Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-09

a IlEEo.-Ihe recent courageous and even
desperate act of Capt. Brooks, keeper Of the
Eaulkners Island Light, in rescuing the cap
tain, his wife, and crew, from a wreck on Long
Island Sound, deserves more than passing
notice. 1t will be remembered that Faulkner's
Island itself is more than two miles from the
land, and its only Inhabitants are the keeper
of the lighthouse, Capt. Oliver n. Brooks, and
his family. The wreck lay upon Goose Island,
some two miles from this; but Capt Brooks
could see with his glass, the persons in the
rigging, and the sea dashed into unusual fury,
making 4 breach high over its decks, and
threatening instant destruction. 1t was too
sad sight for the brave man to endure, and
provided as he was by government with moth
ing but a small sailboat, to go between the is
land and the main land, he would have been
fully justified in leaving them to a fate horrible
to think of. His wife was on shore, and he
was alone with his family Of little children;
but telling them Of the peril he was about to
assume fearful peril, from which he might
never return-he kissed Them and, calling up
on God to protect them, and bless his en-
deavor, he jumped into his frail skif, and
steered boldly into the storm and the pillows
Those on board saw the attempt and even in
their agony wondered at Its bOldness, predict
ed It's failure, and gricved at what they cOnsid-
cred an unnecessary sacrifice. But still the
brave man, relying upon Providence, kept up
his heart and hopes, and although every wave
threatened him with destruction he reached
at last the wreck, and hailed the Responding
crew with words of cheer. By the most skill
full management of his boat, now shooting past
and once over the very wreck ITSELF he at last
managed to pick them Off one at a time, and
then turned for the shore. But it was only by
constant bailing and tremendous efforts that
tho bOgt Don't obO In,
reached the island, with its inmates exhausted
and nearly dead with hunger and exposure.
On the shore, waiting for their father were
the little children Of Capt. Brooks, who, with
tears and screams Of JOY, saw the boat tossed
violently upon the land by the angry waves
with its overtasked load of rescued mariners,
who were Immediately transferred to the light
house residence, and made welcome and COM
Portable. A gentleman familiar with the cir
cumstances, and also with the dangers of the
sea, assures us that it was the most daring feat
he ever read ot,-the boat was entirely unfit
for such a service, and that nothing but unri-
vailed GOODNESS, and great skill as a boatman,
and the hand of Providence over all made the
effort successful. Capt. B. thought it an
equal chance that he should be lost though
with life or serf boat, he wouldn't have hest
tated an instant, about going to the wreck
when he first discovered the danger, and he
might have saved the life of thehttle girl-the
captains child of three years-who fell from
his exhausted arms into the sea, half an hour
before Capt. b. reached the wreck. We have
known Capt. Brooks for several years, as one
Of the most faithful men in the lighthouse ser
vice, and means will be taken to call the atten-
ton of the government to his merits, and we
hope he may be provided with boat suitable
for the kind of service he is so frequently cal
led upon to enter. There should be also, at
such an exposed point an assistant keeper
for had Mr.. Brooks been lost in his effort to
save the crew of this vessel, there would have
been missing to the mariner in Long Island
Sound, on that night, the ever steady beacon
light of Faulkner's Island. If ever hero de-
served the public reward of bravery, that man
is Oliver N. Brooks, the solitary watcher on
the sea-girt island.-Ne,0 Haven Register.