The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-03-07

not make sure, for the wind was laslling the
waves mountain high, and the rake of the beach
| was most enough to stun body. SAYS to Ned,
Ned, you're more sprv man than me, just
| take q look out to sea. WELL he'd not gone but
Il step Qr two when the report came again full
and true, and even my old ewes could see the
fash. | stepped up and turned off the water,
and Ned and me went and called up the neigh
| bors. sent boyson horseback to Trebarfoot
10 bring more Ieips and getting the ropes and
things we should want if anything coud be done
for the poor creatures on board the distressed
ship, we went to the point we thought she would
strike on. We had no help from our ewes, but
were guided by our knowledge Of the wind and
the tide
III might be about five, or between that and
six o'cloek when we got 10 Saltstone We could
not stand against the wind, but were obliged TO
lie down on the edge OF the cliff To try to dis
cover The vessel. 1t seemed whole night, tho
/ suppose 1t could not be more than an hour,
before could see or hear anything more than
the flash Of the gun and the roar of the winds
and waves. After bit we touched hands, and
went back to more sheltered place TO talk over
what was best to be done. Some were for light
ing fire TO try to guide them into Wdemouth
Sanlbav, but | knew twas no use. for | was
sure the vessel had NOT a rag of canvas standing
TO help her helm even if the helm itself was yet
scryiceable, and so she could never make a reach
10 clear Dcadman's Corner, and might miss the
only chance Of running into deep quiet water
near the Cupboard Rock.
''.Al at once while we were doubling What
to do. we heard q crash and cry, such as only
stranded ship and the perisling souls on board
Of her can make Ah! YOU talk of Cornish
wrcckers-bnt there was wet eyes among us
then, and mems hearts that never knew fear,
tuttercd like leaves on the lime tree.
I'VE stood RIGHT above where the vessel struck.
Sheer up from the beach--wc measured il after
waris-two hundred and fourteen feet Amouse
could not have found footing down that cliff, and
as ii was within an hour of high water, no help
could come to them poor souls but by letting
some one down from the place where we stood.
'''rhe dim light of morning just enabled US TO
| see each other, and the white line of the shore
waves Some thought they could see the wreck;
/ cannot tell if it was So For certain we could
hear now and tlcn, fainter, and fainter and faint
cr, the cry of mortal man.
II can't stand ths.no longer, says Ned, ut
last II can't stand here III hcsIth and strength,
with my two hands Idle, while they poor crea-
lures. are beaten to death against the very rocks
we stand on Bear hand, hcre--rl go down
this place
''NNe stood like men blind and deaf for min
utc, and then all tried to persuade him ont of it,
for we thought ii was certain death The rope,
most likely wo,llsl he cnt through, fraying over
the cliff or the wind might dash him with fatal
force against the rocks. But nothing would stop
him; he knotted the rope round his waist, and,
taking short glff in his hand, stood ready to
slip oil. lie turned moment, and, says he:
Give my love to Mary and the children, and
if don't see them more, dent let them come on
the parish"
lie shoook hands all round, and then step
ped of, and in moment he was hanging all his
weight on the rope we held
For Gods sake, lower away he cried; Il
see them
1--WE saw them, too, for God rent the black
clouds. and looked through to see that noble deed.
In the east there was a space Of clear sky, tlro'
which a stream of light fell on the scene before
rs An awful scene it was. The ship was bro
ken to pieces, and with every turn of the waves
her timbcrs tossed and whirled. and among them
were the sailors-some past help forever, and
two or three still striving hard for life.
''.Iust as Ned touched the beach, one man was
swept cut from the narrow ledge they were try
ing 70 hold ON TO, with every third or fourth
wave breaking over them. The man Ned came
to first was Just such another for height and
strength as himself. and we held our breath with
terror when we saw by his actions that he was
(as is often the case) driven mad by his danger,
and was struggling desperately with the only
man who could save him.
For full five minutes they wrcStlcd together.
Sometimes we thought of pulling Ned up and
81. {,,.tt .l,.l,,
between the poor demented stranger and Neds
young wife and three little children But then
the water left them once more aud we saw Ned
had him down with bis knee ON his chest, and
we knew if the tide gave him time lie his
master So it proved He whipped turn or
two of rope round his arms, and catching tight
to him with his left hand, gave the signal to haul
away.
S.rhey had barely left the rock-for we pull
ed easy at first--when the whole keelson OF the
vessel was thrown against the very place they
had stood upon. We had them in our lift, how
ever, and if the weight had been twice as much,
it would have come 10 grass if the rope held.
1--WE were all too busy drawing them to look
to see what happened on the way. l hold it as
Bible truth that there's scarce another man but
Ned would have brought that sailor up. He
had, as / have said, one arm around him, and
with the other, warded himself from the sharp
face of the cliff, but he had some grevous brui-
ses for all his courage and strength.
''When the man found himself lifted up in
that strange way, he got more raving than ever,
and finding that he could not use his hands, he
fixed his teeth in Ned's cheek till they met For
all the pain and danger, Ned held on, and shall
never forget to my last hour what | felt as we
drew them in over the ledge of the cliff, and
knew they were safe
.sPoor Ned we laid him in sheltered place,