Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-12-31

,carchiB. after the lost ones, but could gain no
trace Of them. Not eycH piece If wreck could
! frd-upt mark Of tue ship nor OF one OF it,
crew rlne h,uic with 4 sad und hcnr heart.
Maurice Lester stopped few moments, and
b wed his head upon lis hands for his feelings had
almost overcome him. In lttle white, however,
be looked up again, aud added, in n touching
tone,-
All, my dear friend, You 10 not know what
have sufferei--tOngue cannot tell il. nor can pen
write it. That blow iii break ms heart--broke y
in the rcnding of its tenierest cords, and in q e
crushing Of al its earthly hopes DO you believe
in Dreams
The mate started, not 40 much At the character
of the question, from the sudden manner ID
which il was put.
well" said Lester. in a lower tono, Il have
had dream repeated many times but never has
it come TO me directly ana wildly rs within
the past two or three days. Cnrris Thornton -
not deud' know she is not!-shc has appeared
10 me repeatedly in dream and calls upon me
TO save her Tonight. n | stood all alone by
tho m.Lzcn rigging, trying TO peer out into the
thick gloom, heard her voice Us plainly as you
now hear mine, and she called out for mo TO save
her. Of course what followed was mere fancy,
though even that affected me much: | thought |
saw her standing not far of upon huge sea with
her arms stretched imploringly towards me-saw
ueT lucu with NY cStS opeH, % ua'o '''eh $50
her IN my sleeping cream =
Al this point tho captain was cut short III hs
speech by the cry # "LIGnT no" from the deck.
They hurried up and found the msn crowdins
forward.
What is it," Lester asked.
Il think il is light. sir" replied Parker
Here, sir,--just stand here.-Now turn your
eye about four points upon the larboard how
Wait. now, till she riseslla there there =
See!-Did you see ii, sir"
lcs-he had seen it: and he knew it must be a
light upon the shore; but il was great way Oh
He watched until he had seen it several times. md
then he remarked to his mate that il must be u
light house. The light was oold ana distinct and
evidently al II considerable height above the level
Of the sea; for had it not been 50, il could not
have been seen al that distance. After n short
consultation, during which reference was had 10
the chart of the Northumberland coast II was
decided that this light must be upon Dorton
Point To the north Of Doron Us the captain
know from his personal experience, - well rs
from the chart there was snug harbor, oi easy
entrance. These things were settled.
As soon a. il had been determined where the
light WAS, Captain Lester made all possible haste
10 determine his course uf action. Had the thing
been practicable, he would have laid his ship 10;
but that could mol be done. No one even gave II
a serious Thought. So it was determined that the
snip should stand on, III least till something fur
Their was discovered.
At half past twelve the gale had moderated con
sidorab!y The light wa. nov Ia bo seen very
| plainly whenever the ship rose, aud the captain
aud his officers tet sure that they were right IN
their calculations.
AT ull events said the former. I'VE have no
| choice but 10 stand on, at least---
| lie was interrupted by cry from the bows that
uade every soul .tart with horror:
"BREAkERS BRtAkEKs -
| Captain Lester lcaped forward, and in very
! few moments he satisfied that the warning
! had not been = false one; Tor he could not OIL y
hear the fat al breaking seas, but 10 fan
| ricd tha, he could see the cleaning of the white
| foam Il. il hew high in the air. As quickly as
possible the t"raail taken of. aud the anchors
! cut loose. The purirrnus grapplings plunged IN
to the hissrg sea. and the iron cables were spun
through the hawsc holes like lightning. Strap
went the starhourd chain amd in moment more II
shock was icit IA III. iarboard anchor found bot.
| TOM but il could DOT hold. The cable parted AS
| though il had been hempcn string, aud ON swept
| tho devoted ship.
In heavens name" gasped Griffin. "what does
this mean, See. The light is still burning as
brightly n eyer--at least league away and yet
here are the rocks directly under our bows =
| What can il mean -
| Maurice Lester did not answer; but an old
sa,her beaten sailor, who stood Mt the wheel, and
who had looked thousand danger, IN III. face,
swerei tor hiIn:
"lr's 4 TgLcxERs BEAcoS! I've seen such
things aiore. There amt no III trim the gun,
sir. That light was put there 10 lead poor jack
to his deat! that the coast sharks might pick his
bones :"
"HREAKEGs' Rocks = On the stdrJoard bou'
--No!-On Ae hu6"o,d ,-PvRr"
But II was too late for mortal help. The ship