Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-08-27

10 the Opening pages of the life of Jear Fran
co.'s MiIlet, Peasant aod Pointer" begun in
Scribner for September. occurs the following
simple aud graphic description, By Millet him
self, Of series OF shipwrecks on the coast of
Normandy. which formed one Of the most
striking memories of his childhood. There are
not many r. c,rds of calami,ics, or series Of ca.
lanities, so cX'rBordinarg:
1t WIS Ali Saints Dcy, in the moraiog We
saw that the sea was very rough, and every one
Said there would be rrcubt; all tho parish was
10 church.; iu The middle OF mass We saw a man
O. me- 10 drppiag VT, az old sailor, we'll known
for his bravery. He ncdistely said that as
he came along shore he Saw several ships, which
driven by fearful wind, wcud certainly ship
wreck 90 the coast We must 60 to their as
sistsnc", said he, louder, and have ccme to
say to all who are wiling. that we have only
just time to put TO sea to try and help them
About fifty men offered them selves, and, with
out sp, aking, followed the Old sailor We got
to the shore by goiog d2wn the cliff. and there
we soon saw terrible sight,-soveral vessels,
one behind tho other, driving at a frIghttul
speed against the rocks
"Our man put their boats TO sea, but they
had hardy made ten ss:ckes when one boat
filled with wafer aud euDk, the second Was over.
turned with the breakers, ard the third tbrowo
up 90 shore. Happily no one was drowncd,
and all reached the shore. 1t was easy to see
that our boats would be no Use TO the poor peo,
pie on tho ships.
meantime the vessels oamn nearer, and
were only few tathums from our black cliff,
witch were covered with cormcrsots. The first,
whose mssts were gone, c.ue like great mass.
Every one on shore saw il Coming; no one
dared speak. l. seemed to me, child. as il
death was PLAYING with handful Of meu, ,whom
IL Intended 10 ocu-h aad drown. An immense
wave lifted itself like au aDgry mountain, and
wrapping the Vessel brought her near and still
higher rne threw her upon o rock lcval with
the water. A feighttul cracking souod-the
next instant ihe vessel Was ti,!ed with water.
The sea was c)vertd with wrorka$e-planks,
N ssts, aud poor drowning creatures. Mauy
swan aud then disappeared. Oar men threw
themselves into the w,t2r, and with tho old
s.il1r ut their hesd. made TIC uaudous ctfJrts
to save them. Several we're prough: baok, but
they were either drowned or brrkao on tho
rocks.
Tho sea threw up several huadrud, and
with them merchandise ard food
"A sec>ud ship approached. Tho 10 SIS wsre
gone. Every Que was On deck, which was full;
we saw them ail 90 hsir kuecs, and nan in
black saemed TO bless them, A w'v. as big as
our cliff carried her toward US We thought
We hard a shock lk3 The f;s., Dut she nsIi
stsnch apd did not move. Tho waves beat
against Der, bu she di! uos bui$c. Sae seemed
Detr6od La Az iostant every one pus to sos. Tor
it Was only two qua shots from shore. A boat
was made fast aloDgsilr; our boat vas filyd in.
santly; one of the boats OF the ship put off,
threw out plauks and boxes, aud ia halt sa hour
every oue was on shore Tho ship had beeu
saved by rare accident; her oowsprlt and fore
part bad got Wedsod 10 between two rocks.
The wave which bad throwu her on the reefs
bad preserved her as il by miracle. Sho Was
Eoglish, aud tho man wac blessed his c)npa1-
ions was bishop. Taey w.re t4kaa to tho
village and soon after to Cherb aurS.
I'VE all vent back agsin 70 the shore. The
third ship WIS thro Su on the breakers, dashed
toto little bits aod 20 Que could be saved, The
bodies OF the unhappy crew Were thrown up on
the saod
"A f,urtb, fifib, and sixth psre lost-ship
and csrgo-un the rocks. The tempest was
terrific. Tue wind was 50 Vioieot that it, was
useless to try to oppose it, 1t carried cf the
roofs aud the thatch. Ii whirIvd 80 tn !. the
birds were killed. the gus, which
are accustomed, one would thick, to
s'orms The night was passed ia defend
ing the hous Soma covered the roots
with heavy stoncs, soma carried ladders and
poles and made than fast 10 the roots The
srecs beut 10 the ground and crsck91 ard split.
The f.lds were c1vcrnd with nraucn.s and
leaves. 1t Was fearful s1ourgc fne x
day All Sous Day, the meo r. urgcd to the
SHORE; IT was ,ver.d wiri dead bodies aod
wreck kAge. Eney .eora t.k.n u2 and paced ip
rows alpag the f1ot Of the cliffs. S,Vbral other
ves Is c ,Ue 10 sigh; evary one wai tnsi on our
coas: | was ,-oi.tI9a ike tha cnl Of the
world. Mt Que c)Gld be saVtd ,,fhe rock
SMASHED III % ike glass, ard thr3a them ia
atoms to the cliff.
Passing hollow place, say great sail
covering what locked like oil, of mcrc1sn
disc lf'ed the corner aud saw heap of dead
| bodies. | Was 80 trlshteued that | 1sa all I'll.
way Eome. where found mother and grand
| m m,ther prasiog for tho drowned meo. The
| third day another vessel came. OF this one
| they fouod possible to save part OF the crew,
| about ten men, whom they got off the rocks
They were all torn apd hrnjsei. They wcre
takeo to Gfuc5y carsd tJr month, aod sent
| to Cheroourg. Bu the pour Wrctchus we're not
rid OF the sea. They embarked on vessel 60
log to Havre; storm took them aid they we're
all lost. As for the dead all lbs horses were
employed tor a WEEK in carrying them to the
cemetery. They were buried 10 uaa1asocratvd
grouod; people said they We're not good Chris
tisns"