State rights and democratic union. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1839-18??, 1839-09-10

} into the earth, a few feet from the edge IN,
cliff; and then twining the rope once rom,
] it in order to give us the steadier hold or
Mr. Clements, fastened it under his arms
] We then made him change his coat for one
Of our frocks, such as you see the common
people wear in these parts; and taught him
how to put his feet steadily against the side
of the clif-as II were thus; and made him
take the rope between his hands just above
the knot, and told him to lean out from the
rock as far as he could, and 10 work down.
wards with his feet, and to look up, and keep
a watch out for the stones and rubbish which
the rope might dislodge. We told him all
this. sir; and babe him not be frightened at
the birds, as they would not harm him;-the
sun had set, sir; and they always make a
horrd screeching if you go down the cliff
after they are gone TO roost;--and, that if he
altered his mind, and wished to come back,
he had only to give the rope couple of
pulls, and that we'd haul him up directly.
| No, no., says Mr.. Clements, there's no ne
cessity for that. When ! get to the bottom.
wait for quarter of an hour; if at the end
of that time give no signal for you to pull
me up, you will know that the ladies' are
safe, and then make what haste Won can. and
get boat from -. am ready now
saws he, in faint voice. and his teeth all the
while chattering with fear. Never was man
so frightened as he was at that moment
We'll, 'sir, father and once more lifted the
| rope, and Mr.. Clements leaned back over
the edge of the cliff. Down he went. We
soon lost sight ofhim.
Working with his feet, as father had To- d
him, we slowly supplying out rope as he re
qured it, he moved safely down for bit;
then he rested on jutting rock. All this
time he kept his eyes fixed on the sky.
Pressing cautiously with his feet against the
chalk; his body almost at right.angles with
the cliff; his hands grasping the rope, or
sbeltellng his face from the shower of stones
and dirt which it dislodged. He had got
about hundred feet from the top, when
suddenly slipping from the cliff. his chest
and face were flung violently against it. He
endeaYared 70 tegain his footing against the
rocks, and jig broke u itesSs
luton which he had formed, and looked be-
meath him. 1t is a rare sight that for the
first time. Well do remember howsmy head
swan as | looked at the water far, far be low;
and the waves that one could see, Blu not
hear, as they broke over the shingles. Pres
ence of mind, on which Mr.. Clements so
Wanted himself. where was it thenl He was
about TO pull the rope; but he thought of his
poor wife, and one thought of her was
enough. On he went. To regain footing
was impossible. Father and / kept gradu-
ally lowering the rope; and with his face to
to the cliff; his hands outstreched, catching
at each object as he passed; envelopes in q
shower of chalk and stones, which he had not
the strength to avoid; gasping and painting
for breath, poor Mr.. Clements slided down
for about another hundred feet. Here the
cliff arched inwards, forming an immense
hollow, like yondel rock, twixt heaven and
earth, down he went. At one moment the
vide, ocean met his dizzy gaze; at another,
fiocks of the startled birds few around his
head, uttering their shr;H and angry cries.
Again. sir, he found himself sliding down
against the side of the cliff, his flesh all sore
and torn, and his body and arms in absolute
torture from the pressure of the rope. Again
In agony he made frantic effort to regain a
footing; but, in doing so, fastened one Of his.
legs in narrow fssure, or opening in the
rock. Vain was the struggle TO release it,
SlIs MI OtculcHlS was EItH6E lou WCdh@ dtlu
faint, or the limb to firmly secured in the
rock. All his efforts were useless; and-I
shudder at the bare recollection while tell
| ire continued to supply the ropei Hang
ing by his leg, head downwards, there heiay;
the cormorants and sea-mews fitting around
him, and joining in his frightful shrieks.'
Horrible! was he long thusp
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 a few feet,
and released Mr. Clements from his painful
situation. From this moment, he told me,
he was unconscious as to whether ne was as
cending or descending, until be heard his
name called in 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 il; he felt that ne must
either rim or drown; he feebly grasped the
rope; a thrill Of jog ran through his veins as
he found an unexpected footing ONT iock
concealed by the waves in about three feet
water; the depth around for the present mat
tered moi. He remained for few moments
motionless on the rock. His name was again
called: II sounded from within the cave.
.Exnicating himself from the rope, he
made an effort 10 swim; found that he had
more strength than he had thought: swan
forward through the darkness up the cavern:
struggled. sank: rose again: heard his name
IcalIed louder and nearer: made one Effort