Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1862-01-02

try to discover the vessel. 1t seemed WhoIe
night. though suppose it could not lie more
than an hour, before we could see or hear any
thing more than the flash Of the gnn and the
roar Of the wind and waves. After bit we
tonched hands, and went back to more shell
tered place to talk over what was best to he
done. Some were for lighting fire to guide
them into Widemouth Sand-bay, but knew
twas no use for | was sure the vessel had not
rag of canvass standing to help her hcm even
if the helm itself was still serviceabe, and so
she could never make reach to clear Dead
mans Corner and might mss the only chance
of running into deep quiet water near Cupboard
Rock
/ .AU at once. while we were doubling what
to do, We heard crash and cry, such as only
a stranded ship and the perIShlng souls OH board
of her can make, All you talk of Cornish
wrcckers- but there was wet eyes among Us
then, and mems hearts that never knew fear
huttered like leaves on the Iimc-trec.
We stord right above where the vessel struck
Sheer up from the bcuch-we measured it after
wards-two hundred aud fourteen feet
mouse could not have found footing down that
cliff, and as it was within an honr Of high water,
no help could come to them, poor souls, but by
letting some one down from the place We stood
on
The dim light Of morning just enabled us to
sce each cther and tic white line CT the shore
waves. Some thought they could sec the wreck
i cannot tell if it was SO For certain we
could hear now and then, fainter and fainter,
the cry Of mortal man.
II cnn't stand this no longer says Ned, at
last, i can't stand here in health aud strength
with my two hands idle, while they, poor crea-
lures are beaten TO death against The very rocks
: we stand en- Bear hand hcre--l'l 60 down
this place
Z, 'Wc stood like men blind and deaf for min
~ ute, and then al tried to persuade him not of
it, Tor we thought it was certain death The
rope most likely woud be cut through Grayng
:, over the cliff, ~ the wind might dash him with
:, fatal force against the rocks. But nothing
y would stop him; he knotcd the rope round his
waist, and taking short gaif in hi, hand, stood
, ready to slip on, He turned moment and
/ says he
:, 'Gvc my love to Mary and the children
I" and if never see them more, don't let then
E come to the pariSh'
y lie shook bands all round, and then s'ehpcr
- off and ina moment he was hanging all hi
- weight on the rope we held
-" - ''For Gods sake, lower away T. he cried
= L see thcm,'
) We saw them, too, fur God rent the hlacl
~ clouds and looked through to see the nobt
y" deed. In the east there was u space Of c,ea
sky, through which stream of li@hr fell on th
scene before us An awful scene it was Th
=, ship was broken to pieces, and with every turr
~. of the waves her timbers tossed and whirlcd
{ and among them were the sailors. Some pas
-. help forever, and two or three still st.vn!
~ hard for lf'.'
70 Just as Ned touched the beach, ore maj
~ was sweeps ont from the narrow ledge they wer
to trying to hold on to, with every third or four
* wave brcuking over them. The man Ned cam
20 to first was lust such another for height am
Of strength as himself aud We held oCr brea
ne with terror when we saw by his actions that h
,r was as is often the casc) driven mad hy hi
ii danger, and was struggling with the only ma
m who could save him.
or For full five minutes they wrcstcd together
lie Sometimes we thought of pulling Ned up. an
Is so making sure of him. for twas hard choic
sc between ;ha; poor demcnted strange and Ned
,c young wife and three little children. But The
nd the water et; them once more, and VIC saw Ne
no we knew if the tide gave him time he was hi
", master. So it proved lie whipped turn G
ed two OF rope round his arms, and catching hi'
as tight to him with his left, he gave tho signal
ell haul away
rs They had barely left the rock-for We PM
ed easy at first-when the whole keeIson Of III
ne vessel was thrown against the place they ha
- stood on We had them in our lit, howcve
nut and if the weight had been twice as much
sin would have come to grass if the ropes held
gs we were all too busy drawing them mp
en look to see what happened on the way. ho'
ay it as Bib truth that there's scarce another ma
is but Ned would have brought that sailor up =
He had, as | have said, one arm round hin
- aud with the other, wardel himself from Il
1t sharp edge Of the cliff, but he had some gri.
es Gus bruises for all his courage and strength
ind When the man found himself lifted up
on that strange way, he got mere raving than eve
ad and fudme lie could not use his hands, he fiXC
so his teeth in Neds cheek till they met For Il
am the pain aud danger Ned he'd on, and | sha
the never forget to N, last hour what lct as Y
led drew them in owe: he edge Of the cliff, and hno
ayS they were safe
ou- Poor Ned, we laid him in a sheltered plaC
u /" anu "uu'u h'NF put lHC e'id'GN' WIN "'''i -
vas We soon found he was too wild to be trust
axe free SO We bound him for his own safety
dy, In Il few minutes after they were lande
nan Neh's wife came We had sent boy for sor
ell, spirits and things, and he, youngsier like, tc
re- what Ned was about. None that was the
my will ever forge, that fair young thing as 5
aud fell on her knees by her husbands side, a
aud swooned away with her head or his breast
rsc- 'Ah, the a;n that had just bravcd such di
aud ger wcpt like child as he suoolhed the go'c
t, il hair OF his WIFE
ures AS weak as q child he was too. from loss
the blood We'll, other women came soon after :
had bound up their hurts, and VIC got a cart ;
our brought them down to my house.
Eleven men and three boys were the CT
ind of the ne-perus, as the ship was called, ;