Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-11
LOST IN 4 STORM.
THE DANGERS WHICH BEsET THOSE WHO co
DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS.
Jean Francois Millet, In Scribuers Monthly.

THE DANGERS WHICH BESET THOSE " no GO
DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS.
Jean Francois MiIlei in Scribuers Monthly.
1t was All Saints day; in the morn
ing we saw that the sea was very
rough, and every one said there would
be trouble; all the parish was in
church in the middle of mass we
saw man come in dripping wet, an
old sailor, we'll known for his bravery.
He Immediately said that as he came
along shore he saw several ships, which,
driven by fearful wind, would GER
tainly shipwreck on the coast. 1--WE
must 90 to their assistance" " said he,
louder, land | have come to say to all
who are willing, that we have only
just time to put to sea to try to help
them" About fifty men offered them
selves, and, without speaking, followed
the old sailor. We got to the shore by
going down the cliff, and there we
soon saw a terrible sight-several YES
sells, one behind the other, driving at
frightful speed against the rocks.
Our men put their boats to sea, but
they had hardly made ten strokes
when one boat filled with water and
sank, the second was overturned with
the breakers and the third thrown up
on shore. Happily no one was drown
ed and all reached the shore. 1t was
easy to see that our boats would be no
use to the poor people upon the ships.
Meantime the vessels came nearer and
were only a few fathoms from our
black cliffs, which were covered With
cormorants. The first, whose masts
were gone, came like great mass.
Every one on shore saw it coming no
one dared to speak. 1t seemed to me-
a child, as if death was playing with
handful of men, whom it intended to
crush and drown. An immense wave
lifted itself like an angry mountain,
and, wrapping the vessel, brought her
near, and n still higher one thew her
upon a rock level with the water. A
frightful cracking sound-the next in
slant the vessel was filled with water.
The sea was covered with wreckage-
planks, masts and poor drowning crea.
lures. Many swan and then disap.
peared. Our men threw themselves
into the water, and, with the old sailor
at their head, made tremendous efforts
to save them. Several were brought
back, but they were either drowned or
broken on the rocks. The sea threw
up several hundred, and with them
merchandise and food. A second ship
approached. The masts were gone.
Every one was on deck, which was
full we saw them all on their knees,
and a man in black seemed to bless
them. A wave as big as our cliff ear
ried her toward us. We thought we
heard shock like the first, but she
held staunch and did not move. The
waves beat against her, but she did
not bulge. She seemed petrifed. In
an instant every one put to sea, for it
was only two gunshots from shore. A
boat was made fast alongside; our
boat was filled instantly one of the
boats of the ship put off, threw out
planks and boxes, and in half an hour
every one was on shore. The ship had
been saved by rare accident her
bowspirit and fore part had got wedged
in between two rocks. The wave
which had thrown her on the reefs
had preserved her as if by miracle.
She was English, and the man who
blessed his companions was n bishop.
They were taken to the village and
soon after to Cherbourg. We all went
back again to the shore. The third
ship was thrown on the breakers, dash
ed into little bits, and no one could be
saved. The bodies of the unhappy
crew were thrown up on the sand. A
fourth, fifth and sixth were lost, ship
and cargo, on the rocks. The tempest
was terrific. The wind was so violent
that 1t was useless to try to oppose il.
IL carried off the roofs and the thatch
1t whirled so that the birds we're kill.
ed-even the gulls, which are accus-
toned, one would think, to storms.
The night was passed in defending the
houses. Some covered the roofs with
heavy stones, some carried ladders and
poles and made them fast to the roofs.
The trees bent TO the ground and
cracked and split The fields were
covered with branches and leaves. It
was fearful scourge. The next day.
All Souls Day, the men returned 10
the shore. 1t was covered with dead
bodies and wreckage They were taken
up and placed in rows along the foot
| Of the cliffs. Several other vessels