The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-08-02
EItmcl from ila7,eT', Magazine,
FRANCIs's LIPE BOATs AND LIPE
CAHA.

Ono dark and stormy night, Mr. Richard
c. Holmes, tho collector at the port Of Cape
May, port situated on an exposed aud dan
geroua part Of the coast, near tho entrance TO
the Chesapeake, was awakened from h.s
sleep by the violence Of tho storm, and listen
ing, he Thought ho could hear At intervals
the distant booming Of n run, which he sup
posed 10 be signal OF distrcss. lie arozo
aud hastened 10 the shore. The night uAs
dark and nothing could be seen, bat tho re-
port Of the gun was distinctly TO bc heard at
lricf intervals, coming apparently from
great distance in the olIing.
Tie aroused from the nSighb6ring houses q
sufficient number Of other persons IN man his
surfboat, embarked ON board, taking com
pass for guide. and put tn sea.
II wns vrry dark and the weather was very
ttiCk, 5JrhEt nothing could he ScCri but the
crew Of the boat pulled steadily on, guided
only by the compass, and by the low and dis
tnnt booming Of the gun. They rowcd in the
direction OF the sound listening as they pnlled
but the noise made by the wind and the
waves, and by the dashing Of the water upon
tlssr boat and upon The oars. was 40 loud and
incessaut, and the progrcs, which they made
against the heavy "scnd" Oft surges was 10
slow.that il was for n long time very doubtful
whether they were advancing or not. Aner
an hour or two, however, the sound OF Inc
gun seemed TO come nearer, and At length
they could sec, family. the fash, bcaming out
an instant before the report, in the midst Of
the driving rain and flying spray which filed
the air before them.
Encouraged, by this the oOrrmen pulled at
their oars with new energy, and soon came in
sight of the hull Of the distressed vessel which
began now TO rise before them, black and
misshApen mass, scarcely distinguishablc from
the surrounding darkness aud gloom. A.
they came nearer they found that the vessel
was a ship-that she had been beaten down
upon her side by the sea. and almost
overwhelmed by the surges which were hrcak-
ing over. Every place upon the deck which
Iaaorded'any possibility Of sheltor was crowd
cd with men and women, all ciingiag 10 such
supports rs were within their rcech,and vain
ly cndeayoring To screen themselves from tho
dashing Of the spray. The boat was TO the
leeward oithe vessel, but 10 great was tho
commotion of the sea, that It was not safe to
approach even near enough to communicates
with the people on board. Alter coming up
among the heaving and tnmbling surgos as
near as they dared TO venture, the crew Of the
surf boat found that all attempts 10 make
thoir voices heard, were unavailable, as their
loudest shouts were wholly overpowered by
the roaring of the sea, and the howling of the
winds in the rigging.
Mr. Holmes accordingly gave up sho at-
tempt and fell back again, Intending to go
roOad to the windward ofthc ship, in hopes
to be able 10 communicate-with the crew from
that quarter. He could hear them, but they
could not hear him; & his object in wishingtc tc
communicate with them was To give them di-
rections in respect TO what tLey were to do.
in order to enable him to get on board. "
In the mean time daylight began TO appear
The position Of tho ship could be seen more
distinctly. She lay upon shoal held partly
by her anchor, which the crew had let 60 be
fore she struck. Thus confined she had been
knocked down by the seas, & now lay thump-
ing violently at every rising and falling Of
the surge, aud in danger every moment of
going to pieces, She was covered with hu-
man beings who were seen clinging to her in
every Part==5ach separate group forming 4
separate And frightful spectacle of terror and
distress.
Mr. Holmes succeeded in bringing the surf
boat so near the ship on the wtnr+wHrr side
as to hail the crew, and he directed them TO
let down n tine from the end Of the main
yard, TO The leeEard The main yard IS a
spar which lies horizontally at che head of
the main mast, and as the vessel was carucn-
ed over TO the leoward, the end of tho yard
on that side would of course be Depressed, and