The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1875-01-28

The NOBLE FIsHER-BoY.-The 9th of
October, 1857, will long be remembered
among the Labrador fishermen. On that
day an awful hurricane ragged along that
coast. One of the fishing vessels, with a
large number of men, women, and chill
dren on board, was caught in the storm,
and tried hard to ride out the hurricane.
After few hours of fearful suspense,
she dragged her anchors, and was driven
on shore. With great difficulty, all on
board We're safely landed. Drenched
with rain, blinded by the snowdrifts,
shivering in the cutting blasts, they
found themselves on an uninhabited
part of the coast, the nearest huts being
five miles distant.
The gloomy night closed in as the last
of them were dragged ashore from the
wreck. Their only hope lay in endeav-
oring to reach the distant huts, and in
the darkness and storm, they staggered
on. Who can picture the horrors of
that night of suffering to this forlorn
band.
When the morning sun shown out,
nineteen of them lay dead along the
shore. A group of three women and
two children, clasped in each others arms,
and half buried in mud, was found all
stiff and stark in the ice embrace of
death. During the darkness and con-
fusion OF landing, a family of four young
children were separated from their par
ents, who sought for them in vain, and
at length gave them up for lost.
A boy of fourteen, hearing the cries of
these poor little ones, and finding they
had no guide or protection, resolved to
do what he could to save their lives.
To reach the huts with them being i'm
possible, he made the shivering children
lie down, locked in each others arms /;
then he sat to work resolutely collecting
moss, of which, fortunately, there was
large quantity about, and piled thic
about them in layers, he at length sus-
ceeded in excluding partially the pierc-
ing cold. Fortunately, too, he found on
the beach the fragment of an old sail,
which he covered over them; and col
lecting more moss, he increased the rude
covering until the poor little sufferers
ceased to cry with the bitter cold, and
declared themselves more comfortable.
Through all the weary hours of that
night the heroic boy stood alone by these
children, replacing their covering when
the wind scattered it, and cheering them
with words of hope. He might have
tried to escape with the others, but he
would not leave his helpless charge.
AT length day dawned; and then he
turned his tottering steps toward the set
tlement to seek aid. When about half
way he met the parents of the lost chill
dren, wild with grief, coming to search
for the dead bodies, as they had no ex.
pectation of finding them alive. The
young hero quietly told them what he
had done to save them; and by his di.
rections they soon found the spot where
they lay. On removing the covering
they found the little creatures snug and
warm, and in refreshing slumber.
What words could picture the wild
joy of the father and mother at that
sight? But, alasl on their way back
near the spot where they had parted
with him, they found the noble boy, who
had saved their children's lives at the ex.
pense of his own, lying dead. Nature
was exhausted, after the fatigue and ex.
posure of the night; and, unable to
reacn the friendly shelter, he sank down
and died.