oar drli plugelothes wosetout fur tho ranch, Wu saw nothing more ol the Indians whoso np'iuaniuco on tho Uvtik hu 1 ilrlvenuslntn tho rapids 'lliey hnd evidently not eomldeied It wortli thu while to follow us, doiihtless svUiIIikI that no hud mi t our death lu Iho rapids below. Wo readied our deellnntlnn tho nrit morning by sunrUe, only too glad to return idlvo from u trip Unit had proved to dlsAitious -Tnie 1 lig. |
