Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-09-24
Sllipwrecks on the Coast of Nor
mandy.

In Tie opening pages of the life OF
Jean francois Millet, Peasant and
Painter" begun in Scrijaer for Sep
TENDER. occurs the following simple
and graphic description, by Millet
himself, Of series of shipwrecks on the
coast of Normandy, which formed one
of the most striking memories of his
childhood. There are not many records
OF calamities, or series Of calaInitles, SO
extraordinary:
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 a man
come in dripping wet, an old sailor,
we'll known for his bravery. He i'm
mediately said that as he came along
shore he saw several ships which,
driven by fearful wind, would GER
tainly shipwreck on the coast. We
must 60 to their assistance said he,
louder, and have come to say to all
wh0 are willing, that We have only Just
time to put to sea to try and help them
About fifty men offered themselves,
and, without speaking, followed the old
sailor. We got to the shore by going
down the cliff, and there we soon saw
terrible sight-several vessels, one
behind the other, driving at a 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 sunk,
the second was overturned with the
breakers, and the third thrown up on
shore. Happily no one was drowned,
and all reached the shore. 1t was easy
to see that our boats would be no use
to the poor people on the ships.
Meantime the vessels came nearer,
and were only 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 speak. 1t seemed to me, a
child, as if death was playing with a
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 still higher one threw her
upon 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
creatures. Many swan and then dis
appeared. 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.
1.-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 man in black
seemed to bless them. A wave as big
as our cliff carried her toward us. We
thought we heard shock like the first,
but she held stanch and did not move.
The waves beat against her, but she did
not bulge. She seemed petritied. In
an instant every one put to sea, for it
was only two gun shots from shore. 4
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 bowsprit and
forepart had got wedged in between two
rocks. The wave which had thrown
her on the reefs had preserved her rs
if by miracle. She was English, ana
the man who blessed his companions
was bishop. They were taken to the
village and soon after to Cherbourg.
1--WE all went back again to the
shore. The third ship was thrown on
the breakers, dashed into little bits,
and no one could be saved. The bodies
OF the unhappy crew were thrown up
on the sand.
ga fourth, fifth, and sixth were lost
ship and cargo-on the rocks. The
tempest was terrific. The wind was so
violent that it was useless to try to op-
pose it. 1t carried OF the roofs and the
thatch. 1t whirled so the birds were
killed-even the gulls, which are &C.
customed, 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. 1t
was fearful scourge. The next day,
All Souls Day, tie men returned to
the shore; it was covered with dead
bodies and wreckage. They were taken
up and placed in rows along the foot
of the cliffs. Several other vessels
came in sight; every one was lost on
our coast. 1t was a desolation like the
end of the world. Not one could be
saved. The rocks smashed them like
glass, and threw them in atoms to the
cliffs.
Passing hollow place, saw a
great sail covering what looked like a
pile of merchandise. lifted the cor
ner and saw heap of dead bodies. l
was SO frightened that ran all the way
home, where l found mother and
grandmother praying for the drowned
men. The third day another vessel
came. Of this one they found possible
to save part OF the crew, about ten men
who:a they got Off the rocks. They
were all torn and bruised. They were
taken to Gruehy, cared for month,
and sent to Cherbourg. But the poor
wretches were not rid of the sea. They
embarked on q vessel going to Havre;