It was in the spring after the deep snow of 1831, that three or four
lumbermen, who had built a large flatboat for carrying a cargo to New
Orleans, were on the Sangamon River, trying the rowboat, or scow, to
accompany the vessel. The river was very high and on the run. Two of
the men leaped into the boat to get the drink for being the first in,
and sent her out into the current. They were unable to stem it and row
back. Lincoln shouted for them to head up and try the sleeping, or dead
water, along shore. But they were mastered, and paddled for a wrecked
boat, which had a pole sticking up. But though the man who grabbed for
it secured his hold, the boat was capsized and the other was flung into
the tide.
Lincoln, as captain, shouted out to him:
"Carman, swim for that elm-tree down there! You can catch it! Keep
calm. Lay hold of a branch."
The tree was at a convenient height, and Carman caught on and swung
himself out; but the icy water chilled him to the bone. But he was safe
for the present, seeing which the captain called out to the other to
let go his pole and let himself be carried down to the tree, also. If
he hung on in the open there much longer, he would become stiff and
unable to swim. The man managed to reach his mate, and the two were
joined at the tree.
The manager of the rescue found a log and, attaching a rope, rolled it
into the stream, with the help of others who had arrived on the scene.
They towed it up some distance to get a good send-off, and a young
daredevil got on it with the intention of being floated down to the
tree, where all three would become passengers and be drawn home. But in
his haste to do so, Jim Dorrell raised himself off his log by the
branch he grasped and, along with the other unfortunates, made three
men to be saved.
When the riderless log was hauled up inshore, Lincoln mounted it to
make the next cast in person. Having an extra rope with him, he lassoed
the tree and soon drew the log up. Cold as they were, the three men
dropped down and straddled beside him. At his orders the men on the
bank held the rope taut, so that the log, allowed to swing off freely,
slung around with the current to the side, and the four were
disembarked. This made Abraham the hero of the Sangamon River among the
boatmen.
(Narrated by John Rolls, of New Salem, a witness.)
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