Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-08-21
A Story of HerOiSm.

Let me give you little incident to illus
trate the capability of the African race for
heroic action. Last January, large ship,
a transport in the Banks expedition, went
ashore on a small desolate island-one of
the little Bahama group. Providentially
all hands were saved; and several days
were spent in securing food from the wreck,
until heavy easterly blow interrupted the
work. The day after this blow set in, ii
appeared that one of our men had by some
chance been left on board the wreck. HIS
position was one Of great peril, and our
anxiety for him soon became intense. For
three days we watched him with our glasses,
looking out from the jagged shore over four
miles of as furious surf as is ever seen in
that region of shipwrecks. No boat could
live through it.
On the fourth day we were startled to
observe that during the night the ship had
lost her mainmast, turned end for end, and
settled nearly to the waters edge. But the
man is still seen, clinsing to the wreck
Another night like the last will sweep him
into the boiling surge. Cannot something
be done TO save him? 1t is desperate ven
ture, but it is resolved to try.
Soon our eyes are turned from the lone
man on the wreck TO a more exciting spec
tacle. Five Bahama wreckers-men of
whom it is hardly figure of speech to say
that they were born among the breakers
have taken our life-boat, and started for the
wreck. The storm has slightly abated. as
if to encourage the attempt; but the surf is
still fearful, and the chances are against
success. The devoted little band, however,
push boldly out, and struggle through the
foaming breakers toward the wreck. The
minutes seem hours TO us, as we watch their
progress. Now the boat is balanced on the
crest of wave; now she plunges headiong
in the yawning abyss beyond it. "She is
lost" No, there she is !" and again she
rears and plunges, and our hearts leap as
if tossed by the same pillows.
So those brave men have battled their
way for more than three miles. The object
of their devotion lies but half mile beyond
them, and the sight of him gives them new
courage. But the waves are mightier than
thy. A breaker of unusual size rushes flu.
riously toward them. AT first it comes like
the roof Of house; then like an upright
wall; now it overhangs them like tower
of Pisa.~ Another moment, and the oars
are hurled from the hands of the men. the
men are hurled from the life-boat, and the
boat is buried under the frothy ruins Of that
watery tower.
Fifteen minutes later, by some miracle OF
nautical skill, the boat was right side up
and the men were in the boat. Two oars
were recovered, and with these they rowed
back to tell us that no human power could
reach the wreck that day.
We crowded to the shore to greet these
hardy men, and praise their disinterested
heroism; and behold, four of the five he.
roes were very black negroes-black, in.
deed, but comely, for the heroic impulses
by which they were animated seemed &c
invest those sable features with unwonied
dignity and favor.
Out OF fifty black and one hundred white
wreckers, one white and four black men
had volunteered in this perilous enterprise
Surely the black race is not wholly desti
tute of noble instincts. Will the black man
Ifght9 He will fight the winds and waves
to save a strangers life. Set him down to
protect his own fireside, to defend his title
TO his own " ife and children, to make good
his title to himself, and there is no question
but he will fight. The story of Port Hud
son and Fort Wagner should not take u;
by surprise.