The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-05-02
81 think so, lieutenant; but we
promised to dine at Gwvnne hal,

to the military duties assigned him,
and then about noon walked sea-
ward. 1t was hard work by this
time to keep his footing on the mar
row quay ; bat amid the, binding
spray and mist he saw quite a
crowd of men going rapidly toward
the great shelving, scarlet rocks, a
mile beyond the town. He stopped
an old sailor aud asked:
ais anything wrongr
"a little steamer, sir, off the
Calf Man; she is drifting this way;
and, indeed, / fear she will be to
| rocks afOre tonight"
Jones stood still a moment, and
then followed the crowd as fast as
the storm would let him. When
he joined them they were gathered
Oh the summit of a huge rock
watching the doomed craft. She
must, ere long, be flung by the
waves upon the jagged and fright
ful rocks toward which she was
drifting. In the lull of the wind,
not only the booming of the minute
gun, but also the shouts of the i'm
periled crew could be heard.
"What can be dOnes" said Jones
to an old man, whose face betrayed
the strongest emotion.
Nothing, sir, l am afraut. If
the'd managed ta round ia rocks
she would have gone to pieces on
ia sand, and there are plenty of
men who would have risket life to
save life. But how are we to reach
them from this heightr
"HOw far are we above water 7"
"ThlS rock goes down like a wall
forty tathoms, sir"
"What depth at the foot ~
"Thirty feet or more"
"Good. Have you plenty Of
light, strong rope"
"Much as you want; but let me
tell you, sir, you can't live three
minutes down there. Ia first wave
will dash you on ia rocks, and dash |
you to pieces. Plenty of us would |
put you down, sir; but you can't |
swim if you do go down."
"DO you know, old man, what
surf swimming isl | have lived
through the surf at Nukuheva."
"GOd bless you, sir. | thought
no white man could do that same"
While this conversation was 60
ing Oh Jones was divesting him
self of all superfluous clothing,
and cutting out the sleeves of his
heavy pea, jacket with his pocket
knlve. This done, he passed some
light, strol G rope through them.
The men watched him with eager
and seeing their iuquisi-
tive looks, he said:
"The thick sleeves will prevent
he rope cutting my body, you see."
Gay, ay, sir; l see now what
iou are doing"
"Now, men, l have only one re-
luest. Give me plenty of rope as
asst as draw on you. When | get
,n board you know how to make a
;radle, | suppose 7"
Gay, ay, sir; but how are you
,Oing to reach the water 7"
81 am going to plunge down. |
lave diyed from the main yard of
he Ajax before this. 1t was a ,
nigh leap"
He passed a double coil of the a.,
'ope round his waist, examined it
to see that there was :
,lenty to start with, and saying:
Now friends, stand out of the |
way and lot me have clear start" !
le raised his bare head one moment ,
oward heaven, and taking a short
un, leaped as from the spring
'oard OF a plunge bath.
Such an anxious crowd as fol-
owed that leap! Great numbers, \
a spite of the dangerous wind, .
~ Hat on their breasts and watch. 4
d him. He struck the water at
east 25 feet from the cliff ana dis 7
ppeared in its dark, gloomy
epths. r
When he rose to the surface he @
aw Just before him a gigantic n
ave, but he had time to breathe, a
nd before it reached him he dived j
Glow its centre. 1t broke in pas K
onate fury upon the rocks, but h
ones rose far beyond it. A mighty
neer from the men on the shore =,
cached him, and now he began in :"
God earnest to put his Pacific ex- y
erience into practice. ~
Drawing continuously on the :,
EN- for more rope-which they \
ayed out with deafening cheers ~
3 met wave after wave in the same =
amer, diving under them like an -
ter, and getting nearer to the NJ
reck with every wave, really adj ., ~
,ncing more below the water than VI
)ove it.
Suddenly the despairing men on d
,ard heard clear, hopeful voice: 81
" Help at hand, captain !! Throw =
e a buoy" ~ ~
And in another minute or two tl
,pes was on deck. and the cheers 10
the little steamer were echoed -
: the cheers of the crowd on land. vi
here was not a minute to be lost ca
10 was breaking up fast; but it
ok but a few minutes to fasten a O.
rong cable to the small rope and sa
'aw it on board, and then second m
bile aud the communication was fo
'mplete. ., al
f" There is a lady here, sir said OF