The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-12-22
Two Brave Farmer Boys.

There was a picturesque scene recently
on the dun above Hovious' Beach, near
oah FRANCISCO, where lies the hull of the
wrecked Alice Buck. The white sand of
Ine narrow strip of bluff, and the whittier
broad line of surf, were dotted With
strands and drifting pieces of the wrecl
On the accessible portions of the beach
gangs OF men were collecting the drift
wood aud keeping lookout for the hod.
les Of the missing sailors. On The hlnar
were scattered about men. women and
children from the neighboripg ranpes.
idly watching the men at work bejow
and earnestly talking over every incident
OF the wreck. The shattered hull Law
Just beyond the breakers, only a few pro.
lecting pieces above the water denoting
its location. The incident most talked
about was the saving of the lives of three
OF the wrecked crew by two young men.
Siias Hovious sd Frank Hale. each
aged nineteen years. sons of neighboring
ranchers. The story of their adventures
is one of simple heroism, that should
gain TOR the young men some suitable
recognition. 1t seems that twv of the
sailors managed 10 reach the shore nnas.
sisted, and fOurd their way to the house
cf Hovious. When they had been told
the story of the wreck, and were being
warmed and fed by Mrs. Hovious the
boy Silas and his father ran TO the edge
of the bluff, where Mrs. Hoyious and
others soon followed. Some time before
any human form was distinguished in the
surf pitiful cries for assistance were heard,
Silas, at lest, by standing on the edge of
the bluff and looking down its .hundred
feet of almost straight siI~,, discovered q
man clingipg 10 aplank and being tossed
about in the breakers. He told of his
discovery but none Of the men dared TO
attempt the descent Of the cliff to the
forlorn hope of rescuing the man. Silas.
alter waiting moment, said: "Mother
l cant bear to hear that mans cries.''
and before he could be stopped, threw
of his coat and swung himself over the
edge of the bluff He was instantly Joined
ny Hale. Standing on tn beach. Mrs.
Hoylous told the rest of d story.
How those boys got l.wn there I
don't know" she said. "you can see
ior yourself that goat c. didn't climb
there. But somehow or other they
reached that narrow ledge of rock you
see aoWn there, over which the raves
break; Frank Hale picked up piece of
rope thrown upon the rock by a wave,
anu the boys together threw one end off
out to the sailor. He made grab for it.
and the back current carried him on, NJ
reach. The next wave brought him In
almost to their feet, but ho missed the
rope again. was afraid that be would
clutch at the boys ankles and drag one
OF them out with him. begged e .ha
men standing about to 20 down there
and help the boys. One man standing
near Inc was himself sailor, but none Of
them dared make the attempt. I saw
the man in the water being carried to-
wards the boys again, but once moro he
missed the rope. l became nearly fran
tic then. What with fear for the bows
and desire to see the poor man saved 1
scarcely knew what to do OF course.
wanted my boy to do all he could, and
seeing him standing down there with his
companion, calling to the man to keen
up courage, hadn't the heart to say
word against it. Onco more the waves
brought the man in looking more dead
than alive. This time the boys took
hold of the middle of the rope, and each
threw out an end. The sailor caught the
rope this time. but the hnya hadn'L
strength to pull him out of the water,
and hi hadn't strength to drag himself
up to the ledge whaye they were standing.
But the boys, somehow. crep along the
slippery, steep rocks until they reached
that spot down there where the beach be.
gins Then they dragged him cut of the
water, and he was taken up to our house
We thought for a long time he would die,
but warm fireplace and hard rubbing
with rum brought him around at last.
The boys brought two more men up to
the house pretty soon after that" It was
evident that Mrs. Hovious and young
lady with her, sister of Mrs. Frank
Hale, were very proud of their "boys"
achievement, but that their excusable
pride had not allowed them to overdraw
the danger Of the adventure was evident.
The situation, as the Call reporter saw it
as he listened to the story, was evidence
enough of the difficulty aud danger the
young men had faced. Silas and Frank,
being interviewed by thereporter, proved
to be as modest as they are brave. When
asked, "How did you manage to climb
down the face of that bluff and along
that lsdge?" they answered. ooh we just
kinder clumb along somehow, We didn't
think much Of how we were doing it: we
only thought of that sailor in the water"