The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-11-20
GOING ASHORE.

NVANU ASHVNEs
"Therc she is, sir just off the pointthere
She coming stem on; and in arf an hour,
it she aint on Bank Sands, I'm Dutch
man."
My companion was no native of dam land,
| for there was Briton written in every ieatu.e
Of his bronze.red face as he stood by me in
| Bayth1rupe shore, In his canvas trousers,
heavy fishers boots, blue Jersey shirt and
| tarpauiin hat tied GU with bit of oak u,u
! band while the Gap behind beat about in
tbs tremendous wind chat was raging in our
faces.
Bang" went the dull, smothercd report
OF heavy gun, and in the shade OF the
coming night just caught sight Of faint
flash Of light. Where we stood, the spray
came rushing in like heavy storm Of ram ];
while the whistling oi the wind aud thunder
ing of the huge rollers as they curicd over
and over upon the Sands, tearing it out IRON
among the clays, aud scrapins it away by
tons, made standing in tie tace Of such
storm extremely confusing and yet hundreds
were out upon the shore under the great
sandbsnk, drenched to the skin with the
spray, Tor the news had spread through the
village that three master was going ashore.
Going ashore Simple words to lands
man ears but what do they mean? The
noble vessel tearing and plugging through
the broken water--now down iu the trough
OF the waves, now riseing like cork upon
the white crests aud then a shock rs she
strikes upon the sand, and seems immova-
bic; atnuaderlng qulvcr through plank and
beam; and then crash, crash, crssh--ml;ast
after mast go by the board, snapped like brit
tie twigs on a dead stem, wLiiu huge ropes
part like burned twine; then the rising IT
the apparently imnioyable vessel as She Is
lifted y the waves to fall crashing again
upon the sauds. parting III the middle; rush
lng pillows pouring tons upon tons OF water
ovey the deck wild, wild cry for help aud
then the shore strewed with fragments, casks.
bodies. as the nereiiess waves sport with
them, tossing them Oh to the sands, and then
curling over to drag them back. Going
ashore; nos safely from wild storm, but
death.
"Ah, said the old salt by my side, shout
ing at Inc with his hand to his mouth, .d.d
yen net hear that gun {"
[ nodded.
.'Ihere goes another" he continued,
stretching out his hand and pointing to
where the fash could be seen, while direct
ly after came another dull, heavy report
',Can yer see her now, Sir ?"
Mine we're not sea going eyes; and it was,
no easy task to make out distant object
through the binding storm Of spray which
beat dead in my face but just managed to
make out dark mass right out amongst the
boiling waves, and | shuddered as thought
OF the fate Of those on board.
.She must come to il" said the man
shell come in just there; and he pointed
to spot amongst she waves where they seem
ed toughest she Il be there in less time than
said; and then, Lord have mercy upon
EN-. Amen!'
As he said this, the old man reycrently
took off his tarpaulin scu'wsster. aud stood
with the storm tearing through the remaius
Of his grizzly hair; bald, rugged, and wealth
er beaten, the coarsencss of his features seem
ed for the moment subdued-sottened by the
feeling within his breast-as he stood there
40 inapt representation of seer OF old.
ssIs there no chance for them z" | shout
ed
The old man shook his head and shrugged
his shoulders. Precious little" he said,
unless them chaps come down with the
life boat; but who'd go out 2"
1t did look desperate venture, indeed, to
attempt to lunch a boat with such sea On
aud having no reply, stood shading my
eyes and gazing out to sea.
Bang"
There WAS another fash, and another dull,
echoless report, and, as the veil of spray
seemed to clear during luIl in the storm, |
could perceive large three massed vessel
about 500 yards from the shore; and ouce,
as she heeled over aud show.i her deck, |
could see that it was crowded with people.
God help them!' muttered
"Amen = said the old man and just then
away to our LETT, We saw the life boat carriage
coming down at a trot, drawn by two stout
horses while loud aud prolonged "hurray"
welcomed its arrival, as another fash, and its
following heavy report seemed to come from
the doonled vessel like a groan OF pain in
it's hour OF sore distress.
They'll never 90 out to her" said the
old man, shouting III my ear, for after the
Iull tue StOfm edtuC 0OHi Will Ic0OuUiCd
fury, the wind shrieking and bowling past
cutting the crests Of the waves off as it
came tearing over the hill of waters, and
dashing the salt spray in the face till it
almost seemed to cut the flesh while at times
the women who had come were completely
held back against the steep sand bank.
.Thcre look p cried the old man, sud
denly Selling my arm. Catching at s,raws.
Why there's a boat-load coming ashore
There; don't you sce-now a top o that
breakerp y
caught sight of small boat crowded
with figures, aud there seemed to be a tall
wave curl over it, and saw it no more.
"Gone!' said the old man 81 knowcd it
Nothing could live in such a storm"
Lets go to the life boat aud see if they
are going off, said | but the old man was
iintently gazing out to sea
"There just as | said " heshouted hoarse-
", s.just in the place. She's struck" And
then, above the yelling Of the storm, we
could hear a crash, and wild Shrek, that
seems to ring through me now upon stormy