The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-10

opJec5 TO seaWard, he moved the glass
slowly along from right to left. His
face was thus hidden from me; and
all l could see Of his head was mass
OF thick grizzled locks curling over
his jacket collar. At length, after an
unusually prolonged peal, came
flash that lighted up the entire place
as with million jets. Suddenly,
with a suppressed exclamation, the
man shut the glass, drew him. up to
his full height, and stepped forward.
Another flash and I saw him standing
at the mouth Of the cave. gazing at
the lurid waters. A faint whistle
came in, to which he instantly re-
sponded; and then, splash-splash-
L could hear with increasing distinct
ness the regular dip of oars. A boat,
seemingly full Of men, passed between
me and the shining tops of the waves;
/ and the next moment her crew had
leaped from her, and lifted her bodily
into the cavern.
cannot express myself better than
! by saying that they all seemed to trfRn
towards me at once; and, by the
strong rays of the lantern, 1 saw their
faces-of a BLUSH white; the lips
parted horribly;the eyes staring open,
but without particle of expression
of life; they were the faces of corpses!
l think am sure, but 7 think
among my emotions at that instant,
was fear of their coming upon me;
for they strobe without q word to
within ten PAGES of the aperture
There, however they paused. The
man whom had first seen, sat down
Fon the rock beside his pistols, and the
rest stood round him in attitudes of
respectful attention. They were all
dressed alike, and armed to the teeth;
yet not footstep, not the click of a
weapon was audible, as they took up
their positions. Not q word was
uttered, not sound could hear, but
as before, the pulsation of my heart
like the piston Of an engine.
The man on the rock lifted up his
head! :
"You know our rules" he said, in
a voice there is no describing. BE
fore liquor passes our lips-is it right
or not?"
A smallish man, with shoulders of
monstrous breadth and a beard that
covered his chest, stepped forward,
and replied:
Fright, cap'en'
''Beef and biscuit slowed. and top
sail bent?''
eyes, cap'en."
Gutter off the Devils Edge?"
eyes, cap'en."
Good! And that sucking adni-
ral?'
eve took him, gagged, under the
thwarts, with sail over him. Off
the Edge I took off the sail. I told
him. He made signal he wanted to
speak"
stYou took outthe gag?''
eyes, cap'en."
"You were fool! Go on"
'sHe said he was but twenty-four,
and the only son of an old widow
He said he was to be spiced in u
week. He swore on his soul to be
secret, and offered us a hundred
pound each to let him go. We sank
him with O. couple of round shot,
Good! Well weigh with the ebb
at 5, men. That viii do, Goliah."
A general breaking up of the coun-
Gil ensued, the men sitting or throw
ing themselves down on the rocks.
From the background advanced
small mis-shapen boy, who proceeded
to niche in the wall, and returned
Immediately with huge leather cup
in each hand, which he set before
the man on the rock and the man
with the beard. This was repeated
till each had been provided, when,
standing up together and joining in a
simultaneous shout, they drained the
vessels to the dregs, and again deli
vered them to Goliah. Then quaint
pipes of every conceivable size and
shape were stuck in their grinning
mouths; the lantern shone dimly
through haze Of smoke; and song,
jest and laughter rang free and unre-
strained.
How long the CHASTITY revel cont
nued-how often the pipes were re-
lighted and the leather bowls reflled
how many frightful sallies, garnish-
ed with more frightful oaths, obtain
ed an applauding roar-I have no de-
finite recollection. Reason and me-
nory both fail me in trying even to
guess. 1t was time of horrid same
ness-of agony unutterable. There
they were, gesticulating, sh outing,
cinking their cups; and yet, save the
sound of their voices, nothing could