Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1880-08-25

| There's neither rocke tor llle-boat within
several miles, and no boat could come out
the teeth of this sea-
At that moment red light blazed up
from the cliff overhead. and the whole
scene started into view at once. The
great wall OF black rock, with the sea-
birds tapping and shrieking around it;
the narrow strip of beach below. crowded
with anxious watchers; the quaint little
fishing village, with its rude huts built OF
driftwood and broken stones the stranded
ship and her crew, every face and every
rope standing out distinct in the light OF
the beacon; and all around the tossing
waves, which, reddened Ivy that unearthly
glare, seemed to cast up q spray of fire
against the gloomy sky. 1t was plain that
the vessel must break up before very long
The captain looked keenly toward the
shore for a moment, and then turned to
his men. "My lads" cried be, "there's
no chance for us yet. They can't get
boat out to us, but we may get line to
them, for the tides setting strongly in
shore. Twenty pounds to the man who
will swim ashore with rope!"
The offer sounded like bitter mockery,
for to face that sea appeared nothing less
than certain death. The words were hard
| ly spoken, however, when a man stepped
| forward and touched his wet foreock to
the captain, who started as he recognized
HIM. And well ne might; for this man
was the "black sheep" Of the whole crew,
and had been brought up for punishment
mot for the first time) few days before.
what, you, ThOmpson?'
aye, it's me, yer honor!" answered the
man with grim smile az he knotted the
rope around his waist. eyer h8nor told,
only t'other day, as was disgrace to the
ship, so mayhap the old craft ii be well
rid Of me"
For a moment the captains iron face
worked as no one had ever seen it yet;
and then, without word, he hello out his
hand. The other grasped it for an instant
in grip like q smiths vice, and then,
watching his opportunity, plunged into
the roaring sea. Then came long and
terrible pause Every man On boardf held
hls breath, while straining his eyes into
the boiling whirl of foam below. Once, a
few Of the keenest-sighted among them
thought they caught slght of the sailors
black head in the midst of the white,
seething breakers; but the next moment
mountain wave rolled in and covered all.
Had the daring swimmer succeeded, or
bad he perished in the attempts No one
could say.
There are very few things more difficult,
or requiring more skill and judgment,
than to carry a rope ashore in stormy
sea. To landsman it may seem merely
a question OF breasting the waves between
one point and another, but such is by no
means the case. To avoid a wave,. or to
take advantage Of it; to know when to
escape by diving, when to rise on the crest
of billow when it breaks; to husband
ones strength at one moment and put it
forth to the utmost at another-all this
must De thought of, III the very crisis of
the peril, it the task is to be achieved at
all.
Suddenly cheer comes pealing from
the shore, 80 loud and hearty as to be
heard above all the roar OF the storm, and
it is repeated again and again, till every
Granny Of the great cliff seems alive with
echoes
"He must ha' done it, sir, says the
boatswain to the first officer, "ior | feel
the rope comm taut in my hands"
Sure enough, in another moment the