A PERILOUS TRIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 244, 14 October 1889, Page 4

A PERILOUS TRIP.

THROUGH THE WHIRLPOOL RAPIDS AT NIAGARA.

AN ADVENTUROUS MAN'S BRIEF, CRUISE IN A BARREL-SHAPED ' BOAT—HE 'IS -RESCUED SAFE AND SOUND.

Niagaba -Falls (N. ,Y.)» August 26. ' Carlisle D. Graham made a euocessfu' trip through the whirlpool .rapids this afternoon in a barrel-shaped boat. At first the boat travelled easily, b,ut soon was in the grasp of a more 'rapid curreijt that hastened its journey. It rode beautifully through the rapids, but frequently disappeared from sight, and when it struck a big wave in front of Buttery's elevator it was out of sight so long tiat many believed it to be lost. The course it took was down the centre of the river. • At < .52 o'clock it entered the Whirlpool, and tae thousands of people who had gathe ed there to witness his friends receivo he barrel were doomed to disappoint* mentior instead of being caught in the main current and carried across the pool, as is usually the case, it hugged the American side and was carried into the quiet water in front of the outlet and forced slowly over nearly to the Canadian side. For a minute ib was a question whether it was to go around the pool or down the river.lbut the outward-bound current was too sttong, and at 4.54 p.m. Graham passed out of the pool and down through the fearful wher opposite Foster's Flats,, which is the s job moat feared by all of the rapids' navigators. All these dangers Graham boday pissed in safety, and at 5.5 p.m. Sey-" mour Fleming and John Lonsdale, of Lewiston, picked him up near the old Lewiston Graham was in the barrel only 25 minutes altogether,and allowing for the time he was floating in smooth water he made the four miles of angry rapids in ten minutes, avermiles an hour. When Graham had sufficiently recovered from the shock he told his ftory of the adventure. " Tlhis is the roughest experience," he said, I" that I ever want to have. I made the tiip in ton minutes, but it seemed an age, md I did not know any minute but what I would be daehed to death on the hiddei rocks which abound in the gorge. I'grased a rock occasionally and my body is badly bruised from being overturned so often; It was a terrible trip." 1