The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-10-15
CHAPTER VII
A wreck complete she roli'd
at mercy Of the waves.


at mercy Of the waves. BYRON,
And the sea yawnCd around her like hell
And down she suck'd with her the whirliug wave,
like one who grapples with an enemy,
And strives to strange him before he die. In.
1t is more from sense Of duty to that dear
girl, said the old man, gancing as he spoke alGc-
tionatey at the object of his remark, than any
pronplings of nv own incnulons that | am impcl-
ed to make the statement am now about TO offer.
Were it not in the hope that she may under Plovi-
jence be benefited by it, know not but that |
should have carried the secret relating to her par
entagc with me to the grave, We have always
regarded her as our own from the moment we re-
cciS ed her in charge from her dying mother; and
sure am we could not have loved her more it she
had our own blood in her vains. She came to us
indeed like Il messenger from heaven, at n time
when we were bowed down with u sore dsapponl-
mcnt, aud it seems now like rcndng asunder tie
of nature to declare that she is not our own--that
we have no parental claims on her. But it must
be done.
Some years ago was returning in my smack
from cruise along the coas, and had arrived with
III days sail of the cove, when | WIS proydcn-
tally placed in the way of rescuring two of my fell
low creatures from drowning death--onc of whom
is now present. For two or three DAYS previous
to this event the weather had been rough and the
day before quite slronge gale had ragged The
day had jast broken on the morning in question:
but the weather so thick that the light came
slowly, when found myself running close aboard
of II wreck. knew not at first what kind ofcrali
1t was for could preceive only the stump of one
mast standing, AS | bore up for the wreck, how
ever, soon discovered that it was ship How she
come to be in sncl disabled condition could not
imagine, for though the storm had been pretty
tough, vet It had not been so violent, at least where
was but tina, ship could make very good wealth
or in it.
'The waves ran so high at the time it would
have been dangerous to attempt to board her; but
az the wind had hauled Off shore and the sea was
fast going down, determined to lay by her
Anxious to learn if any one was on board ran
close under her leo and hailed her. It was then
discovered that she had settled considerably by the
head and that she was liable at any moment to 90
dOwn.-From the shattered state Of her bows
was ut once convinced of the cause of her disaster.
She had evidently been run into, and that too, very
recently. No notice being taken of my first hail,
repeated it, when saw a woman spring upon
the quarter deck AT first she did not preceive US,
but gazing wildly around for moment to the
windward She soon changed her position and
caught sight OF us,and us she did sohe stretched her
arms towards us in an appealing attitude, utteri"g
at The same time glbbersh sort of cry. A mo-
mcni afterwards she staggered to the side of the
vessel and stopped down. When she again raised
herself we observed she had something in her arms
that appered Ikea child closely wrapped up, which
she held in bcseeching manner towards us-al
the lime ulerng the same incoherent cry.
1T was sad sight, ladies, in that uncertain
light, to behold the poor thing on that lone wreck
her cloths, heavy with wet, cIingng closely to
her form, and her loose hair streaming in tangled
masses to the wind We Immediately shouted to
her to be of good cheer and that we would soon
take her off. But the poor creature appeared be-
wildered and evidently did not understand us, for
us our craft ranged ahead, she ran shrickng with
her burden TO the fore part of the ship-stumbIing
over the broken spars and rigging that numbered
the decks, holding out her arms to US all the while
as if PRAYING for succor. My heart ached as gazcd
on the pitenrs Object, and resolved TO atemp, her
rescue at once, although | knew it would be at the
risk of life.
we got our boat out however, "a soon as cir
cumsiances would permit, and with four oarsinen
pulled away for the wreck. We reached her with
grea! exerlOn, although we were once or twice II.
great danger of being swamped. Nothing would
have saved us that event, for we left the schooner
short-handcd and could have received no assistance
from the crew on board. But at last, through
Gods mercy, we reached the ship and succeeded
after many efforts 10 make fast to her. 1t then be-
came necessary TO use the utmost caution in taxi
ing off the woman and child, for as the ship rolled
and plunged in the surges, we were every moment
in imminent danger. The woman fortunately IN
stead Of being hlnderance seemed endowed with
an energy almost superhuman and great assistedy
us in our hazardous task. Aficl repeated failures
in our attempts, we at last succeeded in getting
the sufferers into the boat, and ere long placing
them safely on the deck of our own vessel We took
them off not a moment too soon for we had barely
got on doard the schooner, when the ship began TO
settle fast. and presently giving lee lurch, she
went down bow first. All, ladies, it was dismal
sight that sinking ship-going down amid the rag
ing billows-the heavens hanging in blackness like
a pail above her, and the sea, whirling and foam
ing around her as j rejoicing over its prey'
Here tho old man paused awhile in his narration,
as il dwelling on the sad spectacle he had been de-
scribng, while the signs and long drawn breaths
Of his audience testified the interests they felt in his
description.