Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-06-26
EVENING STAR.
SAVING TWO LIVES.

From bis boyhood upward, Herbert had
always Mad strongly impressed upon his
mind, when boating up and down the
river, the horrors Of the well-known
rock at the mouth of the river Dart. He
knew how many lives had been lost upon
1t, how much property sacrificed on its
frlghtiul altar: and while it is the won
der OF every one who visits Dartmouth
that such hideous danger can be lefG
unbuoyed or unmarked, every BODY who
passes up and down the Dart hears some
fearful legend of its past misdeeds, and
shudderlng, gives it the widest possible
berth.
While Herbert was straining his ut.
most glance, watching for another CLEAN
of lightning to reveal the scene once
more, something like a faint crv was
heard.
by Heaven :" cried he, starting to
his feet, I" that cry is from the rock, and
it is woman's voice"
Without further thought, except to get
to the scene of danger as quickly as pos
slble, Herbert dashed from his covert.
Needless of the lightning, and regard
less of the rain, he was speedily wet to
the skin; but that was trivial matter.
After divers falls and bruises, he con-
trlVed at last to get down to the shore
opposite to the point where he knew the
rock was. and going slightly up the river,
so that the wind might convey the CRY
of the sufferers to him, instead of drown
ing it, he listened for moment, and dis
tinctly heard the cries Of
Help, help! We are drowning, We
are drowning"
Where are you-are you on the
rock 2"
Yes," shouted back a mans voice,
eve are on the rock-the water is rap-
idly gaining on US, and our boat has
gone down. Qulck-make haste, make
haste if you hope to save u.s."
Have you time to wait while | run
up to Dittisham for boat 2"
"No, no, shrieked back one of the
voices: "the water is above our waists
already, and sweeping over us with such
force that we must be washed away in
ten minutes"
Can you swim?"
"NO," was the answer.
"God help you! 1t will soon be over. !"
muttered Herbert, and | fear I shall be
lost, too. My poor mother ~ said he,
throwing off bis clothes one after an
other, " bat it is duty to try: helm
me, God of heaven ~ cried the youth,
dropping on bis knees for one moment !:
then running down as far above the rock
as he thought it was practicable, be
shouted out
"1'll swim to you"
He then plunged boldly into the stream
with nothing on but his shirt and trous-
ers' having previously tied the latter
round his waist with his neckerchief
at the time that Herbert took his lean.
the tide was running strongly up the
river. He therefore swan, boldly down
the stream as if making for Dartmouth
proceeding slantingly across the river tC
wards the opposite shore, where the
beautiful woods of Greenway shaded
the boyish steps of the immortal Walter
Raleigh.
In the course Of few minutes, he lift
ed his voice up, "Where are you ?" but
be heard no answer, for the westerly
storm swept up the river at that moment
with fresh gust and drowned the reply.
In another second, the heavens were
once more brilliant with lightning, and
Herbert beheld, two or thrle yards un-
der his lee, the ragged point of the rock
like some demon holding up his Jagged
head, while, clinging to it, in all the
agony and desperation Of impending
death, was a young man, who clasped in
bis arms girl OF some seventeen years.
Strange it is tha in . single glance the
human mind takes in the whole charac-
ter of the face On which i! gazes. Even
in that awful hour, when the fearless
grave that yawned beneath them ap.
peared about to swallow up all these
three beings, Herbert detected in that
countenance just the very face that SEEM
ed to have haunted him in all the poeti-
cal day.dreams Of his soul for years.
Large, full, sparkling eyes, with small
delicate face; long, flowing, and luxuriant
hair, drenched as it was with rain, and
anguish-Stricken as those features were
with the horror of sush situation; that
single glance, while it filled his soul with
the deepest sympathy for the fate Of his
fair unknown, neryed him with fresh
courage to strive against the elements,
and lit in his soul stern determination
to succeed in saving her, or to perish in
the attempt.
"Cheer up !" he cried. as, relaxing his
swimming, he put forward both his
hands to guard himself from being DASH
ed too violently by the roaring storm
against the sharp and jagged edges OF the
rock; then, as he succeeded in placing
his foot, and setting his back against the
stream, he said to the man, Cannot you
swim at all %
.'Oh, heavens no, not Bit"
"Where is your boat? 2"
"She struck and filled, and went down
instantly, when the squall came on. We
were trying to cross tire stream on the
Dartmouth side of the rock, when the
squall took u.s."
Stay" said Herbert, 'what stick is