The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-06-08


the stout granite pier running out SO far
as the eye could reach. Down by its
edge, too, the weed-fringed rocks, piled
high in places, with the sea foaming
amongst the cfevices, and again forming
little rock pools where the bright sea
growths fourlshed and as the tide came
in. with its fresh cooling waters, you
saw the impets and sea flowers waken-
ing again to life, while many spider
crab aud shell-fsh crept out of the nook
or crack where it had hidden from the
warm sun. | can see it all now at any
time. though am growing gray, score
of years have passed since but brighter
than all seem to stand out those two
mournful eyes, with the same fearful
look they gave me as | flung out of the
door and saw them for the last time :;
for when next I looked upon that face
the eyes were closed. and could I have
opened them, the lustre would have
gone.
A west country fisherman life is one
which takes him deal from home, for
sometimes we 90 off for perhaps three
| months at time to the north coast, or
to Ireland when the herring season is on;
and, like the rest, [ used to be off in my
| boat, sorry enough to leave home-happy
enough to return after busy season, till
| one year, when took it into my head to
think it strange that Harry Penellyn, my
wife's old beau, should spin his illness
out So long and stop ashore, time after
time, when the boats went out, and him
seeming to be we'll and strong as any of
us. There had been heavy gale on the
| coast some weeks before, and, as we al
ways do at such times, we had run in for
| the harbor as soon as we saw it coming !;
but, through bad seamanship, Peneliyn's
boat came inside the rocks, when she
SHOULD have came outside, and then,
| through their not having water enough,
she grounded, lifted again, caught by the
stern, and then swung round broadside to
the waves, which swept her half deck
while regular chorus of shrieks rose
from the women standing ashore.
| 1t was a rough time, for even our boats
that were in the 'harbor were grooming
and grinding together, while every now
and then the sea washed over so as to
l q TO l. Al
pier from end to end In an ordinary
way we made a custom of laughing at
the crew of a boat who, from bungling,
got her on the rocks, for born as we were
IN the bay, with our fathers fishers before
US, we knew every stone along the coast
| and could almost have steered our boats
to them blindfold; but this was no time
to jeer. fornow the poor fellows were
being swept one by one from their hold
| and borne struggling through the surf
to the rocks, where they were in danger of
being dashed to pices, for ours was no
smooth sand beach. Some were SWIM
ming, some beating the water frantically;
and clad as our men are, in their thick
cloth trousers, heavy sea boots, and stout
| GUERNSEY shirts, they stand a poor
chance of keeping afoat long, for the
weight of their boots are enough to drag
them down.
There was every one in state of ex-
element; men running out and throwing
ropes-men shouting orders that nobody
attented to-women tossing their arms
up and crying, while first one and then
another of the boats crew was dragged
ashore and carried half drowned up to
the cottages.
| was standing looking on, with Mary
by my side, for she was out on the cliff
when my boat ran into the little harbor.
while her hand was the first to clasp
mine when [ got ashore, thankful for
he escape he had. for the sea had rise n
wonderfully quick. I had taken no part
In trying to save, the boats crew, for
there were plenty of willing hands, and
there being now but little standing room
down below the cliff, [ had thought
should be in the way; but now it seem
ed to me that one poor fellow would be
lost with the efforts they were making to
save him for he was too weak to cling to
the ropes thrown out, and as fast as he
was swept in by the waves, they sucked
him back again three or four times.
had not seen who it was, but just
then as [ made start as if to go down
my wife clutched my arm, and there was
a wild look in her face as she said aloud,
Harry Penellyn. -
The excitement of the moment carried
almost everything before it, but l had
strange feeling shoot through my heart,
and something seemed to say, keep
back; - but the next minute [ was fight
ing with the waves, with the moose of
rope round my body. and plenty of stout
mates ashore fast hold Of the end; while
after struggling battle, [ got tight
hold of Penellyn, and we were drawn
ashore, and both of us carried up to my
cottage, though I tried hard to get upon
my feet and walk, but might have
known that our fellows would not have
let me on any account.
Well, Harry Penellyn lay at our place
three or four days, and Mary tended him,
and all this time ! had to fight against
strange, ungenerous, cowardly feeling
that would creep over me, and seemed at
times to make me mad, till 1 got in