The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-08-02


drop 10 laegard gnee mora, and there 20 pei
on board Of il by means Of the line. Ia do
ing this however, the boat was Asiailed. by
tho wind and waves with greater fury than
ever, a. ifthey now Grsi begAn-o understand
that u hal oOma to rpsoue theiT WoiimA from
their power. The boat was swept 20 Gar ~
way by this onaat, that u was an hour bdabre
the oersmen could got her bahk % a. 10 ap-
pfs'aoh Tue line. II soom6d theh extremely
dangerous 10 approach Il, a. the end Of was
flying hither and thither, Yhippiug the sur
gos which boiled beneath Il, OF wiiirlng and
curling in the air, ~ Il was swung 10 and fro
by the impulse Of the Mind or by the sway
ing Of the yaul arm from which IT, ys sus-
pended.
'f'hu boat, htgvuvgrI Hpprosrhe.l lj,s. liss----
Mr. llolmes, whon he saw IL within his reach,
'pnng forward 10 tho bowA, and ailor a mo-
ments contest between hn iuktnctiVc shrink
lug from the gigantic lash which was bran
dishcd so fnriously over his head, and his cf-
iOrts 10 reach H. he at length succeeded IN
seizing IL, lle graspcd Il By both hands with
all his force, and the next instant tho boat
was swept away from beneath him by tue ru-
treating billows, aud he was lell safely dang
ling In the air.
We say safely, for, whenever any onn Of
these indomitable soA-kings, no matter ia
what circumstances Of difficulty or danger,
gots ropo that is we'll secured at it, point Of
suspension fairly within his iron gripo, w.
may at once dismiss all concern about his pcr-
sonal safety. In this eASc the intrepid adj
yenturer, when no found that the boat had
surRed away frnm beneath him, and loh him
suspended in the air over the raging and
foaning i,llowa,iclt that all dApgor WAS over,
To mount the rope hand over hand, ali hc
gained Tic yard Afm, 10 cIhmbcr up tbo yard
TO the mast, aud then 90 doecend 20 the deck
by theshrouds, reqdirod only an ordinary ex-
eruise Of nautical strength aud courage, All
this was donc in a n,oineuL aud Mr. Holmes
stood upon the deck, Spcechlc-s, and entirely
-ossFooa's -ls the appalling spcrtAcle Of ter
ror aud distress that mot his view.
The crew gathered around tho stranger,
whom they looked upon at once Rs their de-
liyercr, and listened to hear what he had 10
say. He informed them thattho ship was
grounded ON narTuw reef or bar running
parallel with the coast, and that there was
deeper water between them aud the shore
lie counselled them 10 cut loose from the an
ehor, in which case he presumed that the
shocks OF the seas would drive the ship over
the bar, and that then che would driit rapid
y III upon thu EHUrv; uhrrs,, ,rissafs ss sLa,.ld
strike upon the beach, they could probably
find'pneans TO get the passengers To land.
This-plan was decided upon. The cable
was cut away by means Of such instruments
as came TO hand. The ship was beaten over
the bar, awakening As she went along, new
shricks from the terrified passengers, at the
violence OF the conclusions. Once in deep
water she moved on much more smoothly, but
was still driven at n fearful ratio directly to-
wards the land Tho surf-boat accompanied
her, lowering as near TO her all the way as
was consistent with safety. During their
progress the boat was watched by the passcn-
gers on board the slip with anxious eyes, as
in her were centcrcd all their hopes of escape
from destruction.
The coniormaious Of this part of the coast,
as in many other plaGcs along tho shores Of
tho United States presents a range OF low,
sandy islands, lying at little distance from
thcland, and separated from it by a channel
of sheltered water. These Islands aro long
aud narrow, and separated from each other
by fiet- -ei.es,iEsss- -heEe- and there, formed
apPIruurty by tho breaking, .i.-essA-ef the
sea. The crew Of our ship would have been
glad TO have seea some possibility of their en-
tcring through one Of these inlets. The ship
could not, however, be guided, but must 20
wherever the riRds and waves chose to inn
pei her. This was to the outer shore Of ono
Of tho long, narrow islands, who're az length
she struck again, and was again overwheim-
ed by breakers aud spray.
Aiter much difficulty the scaGhon succeeded
with the help of the surf.boat, in getting a
line from the ship TO the shore, by means of
which one.party on the land and another on
board the vessel could draw the surfsbost 70
and fro.
In this way passengers and crew all safely
lsnded. When the lives were thus all safe,
rails and spars were brought on shore, and
then, under Mr. Holmes directions, great
tent was constructed on the sand, which, tho
rude in form, was sufficient in size TO shelter
all tho company, When all we're assembled
the pumbcr ofpassengcrs saved were one hun
drcd and rcenty-one. They we're German
cmigrants Of the better class, and they gath
cred around their intrepid deliverer, when
all was over, with such overwhelming mani
fcstations of their admiration and gratitude,
as wholly unnamed him. They had saved
money, and lewels, and such other yaluables
as could be carried about the person, to a
large amount; and brought every thing to him
pressing him most earnestly, and with many
tearS to take il all, for having saved them
from such imminent danger and certain de-
structiOn. fIo was greatly moved by these
expressions of gratitude, but would receive
M irs,vsat.1