Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-01-06
CHAPTER ii.

Il CH AFTER IL.
woLFGANG.
Maurice Lester was near the starboard gang
way when the ship struck having started af
to look to the helm. The shock threw hin
upon his back, and he tried to get up; but err
he could regain his feet the food of mad wa
tiers came surging over the bark, and he was
thrown-he knew not where. He only knew
that the flood came-that it caught him in it
giant grasp-that it hurled him as the gal,
hurls feather-that his head was hurt-tba
his body was tossed and bruised-and then the
lamp of his consciousness went out. Whei
he came to himself it was daylight, and th'
rays of the sun were bcaming above him. A
first he did not attempt to move, any further
than to assure himself that he was really alive
and sensible but sought to recall the events
of the past, which he did, very clearly, up II
tine time when his ship struck upon 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 deer
nook, and the tide had gone out and left him
In little white he rose to his feet, and man
aged 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 towards where he
thought he should soonest find an open beach
for he felt faint and sick, and he wished TO find
help as soon as possible. After toiling over
| slippery, simy rocks, and cruel, tearing crags
until his clothing was all torn, and bis flesh
bruised and lacerated, he finally reached an
open space among the rocks, where many piec-
es of the eek had been lodged, and where he
found the bodies of three of his men. He
lmstened TO the spot where they lay-two oil
them being claspcd in each others arms-but
he found no signs of life.
With a sad, heavy heart, Lester passed on
and presently he found two more dead ONES,
and one of them was David Griffin, his chief
mate. lie kneeled down by the officers side
and raised the head but it was cold and life
less and the skull was broken. Gently he
lad it back upon the sand, and then moved OH
again. And he saw more dead men also =
Could it be possible that he had been the only
one alive?
Ha wait-what is this z? 1t mo~ss-it
has life
Captain Lester hurried forward as fast as
his feeble strength would permit and found
two men lying 10y the side of heavy spar
One of them WIS dead but the other gazed
mp into his commanders face, and stretched
forth his hands as though he would ask fol
mercy His name was Dick Mangle, and he
.lad been one of the best seaman on board the
ship.
Poor Dick. Z" said Lester, knceling by his
side and lifting his head. Arc you badly
hurt? ?"
They've done it for u.s." the sailor an
swered, in weakening voice. They've kill
led Tom. Amt he dcad?
1t was the body of stout Tom Bcket that
iay close by and when the captain had made
himself sure that there was 10 particle Of life
in it, he reported the same to D.ck.
But he added, what do you mean? Who
has done you hurln?''
Haven't you seen emp" the man asked
struggling for breath.
Seen whom? What do you mean ?" de-
manded Lester, eagerly.
Dick started up to his elbow, and gazed
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, but the act of rising had ex.
hausted him, and the last grain Of strength
was leaving him.
What do you mean?" cried Lester, as he
saw the poor fellow Was sinking. Has any
one harmed you?
! Dick managed to raise his hand to his head
Ito point above the left ear-and. as he die
: so, he whispered
Look out, they asked for the Captn. Thai
is where they struck - He tried to speal
further, but his voice failed him.
What could this mean? Maurice Lester
started to his feet and gazed around. Wht
nad killed his men?
The captain was disturbed in his mcdta
ton by the sound Of voices not far off and up
: On turning he bcheld four men coming VI
rom the water. He who came i'll advance
i was tall, muscular man with gaunt, heavy
frame somewhere about fifty or iif!y-fve year:
Z of age and habited in garb of blue cloth
5 cut into a frock, or shirt, which was secured a
g the waist by bread pistol-belt.
y Maurice Lester was startled when he behel(
i the stalwart leader of his three rulfian'y com
panions and considering all the circumstan
e ces, it is no wonder that he was startled
i However, he had not much opportunity for re
utCtioil, IoI, ny tHC liHiC III hdu iaIll hI'Nc
e out the party they were upon him.
:. Hallo." the leader cried, as he saw on
@ hero, " here we have another" And. as h
d came up, he added And I guess we've foun
! il live one, too,-one that knows something
Say-who are ye?
d This last sentence was addressed to Maurice
n who quickly answered:
e "My name is Lester. And now, to be fail
C what is your name?"
Well guess you've heard it before
e Men call me Ryan Wolfgang.'
WoLFGANG!" repeated Lester, with
IS start.
Yes. That is my name
Then WoLFGANG was not a myth after al
y That mysterious wrecller whose name was
Ig source of terror to honest Sailors was bein
)t of flesh and blood, like other men. Mauric
$, gazed upon him with wonder; and, as he gazet
lg he felt that he looked upon fiend incarnat'
= He had often heard of the pirate-wrecker, an
IN so dark and mystic had been the tales whic
Us the North-Sea Sailors had told, that he ha
ne been inclined to believe that the whole them
es was a fabrication. Now, however he had n
I'd more doubt, for the man before him looked O
it dark and bloody as were any of the pictures b
it had heard drawn of him upon the forecast
III But our hero was not allowed much tin
ne for reflection. Wofgang piled him with que
tions to all of which Lester gave straightlo
at ward answers; well knowing that eyasio