The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-31

"
srrhe eaIley.punt was well ahead OF the lug
ger, but she seemed to plunge into the waves.
Sbe did not rise az should like to see her; and,
Lor, how she did roll ! first over to windward,
and then she'd catch the gale and blow down
t'other side. 1t did make me shake. But Joe
was at the helm. sir, and felt that ne Knew
what to be at. Still couldn't help wishing l
was there myself. The young uns are SO
eager like. She was well out to sen now; ard
sometimes when she was down IN the hollows'
I couldn't see anything of her. Next minute,
up she'd come again, and got slgnt OF them
all. There were four in her. could make OUT
nv bey at the tiller quite plain with the req
WooIlen handkerchief The mother had made
him, he had it round his mouth, for It was
bitter cold; and there was Jim Bolter holding
the sheet in his hands, with turn round the
elect. "a
"Sometimes they we're gunwale under, and
it made my heart jump INTO my mouto'
but l didn't say nothing to the wife, you know.
Joe had steady hand. He would be sure TO
carry on Just as enough and no more, aud to
Inf her ur, in time. Jim was good seaman
too: he'd ease of at the right moment, without
losing too much way 30 as to miss the 1oo,
for The lugger was close behind them: was
9 regular chase, and. as toll you befofe, sir'
it's the6rst as gets it,"
.They were fast nearing the brig, and l
wondered how they would get aboard OF her
in such o sea; tor she was Spauiard, and
thew are not over.handy in rough weather.
We don't like Spaniards, any OF US, about here;
they're no good. When you've done your
work, they won't pay you; They'll SICK = * a
don't want you, they'll drive handspke or ON
oar through the bottom OF your boat and
sink it. They're bad lot. a.
isJoe's boat was within two cables lengths
Of the brig, and I drew my breath more easy,
when suddenly the glass nearly fell from my
hands. ] began to shake all over.
"'Motherr cried; % motherl
"My old woman ran to my side.
"sWnat is it, John 2-what is it2 Tell mel
81 tried to steady myself to look agalD; but
I reeled from side to side; everything swan
before me. 1t was oil in second. don't
know what had happened-whether the sheet
had fouled, or what it was; but the galley
punt had capsized. I saw her keel over m TO
the leeward, and instead Of righting herself,
she seemed to settle down. The peak OF the
sail showed above water for moment and
then there was nothing to be. seen-nothing
! more The cold gray sea had closed over all.
'.'she's gone, mother-gone ] lts oil
over + ~ ..,-,. ,ono
Poor thing I thought she would have
died that minute. She was as white as a
ghost
".Look again, Johr; look againl o. quickl'
"But could not look straight. was near
mad. tired to steady the glass. The galley
punt was gone; not stick Of her to be seen
and nothing over her but the driving spray
and the foamIng wayes-nothiug, nothing but
death.
II tried hard to hold the glass straight, aand
| got sight of the lugser With brave George
Bel on board. That gave me hope.
"'The luggar has come up With them
says L .Ihauk heaven, George will get them;
T l,noo- bou unI rnnthar
'Iaried to speak certain for the poor old
woman5 sake, for she seemed like to die;
but feared 1t was q bad job myself. Any
how I pluoked up courage: and kept locking
| out as well as I could. Georges boat WAS
fetching about in the storm, tying to save
some Of them.
"My heart was up ready TO choke me; I
couldn't b. eathe. My wife wanted to take tho
glass from my hand to-look herself; but. Lor' 1,
she couldn't have held 1t minute. md her
eyes we're 30 wild, don't believe They saw
"'No, Mary says 1, 4 must look. You
pray God 10 help US.
Il could see the lugeer's mainsal shaking
in the wind, and her crew lean over the side
aud get something 10. II was man.
"'Have they go him. john have they got
him2 Tell mel Bow many are saved
Il couldn't answer. sir; couIdn t draw my
breath. knew they had got one-oniy one.
'ifhey kept away again, and thought some
of the crsw clutched ut something over tue
stern; but they dldu't take anybody IN that
thine.
"The poor mother was crying and wripging
her hands like q mad woman.
"'Cheer up, mate, says l; 'cbeer up.
| They have got one; there is one chance f>r us
out of four. Lord have mercy on u., Maryp
"What misery We felt then, sir But hope
| was still with us, and We ran down tile Deach
with as much heart as We could muster,
| though we dreaded to hear our fate.
so, how I did pray that tine! said no
words of prayer, but all my heart aud soul
seech Him in eilence to spare my boy.
II had taught Joe to swim when he vas o
| child; aud knew he was strong lad aud
wouldn't give in easy. But then he had on
heavy boots aud o tarpaulin coat, aid don't
know what besides. de would not be able to
hold ont long, and in, such sea too. He
might perhaps keep adoatsfor few minutes.
"By the time We bad got down to the water
side the lugger bad tackled, and was standing
in. There was pumbrr OF people out then,
for the accident had been seen all along the
shore, and other boats had put off through the
surf, though they could not hvpe 10 be OF
much use.
watching the lugger getting nearer and nearer
| to the land. Some were crying out, waving
handkerchiefs, and looking wildly at her as
she rolled about on the waves, with her bow
straight toward the shore.
There was one poor woman down there,
sir, holding child by each hand. 1t wou
have broken your heart to see her. She didn't
say ANYTHING, or cry, like many. OF them.
Her face looked white and cold like marble.
She had husband and son in the galley
punt when she upset, and she knew, as we
did, that only one man was saved out OF the
four. don't know which she hoped to see
aliye-her son, believe, though he had never
been no comfort to her; but tho mothers
heart, you know, often loves the bad as well
| as the good.
"My old wife and I tried to keep as quiet as
We could; for, somehow, wo did not like 10
make a show.
cat last, the lugger began to draw pear the
lengths off; but our eyes were too wet to sec
who was aboard OF her. I pulled my sleeve
across mine, and pushed forward almost to the
surf. could just count them. The man they
had picked up was 10 the stern with the others;
aud strained my old eyes TO catch q look at
him as the boat rosa on the waves; but. be-
fore could make ont who it was she would
gi ye roll to the wIndward or leeward, aud
| the foot of the double-reefed sail would hide
| him away again.
II shah never forget that moment, sir. All
| the agony Of twenty lives seemed crowded into
those few seconds. Hope and fear together
were like to break my heart. It was too much
to bear tor long. Aud tbs old mother kept
calling out to me:
40, Jack tell nas-who is il2 Who is it ?
| Is it Joe2'
Gust then, as the lugger rose, saw him
|