The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-05-08

coastguard man.
WHY. We see, sir, we have sent t
Bilford tor Manby's rockets, but slit
must break up before they come
How far is it to Bilford?
Better than seven mile, your honor.
If we could get Il rope to them, W.
might save the crew.
Every one Of them, your honor; bu
it amt possible
i think man might swim out
The first wave would dash HIM tc
pieces against the cliff
What depth of water below"
The cliff goes down like a wall, forty
fathom, ut least
The deeper the better. What dis
tance to the water"
Good fifty feet
! We'll. | have divcd off the main yard
of the Chesapeake. Now listen to me,
Have you got some light, strong rope?
AS much us you like
We'll, take q double coil round my
chest, and do you take care to pay it out
fast enough as | draw upon it,
"You won't draw much after the first
plunge; it will be the same thing as
suicide, every bit
We'll, we shall see. There's no time
to lose; lend me a knife.
And in IN instant he whipped off his
hat, boots and pea-jacket; then with the
knife he cut off its sleeves and passed
the rope through them, that it might
chafe him less.
The eyes of the old boatman bright
ened. There was evidently 4 method in
his madness. You are 4 very good
swimmer, l suppose, sir?'
L have dived through the surf at
Nukuheva few times
.Inever knew awhile man that could
do that
Tyrawley smiled. But whatever you
do he said, mind and let me have plen-
ty of rope. Now out of the way, my
friends, and let me have 4 clean start
He walked slowly to the edge of the
cliff, looked over to see how much the
rock shelved outward; then returned,
looked to see that there was plenty OF
rope for him to carry out, then took 4
short run, and lcaped rs if from the
spring board of q plunging-bath. He
touched the water full tive-apd-twenty
feet from the edge Of the cliff. Down
into its dark depth he went, like n plum
met. but soon to rise again. AS nc
reached the surface he saw the crest OF
mighty wave 4 few yards in front OF
him-the wave that he has been told
was to dash him lifeless against the
cliff. But now his old experience of the
Pacific stands him in good stead. For
two moments he draws breath, then, ere
it reaches him he dives below its center.
The water dashes against the cliffs, but
the swimmer rises far beyond it. a
f.int cheer rises from the shore rs they
feel him draw upon the rope. The
waves follow in succession. and he dives
again and again, rising like IN otter to
take breath. making very steadily on
ward, though more below the water than
above it.
We must now turn to the ship. The
waves have made clean breach over
her bows. The crew are crowded
upon the stern. They hold on to the
bulwarks and await the end. for no boat
can live in such 4 sen. Suddenly she is
hailed from the water. "Ship, ahoyn
shouts loud, clear voice, which makes
itself heard above the storm. Throw
me rope or a buoy" The ife-buoy
was still hanging in its accustomed
place by the mainmast. The captain
almost mechanically takes it down, and
with wcll-dlrected aim throws it within
yard or two of the swimmer. In a
moment it is under his arms, and in half
q minute he is on board.
Come on board, sir?" he says to the
captain, pulling one of his wet curls pro-
feSsionally. The captain appeared TO be
regarding him rs Il visitor from the
lower world; so, turning to the crew, he
lifted up the rope he had brought from
the shore. Then for the first time the
object of his mission flashed upon their
minds, and 4 desperate cheer broke forth
from all hands, instantly re-echocd from
the shore. Then strong cable is at
tached to the small rope and drawn on
board: then q second. and the communi-
cation is complete. But no time is to be
lost, for the stern shows signs of break
ing up, and there is 4 lady passenger.
While the captain is planning 4 sort of
chair in which she might be moved,
Tyrawley lifts her upon his left arm,
steadies himself with the right by the
upper rope, and walks along the lower
as if he had been dancer. He is the
first on shore, for no sailor would leave
till the lady was safe. But they soon
follow, and in five minutes the ship is
clear; five minutes more and no trace of
her is left.
Ravelstoke Hall has been arous d by
the news of the wreck, and Mr.. Ravel-
stoke has just arrived with blankets.
Him Tyrawley avoids; and, thinking he
can be of no further use, he betakcs linn
self across the country once more, and
by the aid of the friendly elm regains his
chamber without observation.
The ladSwhom Tyrawley had dcpos-
| tied in cottage, with Il strong recon-
mendation that she should 60 to sleep
! Immediately, was soon carried off in
triumph by Mr.. Ravelstoke to the Hall,
and welcomed by Lady Grace at half
past three in the morning. There were
very few of the guests who slept undis-
turbed that night. The unusual noise
in the house aroused everybody, and
many excursions were made in untin-
! ished costume to cndcavor to ascertain
what was going on.
Breakfast that morning was 4 desul.
tory meal. People finished and talked
about the wreck, and began again. II
seemed quite impossible to obtain any
thing like an accurate account of what
had taken place. At last the captain ap.
peared, and although almost over.
whelmed by the multiplicity of ques.
| tions, nevertheless, between the inter.
walls Of broiled ham and coffee, he man,
aged to elucidate matters little.
Then came the question: Who is il
who swan to the vessel" Tyrawley
had only been ut Ravelstoke few days
and was stranger in the neighborhood
None Of the servants had reached tht
coast till it was all over, so there ha(
been no one to recognize him.
I scarcely saw him. said the captain
but he was dark, tallish man, with {
great deal of beard.
Was he u gentlcman?' asked Mis-