The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-01-06


with desperate efforts, they clambered IN
thesteep rocks, forcing their way painfully
through the dense brushwood, where there
was no path. At length, almost exhaust
ed, they got to the summit. ItWas pitchy
dark and they had no notion Of the
proper direction, but hearing dog bark
they followed the sound, and at length
reached fisherman's cottage on the out
skirts Ut Pouch Cove village and awoke
the inmates. It was now 80 o'clock.
They told their sad tale and described as
we'll as they could the place where their
companions were clinging to the rocks.
Soon more than half the village was astir /;
ropes and other appliances were got
ready and rescue party mustered to save
if possible the shipwrecked men. The
Rev. Il. M. johnson, minister of the
Church of England in Pouch Cove, &C.
companied the party, bringing with him
hurricane lantern" which he fortu.
nately possessed and which was invalu-
able in such circumstances, and also
some cordials to revive the sufferers. The
task that lay before the rescuers was
difficult and perilous one.
They had 70 force their way through a
painless wood in pitchy darkness, and
they could not conjecture where the sui.
ferers were to be found. With wonder
full instinct, however, they managed to
reach the top OF the cliff at the bottom of
which the shipwrecked men were desper-
ately cllnglng to the rock. Their cries
for help family reached the ears of their
deliverers out of the dark and awful
abyss, 600 feet in depth. Help! Help!
or Gods sake, rope! we can't hold on
fmuch longer" What was to be done ?
The sufferers were not visible, the exact
spot where they were could not be made
out in darkness. The wall of rock was
an almost perpendicular height of 600
feet. There was but one way of saving
them. Some one must go down into the
dark chasm at the peril of his life, swing
ing at the end OF rope over the edge of
the precipice, and thus try to reach the
perlshing men, get rope round each in
turn by which he may be dragged up the
fearful height.
1t was desperate expedient, but it was
the only one, as the wretched men must
soon perish by cold and exhaustion or be
swept back into the sea. The rcscuers
look for few moments into one another's
faces. Who will go? A stout hearted
fisherman-a true hero--Alfred Moores
by name-volunteers tor the perilous un-
dertaking. Fastening stout rope round
him he is launched into the black abyss.
Three times, however, he had to be drawn
up again, being unable to get near the
sufferers; but on descending the fourth
time he finds slight assure in the face
OF the cliff, down which he is lowered till
he comes within thirty feet of the rock to
which the men are clinging. He has
light hand-rope, which, after several in
etfectual casts, is at length caught by one
OF the men. BY means of it stronger
rope is passed down; one of the men fast
ems it round his body and the word is
given to haul up. Several men, supported
and guided by the stout rope, at the end
OF which Moores is swinging, have now
crept down the face of the cliff and sta
toned themselves at intervals so as to
transmit orders and aid in passing up the
rescued men. 1t is moment of awful sus-
pense when the first of the rescued men is
swung Oft the rock and dragged upward.
AT length he reaches the top; little
brandy is poured into his lips, and his
first words are: That was an awful long
haul, but, thank God, am saved" One
by one eight are thus drawn up, and
without accident reach the summit safely.
But the ninth is not yet rescued. He is a
AASAS J ouSAAS osAA, "Alhout oHOCS VI Hat,
drenched and shivering, he is clinging to
shelving rock at a short distance from
his companions in distress. Doubts are
entertained as to whether it is possible to
save him. But the gallant Moores makes
another cast with his rope, and the youth
has just enough strength left to pass it
round his body and swing himself clear
of the overhanging cliff: He is drawn up
more dead than alive, but the brave rescu-
ers have now the happiness of knowing
that by their courage and skill all are
saved. The men had been on the rock ten
hours and half, and what long, agoniz-
ing hours they must have been to them,
expecting each wave to hurl them into the
deep!
There is bar at the entrance of Hor-
raud's Gulch which prevented the bodies
of the drowned being carried out to sea,
and one by one they have been recovered,
with single exception.-St. Johns IN.
FL Cor. N. 7. World.