Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-06-16
HE DESPERATE OF FECAMP,
SCALING A PRECIPICE.

VI.
me department of the lower seine, on the $
coast OF France, and has a. singular irreg. y
ularlty Of appearance. ltis situated 10 a
gorge between the lofty bluffs or falaises u
that Iut upon the sea, and other heights P
equally bare. The lower town extends
10 the sea, and the houses are huddled a.
bout the port, which is called St. Valery- !!
en- Caug. Here few vessels are equip.
ped for the Newfoundland fishery, and
hence Il was that the feet Of William the
Conquerer, consisting of nine hundred of
what were then called large vessels, be-
sides many smaller ones, and Transporting
an army of upwards of sixty thousand
men, sailed 10 the conquest of England.
The commerce of Fecamp is principally
confined TO the herring and cod fishery,
which employs about a score ofvessels.
The port, is dry at low water, but as the
tide brings in great quantities ofsand, ii |
would soon be filled up but for few !
simple contrivances. A portion of the
sea water is retained prisoner by dam
provided with gates, which are opened
when the tide has retired, and the liberat-
ed waters sweep back all distractions tc
their native depths before them.
The spot is among the most memora-
bic on the sea coast Of France. The ia
laises forms one of its ridges of rock
among which the town is nestled, and is
steep on both sides; but only enough SO
on the downward side to prevent the easy
access of an enemy. Il was a scene Of
an adventure in the days Of Henri Quartz
, and the league, so wildly daring that it al
\ most exceeds belief. The wind now
a sweeps uninterrupted over the bold sum
s NIT ofthe falaise, but then, the inhabitants
of Fecamp being leagues, had erected n
n fortress on the very edge of the preci-
> pice, and laughed all attempts ofthe ad.
venturous kind to scorn. Nevertheless
it is as certain as any point in history, thai
wild desperate named Boisrosee concel'
,r ed the plan of scaling the seward face o
IS the steep and taking the castle by sSr
e. prise! This he proposed to do by climb
ing up, by means Of a thick rope, at tn
> head Of fifty ofhis comrades; and havini
gained over friend in the garrison, VIII
r. engaged TO draw up the rope by cord q
It, a certain signal, he set forth on his &C
ar venture.
nd When Boisrosce had mustered fit
!, picked men, they put to sea, provided WI
~ ~ ,heir enormous rope, or cable knotted
he regular intervals in such manner as
70. make il serve more easily for a ladder
At night fall they swung'around, and stee
'ou ed boldly for the falaise.
you We must however let Boisrosee tell h
al- own story.
ou' The weather had for some time be
dull and gloomy during the day, a
re- squaly when might set in. 1t was cal
in in the night, lane. the sky was covered w
in clouds, which although brittle and re
eat less allowed not q twinkle Of starlight
our ,,,,,.ar. uG SuoICwV 10Y
N.Y. heavily and most un5roken masses,
@' though the white foam was dlmIy V'sl
I ~ in the offing. We embarked at a P'
ocs- halfa league from the village; each u
and wearing helmet and coat OF mail,
lar his offensive arms, consisting OF sw
dagger and battle axe, strapped arc
ior- his body. They reached the Iock,
ms having hoisted their signal light a
da;- was len down from the summit, by W
II la the cattle ladder was drawn up ana
told end made fast above, while the other
attached to the boat moored by M
mis- anchor. All things went bravely on
iost had hit our time 10 the minute-the
was covered with a pail, the end:
n, ,aa wh,cl, seemed to hang far over the
extra zon of the earth; the winds plPed louo
whole wild. and the answering sea shouted
ly sin- danced 10 the sound: there was
beam of starlight above, and below
!. MAKE was only the white heads OF the o.
~. seem dim and far in the waste
now the dead watch in the deep mo
5 max the night. -
ne law Boisrosee harangued his men, the
be the ,roves and rocks, shouted their app
can ne and the sea rising wildly around u.s.
.,ss. in a deluge over our heauS,
,o ssse: sprang upon rope, and began 10
.%d hest BoisroSee last, with knife beiwe
II will teeth for the purpose of cutting tn'
ock. beneath him on the first signs OF II
,fession, We had gained the mddle, three
ldIspen- IA coo, from the surface of the Sc
100 hundred feet from the surface
y Of looh ,and We were in total darkness
'i ,bere i rone Notwithstanding our enorI
between Weight Vl agirated by the rocking OF !
reserved and rushing ofthe storm swung an
ed like thread
y a E nro- Hold fastp cried the lieutenant
"a. = 1 inter- moment, but there was no neeu
deal; it command. We had all stopped ;
It's proper ~ # we had been one man, and md Gu !,
c welfare - death /, grippe to the rope. we K
st imPor- ,vbefber the danger so imminent
M, " and Overwhelming, was above or
!, ~ o e yo NJ Ou' The next
much less ,be motion ofthe rope which had
less assn .lle ,hSse IDEAS was repeated, and
or the firm G Gor seer seemed to run through i from
PIE a,s. %S 70 ond It then swayed 50 wide an
~ dilirent being carried with the boat orls
,aress,then S Ser goorngs on the Top of an
1 in which n ,Dave that it was with the utm
tie itself cnl,v we kept our hold, and II ID !,
may posi-, from its lashings with repo'. !
pe assoIu,e ! cannon, and we swung iar ."
T,,r;ce we were flung with
r me in con- ,once against the cliff, that n, mar
Dry remarks ,salro o cracked like nutshells,
r. lest Snt y ~ desoerate and continued enc
enough ,ho 70 uy uSS he nearest assures OF the
AZ. slrrIl