Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1860-01-05
CHAPTER II.--WOLFGANG.

MduTlCe LeStcr WIS near the star DOtfu gang
way when the ship struck having started aft to
look to the helm. The shock threw him upon
his back, and he tried to get up but ere he could
regain his feet the flood of mad waters came sur
ging over the bark, and he was thrown-he knew
not where. He only knew that the flood came
that it caught him in its giant grasp-that it
hurled him as the gale hurs feafher-that his
bruised-and then the lamp of his consciousness
went out When he came to himself it was day
light, and the rays of the sun were beaming above
him. AT first he did not attempt to move, any
further than simply to assure himself that he
was really alive and sensible but sought to re-
call the events of the past, which he did, very
clearly, up to the time when his ship struck up
on the rocks-he could go no farther After this
he raised himself upon his elbow, and tried to
gaze about him. He found himself upon bed
of sand between two immense rocks. He had
been landed there in that deep nook. and the
tide had gone out and left him. In a little while
he rose to his feet, and managed to crawl up, by
the aid OF stranded spar, over low part Of
one of the rocks.
After seeing all that was to be observed from
this point, he moved on to where he thought he
should soonest find an open beach, for he felt
faint and SICK and wished to find help as soon as
possible. After climbing over slippery, Shiny
rocks, and cruel, tearing crags until his clothing
was all torn, and his flesh bruised and lacerated,
where many pieces of the wreck had been lodg-
ed, and where he found the bodies of three OF his
men. He FASTENED to the spot where they lay
two of them being clasped in ach others arms
but he found no signs of life.
With sad, heavy heart Lester passed on, and
presently he found two more dead ones, and one
of them was David Griffin, his chief mate. He
kneeled down by the officers side. and raised the
head 4; but it was cold and lfeless and the skull
was broken! Gently he laid it back upon the
sand, and then moved on again. And he raw
more dead men also Could it be possible that
he had been the only one left alivs7
Ha !-wait-what is this 1t moves-it has
life!
Captain Lester hurried forward as fast as his
feeble strength would permit, and found two men
lying by the side of heavy spar. One of them
was dead; but the other gazed up into his COM
mander's face, and stretched forth his hands as
though he would ask for mercy. His name was
Dick Mangle, and he had been one of the best
seaman on board the ship
" Poor Dick y said Lester, kneeling by his
side and lifting his head Are you badly hurtr p
They've done it for us p the sailor answered
in weakening voice. They've killed Tom
Amt he dead p
1t was the body of stout Tom Bricket that lay
close by, and when the captain had made sure
that there particle Of life in it, he report
cd the same to Dick
But" he added, "what do you mean Who
has done you harm?' p
Haven't you seen emp the man asked,
struggling for breath.
Seen whom p What do you mean?'' de-
manded Lester, eagerly.
DICK started up to his elbow, and gazed around;
put ne seemed to find nothing for which he was
looking. and he sank back again. Had he not
MADE TINS effort he might have spoken further,
but the act OF rising had exhausted him, and the
last grain OF strength was leaving him.
| "What do you mean p cried Ieste, as he saw
that the poor fellow was sinking. Has any
any body harmed you?'
| Dick managed to raise his hand to his head
| to point above the left ear-and as he did co
he whispered w
Look out-they asked for the capt'n. That's
where they struck r He tried to speak further
but his voice failed him.
What could this mean? Maurice Lester start
ed to his feet and gazed around. Who had killed
his men?
The captain was disturbed in his meditation bv
the sound of voices not far off, and upon turning
he beheld four men coming ZIP from the water
He who came in advance was tall, muscular
man with gaunt, heavy frame; somewhere
about fifty or fifty-five years of age and habited
in garb of blue CLOTH cut into frock, or shirt,
which was secured at the waist by a broad pistol
belt.
Maurice Lester vas startled when he behold