Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-12-20
lFrom chamberS Bdinburg Jourpail
GOING ASHORE. .a.

point there. she's O coming, stem Oh. and
in half On hour, if she amt on the Bunk
Sands. I'm Dutcbman. ia saiI
My companion was. no native of dameland,
for there was Briton written in every feature
Of his bronze-red face. a. he stood by me
in the Baythorpe shore, il his canvasstrous.
ers, heavy fisher boots, blue Jersey shirt,
and tsrraulin hat. tied d'on With bit Of oak
um band. while the fap behind beat sbout
in the tremendous wind that was raging in
our faces. ~ al r,r .tT1-gt,F
Bang - sent the dull, smothered re.
port of heavy gun, and 10 the shade Of the
coming night l Just cauRh sight OF faint
flash Of light. Where we stood, the spray
while the whistlinR OF the wind. and the
laundering in of the huge rollers as they
curled over and over upon the sand. tearing
it out from among the clay, and sweeping Il
away by tons. made standing in the face OF
such storm extremely confusing; and yet
hundreds we're out npon the shore, close
under the great sand bank, drenched to the
skin with the spray. for the news had spread
through the village that three. master was
going ashore. ih. n'''i .ltaiH1 % -
Going ashore! Simple words to lands
mans ears. but what do they mcan2 The
noble vessel tearing and plunging through
the broken water-now down in trough OF
the waves, now rising like cerk upon the
white crests. and then shock, as she strikes
upon the sand, and seems immcvshle; q
shudderinR quiver thro plank and beam.
and then crash. crash, crash-mast after
mast gone by the besrd-snspped like brit
tie twivs on q dead stem, while huge ropes
part like burned twine; then the rising Of the
apparently immovsble vessel, ss sbeis lifted
by the waves 10 fall crashing again upnn the
sand. parting in the middle; rushing pillows
pouring tons upon tons Of water on the deck;
wild, wild cry for help, and then the shore
strewed with fragments, caAks and bodies. as
the mercless waves sport with them, tossing
them on to the sands, and then curling over
TO drag them back. Going ashore not
safety from wild storm, but death. 49, .
"Ah," said the old salt by nv side, shout
ing at me with his hand to his mouth, did
yer hear that gun?" '< h''.' ~ 10 '..'-
| nodded. %. lHa1. 'i'.ii'irL -a.
"There goes another" he continued.
stretching out his hand and pointing to
where the fash could be,seen. while directly
after came another dull heavy report
Cant yer see her now, sir?" 6tv ..;,tl
| Mine were not sea, going eyes, and it was
no easy task to make out distant Object
through the binding spray which beat
in my face; but just managed to. make out
dark mass right among the boiling waves.
and shuddered as thought of the fate
OF those on board. 9n' 80 h"i'Hn' st
"She must come to it." said the man,
"she' " come in just thete, "and he pointed
| to spot among the waves where. they
| seemed the rourhest; sheIi bethere in less
time than Tsaid F; andtheu Lord have mercy
upon 'em Amen r. ..rof,snsiJ l.
As he said this the old man reverently
toak off his tarpaulin sou'.wester, and stood
with the storm tearing through the remsins
of his grizzly hair. bald, ragged, ,pnd weather.
beaten. the coarseness Of his features seem
ed for the moment suhdued -softened by
the feeling within his breasta-as he stood
there no inapt representation OF 2 seer o
old. 5 ,Laari Al. a...cI ~ ri -.
lis there M chance forthsmp". Ishouted
The old man shook his head and shrugged
his shoulders ''Preciops little, he said
4 ''unless them chaps come dewn n with the
lifp.hoat hut who'd GO out IA! Lgs GOO.
d. 1t did lock like desperate. venture, in
deed, to attempt to lahnch q boat with suct
a sea on. and having no reply stood shad
ing my eyes and looking out to seea.o' =
Y 'rR.no1IU 'b nuaEIJHlfIF 9Ni t-oT9g
There was another fash. and another dul
/ echoless re port, and as the veil of spray
seemed to clear during lull in the storm.
could perceive large three ,masted ,yesse
about five hundred yards, from the !shore
and once. as she teeled over G and, showed
her deck, could see that it was crowded
""God HELM themi!'' .Iimuttered. -
| amen p said the old man. and just then
owav to our left. we saw the life boat carri
age coming down at a a'trot. drawn ny twt
stout horses, while loud and prolonged
Iahurra r. welcomed its arriysl7as anothe
/ fash. and it's following heayyireport seemed
tn come from the doomed vessel Ikea groaI
of main in its hour of sore distress.
"They'll never go out to her" said thu
old man. shouting in my ear. for after .th'
lnll the storm came down with redoublet
fury--the wind shrieking and bowling past
cutting the crests of, the. wsyss of. as i
came tearing over the, hill of wsters,g an.
dashipg the salt spray in my face till il al
most seemed to cut the flesh, while a
times the women who had come down wer
completely held back against the steep SAINT
bank. Go, ....,.,.,s,, - =
suddenly seizipg my arm. Catching a
straws. Why, there's boat load comiRl
ashore. There, don't you see-now atop
that breaker? p ''0"''' 49, -'''" "-.
> / caus hr sight of small boaticrowdec
4 with figures. and then there seemed to be
tall wave curl over it, and l saw It no more
| "Gone l' said the old man. "f knowe'
1 it-notbing could live in snch a ST orln;,n,
"Let's 20 to the life boat ans see ii the.
\ are going out, said T. but the old man wa
tintently gesing, out 20 sea-. ,,,ss ri nitaa ..a