Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-09-18
MISCELLANY Y
Heroism of the Cape May
Wreckers,

n lat numntI VI HARPER y Magazine con-
tains this glowing account Of a desperate but
highly successful exploit of the Cape May
'shore-men. led on BY well known citizen
Of that country, by which the lives Of more
than one hundred persons were rescued from
the very jaws Of yawning and furious
ocean
"one dark and stormy night, Mr.. Richard
c. Holmes, the Collector of the port of Cape
May, port situated on an exposed and dan
gerous part Of the coast, near the entrance of
the Delaware, was awakened from his sleep
by the violence Of the storm, and listening, he
thought that he could hear at intervals the
distant booming Of gun, which he supposed
to be signal of distress. He arose and has
tened to the shore. The night was dark, and
nothing was to be seen, but the report of a
gun was distinctly to be heard at brief intervals,
coming apparently from great distance in the
oiing.
He aroused from a neig hboring house sufh-
cent number of other persons to man his surf
buat, embarked on board taking compass for
guide, and put to sea.
1t was very dark, and the weather was very
thick, so that nothing could be seen, but the
crew of the boat pulled steadily on, guided
only by the compass, and by the 10 W distant
booming Of the gun. They rowed in the d.
rection of the sound, listening as they pulled
but the noise made BY the winds and the waves
and by the dashng Of the water upon the boat
and upon the oars, was so loud and incessant,
and the progress which they had made against
the heavy send of the surges was so slow,
that it was for long time doubtful whether
they advanced or not. After an hour or two,
however, the sound of the gun seemed to come
nearer, and at length they could family see the
fash beaming out for an instant Just before
the report, in The midst of the driving rain
and flying spray which filled the dark air be-
fore them.
Encouraged by this the oarsmen 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 aud
misshapen mass, scarcely distingnishabe from
the surrounding darkness and gloom. As they
came nearer, they found that the vessel was a
ship-that she had been beaten down on her
side BY the sea, and was almost overwhelmed
BY the surges which were breaking over her.
Every place upon the deck which afforded any
possibility Of shelter, was crowded with men
and women, all clnging 10 such supports as
were within their reach, and vainly enjeavor-
ing 10 screen themselves from the dashing Of
the spray. The boat was 10 the leeward Of
the vessel, but great was the commotion of
the sea, IT was not safe to approach even near
enough 10 communicate with the people on
board. After cunning up among the heaving
and tumbling surges near as they dared 10
venture, the crew Of the surf-boat found that
all attempts to make their voices heard were
unavailing as their loudest shouts were Who'll
ly overpowered by the roaring of the sea, and
the bowling Of the winds in the rigging.
Mr.. Holmes accordingly gave up the at
tempt and fell back again, intending TO GO
round to the windward side of the ship, in
hopes of communicating with the crew of the
ship from that quarter. He could hear them
while he was down to the leeward of them,
but they could not hear him; and his object in
them directions in respect to what they were
tolS, in order the better to enable them to get
"A board
In the meantime daylight began to appear.
he ,f L. L.
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, and now lay thump-
ing violently at every rising and falling of the
surge, and in danger every moment Of going
To pieces. She was covered with human be-
ings, who were seen clinging tn her in every
part-each separate group forming separate
and most frighifu spectacle of distress and ter
ror.
Mr.. Holmes succeeded in bringing the surf
boat so near to the ship on the windward side,
as to hail the crew, and he directed them 10
let down line from the end Of the main yard
to leeward. The main yard is spar which
lies horizontally at the head of the main mast,
and as the vessel was careened over TO the lee
ward, the end Of the yard on that side would
of course be depressed, and line from it
would hang down over the water, entirely clear
of the vessel The crew heard the order and
let down the line Mr. Holmes then ordered
the surfboat to be pulled away from the ship
again, intending to drop to the leeward once
more and there to get on board Of it by means
of the line. In doing this, however, the boat
was assailed by the winds and waves with
greater fury than ever, as if they now first be-
gan 10 understand that it had come to rescue
their victims from their power. The boat was
swept so far by the onset, that 1t was an hour
before the oarsmen could get back so as to ap-
proach the line. 1t seemed then extremely
dangerous to approach 1t, as the end OF 1t was
lying hither and thither whipping the surges
which boiled beneath it, or whirling and curl
ing in the air, as it was swung TO and fro
by the impulse of the wind, or by the sway
ing of the yard arm from which it was sus-
pended.
The boat, however, approached the line
Holmes, however, when he saw it within his
reach, sprang forward to the bow, and after a
moments contest between an instructive shrink