The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1839-09-25
around him, and joining in his frightu
shrieks."
"Honible! was he long thus?''


"Horrible! was he long thus?''
"Not long, sir. Father soon discovered
that there was no weight or pull upon the |
rope; and, judging from his experience Of
what had occurred, we raised it few feet. |
and released Mr.. Clements from his painful
situation. From this moment, he told me,
he was unconscious as to whether he was |
ascending or descending, until he heard his |
name called in a faint voice. He opened
his eyes. We had lowered him over the |
arch Of an immense cavern, within which |
all was darkness. The sea was rolling in
beneath him; his feet touched it; he felt
that he must either swim or drown; he fee
bly, grasped the rope; thrill Of Joy ran
through his veins as he found an unexpected
footing on rock concealed by the waves in
about three feet water; the depth around
for the present mattered not: He remained
for few moments motionless on the rock.
His name was again called it sounded from
within the cave.
"Extricating himself from, the rope, lie
made an effort to swim; fond that he had
more strength than he had thought SWAN
forward through the darkness up the cav
his name called louder and nearer-made
one effort more-felt the sand, the smooth
sand, under his feet-staggered forward
reeled, and fell, exhausted, into the arms Of
bis wife,"
"And his sister,"
"'rhe ladies were both there, sir. The
cavern was about fifty feet in depth, sloping
upwards towards the back, and partly filled
with weeds, stones and sand. Here, Mrs.
Clements and her sister had been driven to
take refuge by the rising tide. They had
landed from the boat on the rocks, at some
distance below the cave, in the hope OF
finding pathway or outlet, by which they
could escape up the cliff. After long and
hopeless search, they bethought them Of the
boat; and to their extreme terror, found that
it had been carried away by the rising tide,
| which now partly covered the rocks. They
had just time to climb into the cavern over
| the fallen rocks under the arch, when the
waters sweeping in, closed up all entrance
to any but swimmer. Although the tide
was fast rising, the ladies cheered each
other with the hope that they should escape
Fortunately the darkness at the back Of the
cavern was sufficient to prevent their disco
vering the height to which the water usual
Iy rose.
GAS YOU may imagine, Mr.. Clements was
some time before he recovered his senses.
His wife was kneeing beside him, chafng
his brows, when her sister, starting up, cali
ed their attention to the rope by which he
had descended. We were pulling it.; ana
he shook his head as it disappeared over the
arch of the cavern. Well he knew how
useless it would have been for them to use
it. 1T matters not he said; they (mean-
ing us) have gone to -. We shall have
boats here soon; we are sale-quiie safe,
and so on, endeavoring to keep their spirits
up, while he we'll knew that in the dark
} ness the chances were that the boat would
never find the cave.
, on in this way, and Mr.. Clements had given
up all hope. The water kept rising and ri
sing, till at lastthe waves broke at their feet
; and each instant threatened destruction
The ladies were almost dead with fear ant
cold when large, heavy, Dutch-built boat
'l-you don't see such now, sir-swept, with
scarcely a sound, under the arch into the
! cavern, her prov coming ia close upon the
: spot where Mr.. Clements and the iadie.
. were. They did not hear her until she wa.
3 within the cave; and no wonder. for the
9 oars were muffled and those who were il
!; her were IS silent as the grave. 1t wa.
2 part of the cargo Of French smuggler, ly
I ing few miles off, with her crew, assisted
: by some Of the fishermen, were about t
: land, and they had tlken shelter in the cav
e ern, having been alarmed at the approach
q of a boat upon the coast. Fortunate was
j that MIR Clements prevented the ladie.
from calling out for assistance from them
I aWhy, should have thought g such
] moment that even smugglers
sNot they, sir-not they md Mr.. Glen
ents knew it. Desperate men like then
would have left the poor ihings 70 drown, o
y have murdered them. NofMr~ Clement
+ knew better, He tried a last and dangcrou
9 chance; but II was biz only one. Listen
= sir: while the men had their heads turne
!. fo the opening Of the cavern, watching til
s i66at pass, the sight Of which had drive
y them into il, he lifted the ladies gently int
g the end of the boat. They conid'nt hea
I him for the noise Of the waves; there wa
plenty Of room for them, and he drew sa
q over them, and was just stepping in himse
., after them, when one Of the men turnet
u and he had only time to conceal himself VI
= der the bows Of the boat before she was !
% gain moying silently out Of the cave will
Q, as her crew little suspected, the addition {
e two to their number since she had entere
=