Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-10-30

guns It whipped around and almos,
Idied out for q moment, and then we
heard it coming off the star board quar-.
ter. es5
We got the mainsail down, took an
extra turn of the tail Of the foresheet
over the clew and were, waiting when
the storm struck us. How it blew !
She went over on her beam ends at the
first blast, and on my soul thought
she, was done for. She would never
have righted except for the whole deck
load sliding off. AS the weight went
over. her port bulwarks were ripped
out here and there, much of the rail
carried off and the shrouds of the main
mast were cut off by the lumber like so
many pipe stems. "a
At last the schooner righted. She
fell off until the, wind was almost astern,
and then she jumped into the black
darkness like a frightened deer. The
cargo being Of dry lumber, l knew that
the schooner would not go down. She
would become water logged, but would
be all right unless driven ashore or bea-
ten to pieces. The waves rolled and
roared as never saw them before or
since. It was impossible to stand up,
and each one Of us chung to.something.>
'Don't this make you realize the
power of God!" exclaimed voice in
my: ear, and Jennie clasped my arm.
pulled her to ME, held up her hands
SO that she could grasp .shrouds of the
foremost, and just then heard the cap
tain call He was on the starboard side
the men all about him, and I think he
wanted to consult me about cutting a
way the mast. I started to cross over,
and just then the schooner went down,
tremendous wave rushed in over her
bow, and every soul Of US except the
girl were swept over the rail or through
the steven bulwarks to leeward.
AS | went over the. railing into the
bubbling, kissing, roaring sea, caught
a glance of the girl. She stood where
I had left her, clinging tightly to the
shrouds, hair streaming down, the sea
dashing over her-a veritable angel of
the STERN.
There was a wall or shout from each
ofthe men,as we were swept off through
the gloom, and then all was still except
the dash Of the waves and howl of the
gale. | was swimming brayely, though
knowing that death would soon drag
me down when something struck me-.
It was piece Of the rail. I clutched it
fiercely, and after several trials succeed
ed in pulling myself upon it. How cold
the water vas. s!i9ered ike one with
the ague, and I felt such numbness
that l feared ] should be swept away.
I was sweeping along mounting wave
OF covered under white cap,and grow
ing more and more benumbed, when |
heard the shiver OF canvass such a
banging as it makes when ship goes
into stays and the wind is brisk Next
moment there came a nail.
''Ho! ho-o-o O! Ho! hoo o."
Frightened as I was, | recognized 1t
as Jennie's voice. could not answer
back, | was so fall of water and so cold
and numb Next moment l heard the
swash Of the Happy Day, and she came
right down upon me, her chain striking
the rail within a foot of me. As the
float was borne down, I made grand
effort, and caught one of the chains and
twisted leg over it. Next moment l
went thirty feet high ESQ it seemedD as
the schooner rose on the wave, but |
chung fast, and in few minutes climb
ed in over the bow. The vessel was
shipping seas every moment Or two but
| crept forward to the sampson post,
found alb halyard and lashe'E myself
fast. I could not see the girl, bat ev
cry three or four minutes for the next
hour / heard her hailiag to the lost
mariners, and felt the motion as she put
the schooner On the other tack She
was beating the vessel up.and down to
find them. For two hours she did this
and then the storm began to abate. AS
the seas stopped coming over, | crept
aft and gave her great shock. She
had not seen me, and believed that all
were dead. Together we worked the
vessel to and fro until daylight, and
then we had to give up all hopes Not
one of the six men who went overheard
with the wave had escaped his fate. /,
the seventh, was there to tell her how
Gods providence had preserved me
through her heroism. When certain
that the others were dead, I laid our
course for Toledo, the vessel wreck,
and we finally arrived there.
What have told you happened a
good many years ago, and the wife over
there in the corner, busy at her needle
as ! write, is the storm angel who saved
me from grave in Lake Erie.