The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-10-18

at home in Cornwall after a two years
cruise, looked up three Of my old
i schoolmateS for row along the coast
in a vawl hired Of a waterman, and
! well freighted with al that w;lsneedctl
/ to make the day merry one.
( Away we went, tour of the most
light-hcaHed lads living. Bob Trelawny
/ stroke, myself with a pair of sculls,
! Tom Davies in the bow-rowing RAN
dam and Billy Finch. on little cock
swain. saucily hugging himself on the
( dwal1i>h stature which exempted him
from any greater share in our hbors.
With many qnlp at each others
expense. our laughter waking up the
echoes OF the curiously veined cliff
that towers above lls, we glided along
! the picturesque coast sometimes pass
ing beneath huge blocks of granite,
which seemed to need but Il touch to
topple them down upon our trail craft;
sometimes catching glimpses of tiny
coves, whose beauty no foreign seem
cry have ever visited exceeded. Into
one of these our cockSwain steered us
when we began to show symptoms OF
fatigue, >killfully taking us through
the narrow inlet between 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
conilre 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 I; the trees
crowning the heights, the sighing Of
the soft breeze that stirred their
branches, and the musical cadence of
falling waters. as innumerable little
rivuletS bounded from rock to rock III
glistening cascades. or like silver SER
penis threaded their way towards the
murmuring sea. The scene was so
lovely that even the merclIrial spirit
Of or cockswain was impressed by it,
and he stopped in the midst of one of
his tavorite ditties to eXclain, BY
Jove it's sublime!"
"reminiscences of ourhappv school
days. and song after song from the
Mario OF our company, the time quick
ly passed away, till the deepening
shadows warned us that we must de-
part. Our diminished stores were
placed in the yawl, and. bending to
onr work, we soon emerged from the
peaceful cove into the broadercXpanse
of st Michael's Bay.
While we were lingering in the
cove the breeze had freshened, so that
our little boat danced merrily over the
swelling waves. the bounding motion
adding a fresh impetus to the mirth
which was eXuberant enough at start
ing.
We had traversed about half our
homewa.d way, when Tom Davies
proposed row into one Of the gloomy
looking caverhs frequently to be seen
on the Cornish coast. Every one
agreeing to the proposal. the boat was
backed for few yards, the head point
ed towards the nearest opening, and
half-a-dozen vigorous stokes sent us
into the yawning cavity.
AS we darted under the narrow arch,
we perceived that at its highest the
cavern rose but a few feet above our
heads, while to our great consterla-
ton. We found ourselves irre$istibly
carried much farther than we had III
tended penetrating into this abode of
strange echoes.
As another wave came up, impelling
us still onward in spite of our most
vigorous efforts to prevent it, we look
ed toward each other anxiouSly, and
our cockswain's voice sounded hollow
and unusually srbdued as lie eXclaim-
ed
II say, yon fellows, this wont do at
any price. Stern all !"
This, to our increasing measineSs,
we found it impossible to accomplish.
We had but backed Il few yards when,
with whirl and a rush against which
we could make no head, another wave
rolled in, and we clmg desperately to
the side of the cavern to prevent our
boat being dashed to pieces on some
hidden boulder.
Though alive to the danger of the
position, and bitterly regretting our
toolishness in making the venture with
so rough sea running, we did not
fully comprehend our difficulties until
we looked toward the mouth of the
cavern. 70 cur horror, we perceived
that it was growing less aud less. As
the next wave came dashing in, its
crest reached to within a couple of feet
of the crown Of the rugged arch above
us. The tide was still rising, and the
dreadful reality forced itself upon us,
that in "A short time we should be closed
in from light and hope; in q word,
that we should be buried alive in the
cavern!
With indescribable sensation we
watched each wave rise higher and
higher, aud the faint light grew DIM
mer; while, to increase the horror of
Our situation, our boat was dashed to