Middletown transcript., 1875-07-31

Tue pQyS anu yVAnk mcu tOVk tue NURSES
from their wagons and 61rrisees, totl5
number of perhaps thirty o. forty and
ftfippink themselves d their breechee,
and their horses to their brides. aal.
lopsd into the water, which ran out at
70 uniform depth for several hundred
| yards I; each horse having, besides his
rider, IN urehin clinging 70 bis tail
and, 10 most cases, = second nrchin
swinging Is fhs hssls Il shs bther. on
they went daahing and splashipg and.
yelling like Wild Comanches; the yells
and thsn shouting re-echoed BY the
crowd that lined the beach, Itwas a
lively spectacle, That night (Thprs-
day. . heavy rain storm pelted upon
our canvas roof; but. dry and snug
beneath, We took it for mllsby.
- Friday morning We made little head
way against strong tide and heavy,
northeast wind, and, 80, lay at anchor
near Bombay Hook Railroad terminus
until the tide turned ID the afternoon
When longing for sitter breeze, We
slowly kept up the bay, holding the
"Petrel'' near the centre Of the bay to
get the, full benefit Of the food. When
about opposite Collins Beach, or q lit
tie above, our attention was attracted
BY cloud ahead Soon q deep, cmin.
Gus roll Of thunder salnted US rand, 10
very few minntes;it became evident that
the bsv was to be swept by fierce
gust, A moments deliberation decided
Is to make for the Jersey shore and
seek the shelter that stormy point might
afordsih The wind lhadpnow sunk to . /
dead calm. The air became heavy and
oppressive. and, while we strained our
oars to reach the desired cover, ouf
frowning adversary stretched his arms
from one side of the bay to the other.
and bore down toward our little craft |
with sharp thunder and lightning with
increasing speed; until, as we looked
at it, we seemed to be 10 its very jaws.
Everything aboard the e PetrcP' was
closely furled and made fast, the tent
stretched and bsttoned down, the an
chor made ready; and on We. pulled,
every stroke being gain; until, with
in half mile Of the Jersey shore. the
first breath of the monsters mouth was
feltaupon our faces 81 At the word of
command the anchor was cast and. as
the cable played out, 4 broadside blow
struck our little craft with such terrific
power that We saw, 1t aoncs. that We
were 10 galetof no ordinary. character.
iInoone moment, although the sun was
an hour high, everything about us was
lashed into blackness and foam, 50 that,
through the stern opening Of our can
vas, We could not see ten steps from us.
The little boat, used for landing in
shoal water, and which was towed
astern, was picked up and whipped
over, bottom up, in an instant. The |
tide, going up, held the !" Petreps' side
to the storm, while the rain and the
seas doomed against it like cannon shot,
Orders were given to remoyelAhoes for
swimming, and to cut away the tent to
decrease the surface Of pressure, The
first part 81 the order was executed, and |
the second begun. when the storm went
sweeping byltas suddenly as il had
struck us. and astit rolled. down the
bay away, from Us, black as ink and cut
up in every direction By the lightning, I
It's low growls were those of beast OIL
prey retiring from { carnival Of blood i
for thers, .astern4 of ms ,slaylt1o schoons
ers,s thels ione. with half of her mssts
visible at an angle Of forty 1--WE degrees.
The other having gone down. bow fore
most, with her stern standing out 81 the
water.- And ahead Of us lay the sloop
ePleugh boy" of WilmiDgton. close
under shore, bottom mp. And passing
Fort Delaware, and landing At New
Castle wharf at IL o'clock Friday night,
tie water was as. still. and the moon
shone nas quietly aponiit, as if there
wereino such things as storms. And,
looking down upon the Petrel,p : We
how such little shell could
weather such gale, while large GRATIS
vent Under with every stitch Of canvass
Furlsd. res od1 eeI BOD III mid A.
tMIDpEEfews, Jply gath, ls7ss trsg