Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-23
DAILY EVENING STAR.
7 n E W B Eek ER.
A CORNISH LEGEND.

1oWaTuS tne close OF the sixteenth CEN
tury, horrid custom prevailed on the
coast OF Cornwall, of Turing vessels 10
their destruction in stormy weather. by
fastening lantern to horses head. and
leading it about on the cliffs, in order
that the bewildered mariner, mistaking
it for the light Of vessel, might be in.
duced to shape his course towards it.
This atrociouS expedient was often sue.
cessfll. The devoted crew dreamed
not of their danger until warned of it
too late, by the foaming breakers that
burst upon them from the shore; and the
vessel speedily became the prey of a set
of ruthless barbarians, who, to secure
themselves impunity in their plunder
often murdered those who escaped drown
ing, and then called their booty s.God-
send"
In small hovel, on the craggy shore
of deep and dangerous bay on the coast
Of Cornwall, dwelt one of those wretches
an old hardened desperate, who united
in himself the fisherman, the smuggler
and the wrecker, but the last was his
favorite occupation; and such was the
confidence of his companions in his ex-
perience in this capacity, that he was
usually appointed their leader, and rarely
failed in his Office. His wife, too, en-
couraged him, and not unfreuuently
aided him in his iniquitous exploits.
Disguised with the wickedness of his
parents, their only son left his home in
early life, and sought to obtain an hono-
rable subsistence as the mate of West
Indian trader.
1t was at a period when a long and
profitless summer and autumn had near
ly passed away, and Terloggan, like the
vulture, ever watchful for his prev, was
more than usually observant of the signs
Of the heavens nor was any one more
capable than himself of discovering the
most distant indications of tempest
Nature had for several months worn q
placid and most encouraging aspect
The soft and azure sky seemed to rest
upon the transparent sea, and the slowly
expanding waves swept with slow mur-
murings along the shining sands of the
deep bay with a wild and monotonous
FLASHING, that seemed to strike like the
voice of a prophecy upon the ear. Not
more hateful were the glorious beams of
the orb of day to the fallen Lucifer, as
described by our great poet, than was
the quiescent state of nature to the dark
mind Of Terloggan. In his impatience
he cursed the protracted season of tran
guilty, and hailed the approaching
period of storms as more congenial not
only to the gloomy temper of his soul, ;
but to his interests. At length he saw,
with smile of savage satisfaction, the
sun sink in angry red beneath the dim
and cloudy horizon heard with secret
exultation the hollow murmuring of the
winds; and beheld the blackening waves
rising into fury, and lashing the lofty
rocks with their ascending spray. AS
the night advanced in chantic darkness.
the horrors of the tempest increased; and
the loud and long blasts of the contend
ing elements rung out upon the ear like
the death-knell of departed soul.
"Now's thy time" calculated the old
hag, his wife, 'go thy way out upon the
cliffs: there's death in the wind" Ter
logan speedily equipped himself and
aseended the steep promontory at the en-
trance of the bay. The usual expedient
was resorted to, and he soon observed
light at sea as if in answer to his signal.
His prey seemed already in his grasp.
The light evidently approached nearer
and, before an hour had elapsed, the
white, cloSc-reefed sails of the vessel
could be dimly discovered through the
darkness, and the appalling cry of the
seamen at the discovery Of their danger
distinctly heard. Signal-guns of distress
were Immediately fired, and the loud
commands, "all hands on deck" and
''about ship" were vociferated in wild
despair. Every exertion was made to
wear the vessel from the shore; but the
redeeming moment was past, the ship
was completely embayed, and neither
strength or skill were of any avail in
averting her impending fate. In few
minutes tremendous crash, and heart
rending but fruitless cry for help, an
nounced the horrid catastrophe and tie
last flashing signal-gun revealed for a
mrment scene too terrible to be des-
cribed. The stranded vessel, hurled re-
peatedly against the jagged rocks of the
bay, soon parted; the waves dashed over
her shattered hull with relentless fury.
bearing to the shore the scattered cargo,
broken pieces of the wreck, and the tat
tered rigging; whilst the mingled shriekS
of the drowning, blended with the roar Of
the conflicting elements, rose upon the
ear like the despairing cries of an army
of dying Titans.
There YVES one, however, in who's
ewes such a scene was joyous, in whose
ears such sounds were melody: and that
being was Terloggan. He waited i'm
patiently until the storm had somewhat
abated and when silence began to indi-
cate that the work Of death was well nigh
over, he descended the well.known cliffs
to dart upon his prey. Unmoved by the
horrid spectacle, for the moon had bro
ken from the clouds by which she had
before been concealed, he stood awhile
gazing upon the scene of desOlation
around him, at loss where first to begin
his work of rapine. But, to his surprise
and momentaryl dismay, there was yet
one living soul on board, who, should he
survive, would interpose between him
and his hard-earned booty, and who was
even now loudly supplicating his assist
ance. To dispatch this unhappy creature
in his exhausted and helpless condition,
was a resolution no sooner formed than