Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-03-01
TIE RESCUE.

bright moonlight night, and intensely cold, that
the little brig | commanded lay quietly at her
anchors inside of Sandy Hook,
B We had a hard time Of it, beating about for
! eleven days off this coast, with cutting north
casters blowing, and snow and seet falling for
most of that time. Forward the vessel was
thckly coated with ice, and it was hard work to
handle her, as the rigging and sails were stiff,
and yielded only when the strength of the men
was eXcred to the utmost When at length
we made the port, all hands worn down and ex-
hausted, we could not have held out two avs
without relief.
A bitter cold night, Mr.. Larkin,' said to
my mate, as ta.ried for moment on deck to
finish my cigar.
The worthy down-easter buttoncd his coat
more tightly around him, looking up to the
moon-and felt of his red nose before he re-
! piled
/ It's whistler, captain, as we used to say on
lbe Kennebec. Nothing lives comfortably out
lpflblankets in such a night as this
i aThe tide isl3runnng out swift and strong ;
| il will be well tokeep sharp lookout for this
locating ices Mr.. Isarkin.'
esponded the mate, and I vent
,1wd. Rsa Afterwards, wass aroused frotd'a
sound slasp, BY. the n ieilpnt oHicess =
! Is1uke ns for disturbing you, captain said
4lss, "a Are detected an expression of vexation on
ny face; but wish you would turn out and
iIcouie on deck as seop. as possible
| Nv hy4whRt's the matter, MIR. Larkin"
Z Why.sif, have been watching a cake OF
4 ice that swept by at q little distance, moment
ago; saw something black upon it-sonethlng
that thought moved. The moons under a
cloud and could not see directly; but do be-
ieve there's child floating out 10 sea, in this
freezing night, on that cake of ice.'
We were on deck before either spoke another
word. The mate pointed out, with no little
difficulty, the cake of ice floating off to leeward
and its white glitterng surface was broken by
a black spot-more could not make out.
Get me the glass, Mr.. Larkln-the moon
will be out of the cloud in q Moment and ther
we can see distinctly.
kept my eye on the receeding mass OF ice
while the moon was slowly making Its way
through heavy bank of clouds. The mat
stood by with u glass. When the full light lei
at last upon the water with bnliancy only
known in our northern attitudes, put the glas
to my eye One glance was enough.
Forward, there | shouted at the top OF m
voice and with one bound reached the mai
hatch, and began to clear away in the ship
yawl,
Mr.. Larkn had received the glass from m
hand, to take look for himself.
MY God he said in whisper, as he set
work to aid me in getting out the boat m
God there arc two children on that cake
ice!'
Two men answered my hail, and wake
lazily aft. In an incredible short space oil tin
we launched the cutter, into which Mr.. La
| kin and myself jumped, followed by the tw
men, who took the oars. rugged the tile
and. the mater sat beside. me in the stern sheet
Do YOU sec That cake OF ice with sometnr
r black upon it, lads ? l cried put me alor
side of that and I'll give you bottle of ru
= ach, tonight, and a months extra wages, wh'
n you are paid off,
The men bent to their oars, but their strok
# were uneven and feeble. They were used
by the hard duty of the preceding tortnlgI
e and though they did their best, the boat ma
little more way llan the tide. This was lol
0 chase and Mr. Larkin, who was suffering
l. he saw how little we gained, cried out
- Pull, lads-Pll double the captains prlz
= two bottles Of rum, and two months pay. ~
lads, for the love of God, pu'
is A convulsive effort of the oars told how WI
inc the men were to obey, but the strength
4. the strong man was gone. One of the poor +
10 lows washed us twice IN recovering his oar,
ID then gave out; the other was nearly as
zone Mr.. Larlin sprang forward, and seiz
ID the deserted oar.
'Lay down in the bottom OF the boat SAD
I'd to the man ana, CaPtdiu' V'N0 ''i' 0N0- "
If we must row for ourselves"
l., | took the second mans place Larkn /
stripped to his Gurnsy shirt; as he pulled
c. bow. waited the signal stroke. 1t came gent
it, but firm, and the next moment we were pull
IT. long, steady stroke, gradually increasing
on rapidity until the wood seemed to smoke IN
oar locks. We kept time each by long, d
b' breathing of the other. Such pull! We b
le-- forward until our faces almost touched
onA knees and then throwing all our strength
~