Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-08-20


ng on with the sun yet up. Captain
Thornbill gave orders for taking on the
.ail, and ere long the brig lay under
ose-reefed topsails and fore staysall'
At sundown the wind came in from
The southwark and westward A; and bv
time night had fairly settled down 1t
blew a gale. The Captain tried awhile
10 keep 10 the wind under the three
sails he had left on, but the wind was
too strong. 1t blew a perfect hurricane
and the sea began to rise and break over
the deck; and ere long it became evl
dent that one OF the topsails must be
taken of.
1t was a bad place in which to be
caught thus. Thornbill knew he must
bs near the mouth of the Sound Of Null,
and il he lay to. the gale would tend to
drive him up into it. He was not ac-
uuainted with the place, and though be
had good charts, yet he did not feel saic'
Higher and higher grew the furious
wind, until the very sea seemed dancing
over the frail bark. The masts groaned
and cracked, the rigging grated aud
strained, and every crack and seam
gaped beneath the fearful strain. The
wind howled and roared, and the mad
sea surged and boiled, until the whole
scene appeared but the result OF a iu'
risus war of the frantic elements.
At midnight Captain Thornbill began
to be frightened. The wind was not
only unabated, but the rain had begun
to drive down, and the night was as
black az one solid mass Of ink.
'Wooler.' he said, as he drew bis
oiled jacket up over his face to protect
1t from the driving rain, can you no.
hear the roar Of breakers''
I have thought heard them fol
some time,' returned the lieutenant
holding firmly by the lifeline to prevent
being washed away by the breaking
seas.
And vet we cannot do anything,
the captain resumed, being obliged to
cry out with all his strength to make
his voice sound above the roar OF the
elements. To yeer an atom would be
sure destruction. But We cannot live
50 much longer. Every rope and stick
are strained now TO their utmost. Oh,
if We had room to run of before it,
But we haven't was the lieuten-
ants response.
Yet the brig lived through the night,
and when the morning. dawned, the wind
seemed to increase rather than dimin-
ish. Itwss near the autumnal equinox
and there was every prospect that the
storm would be a long one. The ram
still fell IN torrents, and the heavens
were black and the air dark. Thornbil
had no idea of his whereabouts, or how
far the brig had been driven during tho
night he could net tell yet he supposed
that he must be somewhere near th'
chop, Of the Sound of tho Null.
It was few minutes past ak wber
the captain wa, startled by lsud or.
forward, and on working his way thith
or he found that the foremast wa
sprung lust above the piks-rack. HI
had hardly discovered the danger, when
another shout irsm the poop called him
AFT; and hurrying back again, sigh
met his gaze that made his heart leaI
with horror.
Directly under the lee-quarter: ant
not ovef a quarter Of mile distant, wa
a bold, rocky coast, over which the 'e'
wa, dashing fearfully: And all alonl
too. to the north ward, the same horri
scene extended.
Good Cody cried Wosler, at thi
moment pointing over the weather bow
there are more rocks there! See ! see
w. ora ,urraundedp y
The men were called, but not one c
them knew the shores.
Bring up Donald Kenmors' erie
Wooler.
Hal We WILL answered the car
tain. And the smuggler WAS sent fol
The old man came on dsck-he ha
been carried below when the storr
reached It's fury-but he could not te
where the brig was.
But he added, my child has bee
,ilot in these waters for over four years
and there's not rock nor q shoai
the Sound O. Null she dent know
sHa, Donald Kenmore, do you spsa
truly uowf'
! Until within month she has bee
with her brother, and has almost live
amsng the rocks and shoals Of tn
Sound
Flora Kenmore was sent for At onc'
She came up, and taking her static
near the wheel. where she could hoI
on upon one of the life.lines for supper
she gazed carefully around. 1t WI
truly a terrific scene. On all han'
now, save on the weather quarter allen
the huge breakers were piled up ar
stretched along. Not a muscle OF tt
maiden quivered, nor did her chez
blanch I; but boldly she stood there, al
her gaze wa, calm and assured.
Lady spote-the captain, who
frightened look Was IN strange contra
with the expression that rested up'
Flora Ksnmore's fair features, do y
, know where We are'
/, Il do sir-sxactly!' was the sure
-lply.
i 'Ha! and can the brig bs saved?
!, 'Ay. sir. 10 less thsn two hours u
Iii ann ha r,,o info n harhor where IL