Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-08-11
In a Cornish Cavern.
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

1t was clear, balmy day in June,
when |, Richard Dawson, midshipman,
at home in Cornwall, after two years
cruise, looked up three Of my old school
mates for row along the coast in a yawl
hired of waterman, and well freighted
with all that was needed to make the
day merry one.
Away we went, four Of the most light
hearted lads living. Bob Trelawny
stroke, myself with pair of sculls, Tom
Davies in the bow rowing random; and
Billy Finch, our little cockswain, sauci-
ly hugging himself on the dwarfish stat
ure which exempted him from any great
er share in our labors.
With many a quib at each others ex-
pense, our laughter waking up the ech-
oes of the curiously geined cliffs tower
ing above us, we glided along the pict-
uresque coast; sometimes passing be-
meath huge blocks of granite, which
seemed to need but a touch to topple
them down upon our fraIl craft; some
times catching glimpses of tiny coves,
whose beauty no foreign scenery | have
ever visited exceeded Into one of these
our coxswain steered US when we began
10 show symptoms of fatigue, skillfully
taking us through the narrow inlet be-
tween the rocks that concealed it from
casual observers.
Perhaps the dark hours that followed
helped to imprint on my memory the
peaceful beauty of that spot, for | can
conjure up-even now that years have
passed over my head-every detail of
the fair picture; the high banks hem
ming in the mimic bay, covered to their
SUBMITS with heather, and the endless
variety of ferns that flourish in the rich
alluvial soil the trees crowning the
heights, the signing of the soft breeze
that stirred their branches, and the mu-
steal cadence of falling water as innumer-
able little rivulets bounded from rock to
rock in glistening cascades, or like silver
serpents threaded their way toward the
murmuripg sea. The scene was so love
ly that even the mercurial spirit of our
coxswain was impressed by it, and he
stopped in the midst of one of his favor
ite dittles to exclaim, BY Jove, it's sub
lime p
In Renaissance of our happy school
days, and song after song from the Ma
rio of our company, the time quickly
passed away, till the deepening shadows
warned Us that we must depart. Our di-
mlnished stores were replaced in the
yawl and. bending to our work, we soon
emerged from the peaceful cove into the
broader expanse of ST. MchaePs bay.
While we we're lingering in the cove,
the breeze had freshened, so that our lit
tie boat danced merrily over the swell
ing waves, the bounding motion adding
a fresh impetus to the mirth which was
exuberant enough at starting.
We had traversed about half our way
homeward when Tom Davies proposed a
row into one of the gloomy-looking cav
erns frequently to be seen on the Cornish
coast. Every one agreeing to the pro-
posal, the boat was backed few yards,
the head pointed toward the nearest open
ing and half dozen vigorous strokes
sent us into the yawning cavity.
As we darted under the parrow arch
we perceived that at its highest the cav
ern rose but few feet above our heads,
while, to our great CONSERVATION, we
found ourselves irresistibly carried much
further than we had intended penetrat-
ing into this abode of strange echoes.
As another wave came up, impelling
us still onward in spite of our most Wig
orous efforts to prevent it, we looked to-
ward each other anxiously, and our cox
swain's voice sounded hollow and unusu-
ally subdued as he exclaimed:
81 say, you fellows, this won t do at
any price. Stern all p
This, to our increasing uneasiness. we
found it impossible to accomplish. We
had but backed few yards when, with
whirl and rush against which we could
make no head, another wave rolled in,
and we clung desperately to the side of
the cavern to prevent our boat being
dashed to pieces on some hidden bould-
er.
Though alive to the danger of the po-
sition, and bitterly regretting our foolish
ness in making the venture with so rough !
a sea running, we do not fully compre-
hend our difficulties until we looked to- |
ward the mouth of the cavern. To our
horror We perceived that it was growing
less an less. As the next wave came |
dashing in, its crest reached to within a |
couple of feet of the crown of the rug |
ged arch above US. The tide was still |
rising, and the dreadful reality forced it.
self upon us. that a short time we sbouId /