The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-04-18

increase the horror Of our situation, our
boat was dashed to and fro with such
fearful violence that we knew not how
long we might hope to prevent its being
broken up.
Clinging with our bleeding fingers to
the projecting rocks, we sat with our fac
es turned IN despair toward the opening,
and the ''God help us! !" that burst from
Trelawny's lips sounded like words of
doom to all.
Higher and higher crept the insatiate
waters, now reaching the very summit of
the arch, and ooliterating the glimmer
of light that yet stole in; then, as if to
mock us. receding till the faint ray was
once more visible. Again and again this
happened but at last we were enyeloped
in pitchy darkness. The wall of water
had barred us in. and, unless God help
ed us, We had taken our last look at the
bright world without.
1t was hard to die so young; and even
now [ think it no shame to cur manhood
that choking sobs and earnest cries for
mercy thronged to our lips as we strug-
gled to hold on against the volume OF
water always striving to dash US onward
into the deeper recesses of the chasm.
In our haste and alarm we had forgot
ten that small anchor was lying at the
bottom Of the boat, but now, as a larger
wave that we had hitherto conten6ed
with came rushing on us, Trelawny gasped
out,
The anchor over with it or we are
lost | can hold On no longer"
In an instantI had it over the side.
On came the believing wave the boat
was lifted upon it; our hands were fore
ed to relinquish their grasp of the jagged
stones to which we had been cIinging,
and like an arrow we were driven forward
but the anchor held, and for time we
felt we were saved.
Up to this moment very few words
had been uttered, for the transition had
been too great from the mirth and sun.
shine without to the darkness and terror
within, to permit of speech, Well all
knew by what frail tenure we held oul
lives, and silently budding together, lis
tening to the wash of the pillows as they
came whirling and rumbling past our DO I
to dash with conclusion like thunder,
against some recess of the cavern which
seemed to be far, far away.
Strange fears stole over US as we pray.
ed incoherently ,has .he anchor nigh
hold and the wind drop, or chung instinc
lively to the sides of our vessel, when
the eddying waters hurled by, leaving
behind them transient calm, SO pro
found that we could hear our own deer
breathing and the bitter grief of our hap
by little coxswain. Were not his thoughts
with the widowed mother who, if she
lost him, lost her all?
Presently the awful stiffness was brok
en- by a rock crumbling from the roof anG
falling with deafening crash not many
feet from where we lay, the sound raver.
berating along til cavenous vaults until
it died away In the distance.
After while we fancied we heard the
moaning of the wind outside our prison.
Had it increased? And if the result
should be as terrible as we forboded
would onr fate ever be known to those
who would mourn for US Would any
vestige of the yawl or her unfortune crew
be washed out to sea to tell the sad tale
At last-and what an eternity it seem
ed-we could discern faint glimmer Of
light. A few seconds and it had vanish
ed. Then like bright star dawning up
on US, it steadily increased, and we knew
that the tide was falling. Breathlessly
we watched the bright harbinger of hope
till, with eyes that brimmed over, aud
voices tremulous with thankful joy, we
told each other that we might Dew make
an effort to depart.
1t was not until after many narrow es
capes from being dashed on the partly
sunken rocks that we succeeded in reach
ing the outer world. What we then
thought. or how We acted may be better
imagined than described and 1 suppose
[ need scarcely say that we have never
since then explored a Cornish cavern
when the tide was running.