Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-12-31
CHAPTER IL. I
MnLHcA%G

Maurice Lester was near the starGoard
gang-w0y when the ship struck, having
started ait to look to the helm. The shock
threw him upon his back, and he tried to
get upi but ere he could regain his feet
the flood of mad waters came surging ovc7
the bark, and he was thrown-he knew not
where. &c only knew that the food came
that it caught him i'll its giant grasp
that it hurled him us the gale hurls Il ira-
thcr-that his head was hmrt-thut his
body was tossed and hruiscd-and then
the lamp Of his consciousness wc;:s out
When he came to himself it was daylight
and the rays of the sun were hcNntinG
above him. At first he did not attempt to
move, any further than simply to assure
himself that he wUs really alive and scnsi-
| Iible; but sought to recall thc events Of tie
tpast which he did, very clearly, up to tue
time when his ship struck upon the rocks,
-he could go no further. After this he
raised himself upon his elbow, and tried
to gaze about him. lie found himself upon
bed of sand, between two immense rocks.
lie had been landed there in that deep
nook, and the tide had gone out and Lett
him. In little while lie rose to his feet,
and managed to crawl up, by the aid of a
stranded spar, over IL low part of one of
the rocks.
After scing all that was to be observed
from this point, he moved on towards
where he thought he should soonest find
an open beach, for he felt faint anti sick,
and lie wished to find help as soon US pos
sible. After toiling over slippery, Shiny
rocks, and cruel, tearing crags, until his
| clothing was all torn, and his flesh bruised
and laccrated, he finally reached an open
space among the rocks, where many pieces
of Tie wreck had been lodged, and whore
1 In \ Ab,,l I, Ill. c
lie FASTENED 10 the spot where they lay
two of them being claspcd in each others
arms-but he found no signs of life.
With n sad, heavy, heart, Lester passed
on, and presently he found two more dead
ones, and one of them w..s David Griffin,
his chief mate. He kneelcd down by the
officers side, and raised the head; but it
was cold and lifeless, and the skull was
brokenl Gently he laid it back upon the
sand, and then moved on again. Al cd he
I saw more dead men also! Could it be
possible that he had been the only orc left
alive F?
what's this? 1t moves-.it
has life
Captain Lester hurried forward, as fast
as his feeble strength would permit, aud
found two mer lying by thesi of a heavy
spar One of them was dead; but the
other gazed up into his commanders face.
and stretched forth his hands rs though lie
would ask for mercy. His name was Dick
Alanglc, and he had been one of the pest
seamcu on board the ship.
/ Poor Dick !" said Lester, knccling bY
his side and lifting his head. '-Are you
badly hurt 2"
"They'ye done it for US !" the sailoron-
Iswered, in weakening voice. ''Thcy've
killed Tom. Amt he dead?"
1t was the body of stout Tom Brickct
that lay close by, aud when the captain
had made himself sure that. there was no
particle of life in it, he reported the same
to Dick.
4 "But,p llo added, swhat do you mean {?
Who has done you harm ~
"Havcn;t you seen en- 2" the man asked,
.struggling for breath.
E>SSeenl whom? What do you mean ~
demanded Lester, eagerly.
Dick started up to his elbow, and gazcd
around; but he seemed to find nothing for
which he was looking, and he sank back
again. Had he not made this effort he
might have spoken further, hut the act of
rising had exhausted him, and the last
grain of strength was leaving him.
"What do you mean ~ cried. Lester, as
he saw that the poor fellow was sinking.
4 Has anybody harmed you?"
j Dick managed to- raise hiR baud to his