The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-03-05
Moments of TcrrOr.

Moments of Torror.
Captain, you have led a busy life
have seen much service both at sea and
on shore. We want to call on your ex-
tween us.'
cat your service, gentlemen"
"You are doubtless acquainted with
the Orkney Islands, where the wild
fowls breed In the cliffs Of the rocks,
The fishermen fasten stick at the
ond Of long rope, which is we'll Sc
cured to the brow of the cliffs, and
tllen placing one of their number as
Cride the stick, he Is lowered down tho
precipice in search Of the game. You
have most likely heard the account of
the man who In striking at the birds
with an jron-plated boat staff, as they
ilew from their holes, cut two of the
strands of tho rope that suspended him
between heaven and EARTH"
'BelOw him was certain deaIh-above
HIM terrific wall of rock that seemed
to reach the sky. He gave the signal
for hauling up by striking the rope
twice with his staff. Never did his
comrades pull the line SO lazlly. Slow
ly,slowly dragged the rope over the edge
Of the cliff, while the several strands
seemed to fly upward with the rapid
ity ofthoHght. Every instant he dread
cd that weak place in the remaining
portion would be UNFINISHED, and 50
certain appeared his doom that he felt
that every foot he advanced up the face
of the preciplce would but increase
tho height Of his fall. A sudden pause
In the motion struck him with new
fear-when the untwisting part of the
rope came into the hands Of the fisher
men above, they ut once pei ceivod his
danger and instantly lowered another
HEe. Tho fowler was rescued fl ON his
peril, but such was the effect of his
terror during the few minutes of his
irlghtful ascension, that his dark
brown hair was changed to gray"
'Bad enough" said the captain, ,"but
not quite the worst In the world. ]
don't know whether the chance which
young ncvvy of mine run foul Of
during the first voyage, In the Bay Of
Biscay wasn't just as bad. We were in
stumpy tub Of q 'mailcrdtc Brig
trying to claw off u Ice shore, with a
rolling sen and plenty of wind in short
sudden putfs. The boy-about sixteen
slim-built and palc-was an out-and,
out lubbcr, fond Of reading and skulk-
Ing his duty whenever he could his
mother, my OH ly sister, widow by
the way, had mado mo promise to take
care Of him, but we were short handed,
and he was forced to work his turn.
some or tho hands had gone aIOft to
shake out rccfin the forctopsail--thc
rigging was covered with icc-it was a
January mornlng-wcll, the boy Slip
ped, or was thrown, or blown from the
yard-his foot caugnt in blight IN
some OF the running rigging, and he
hung by the heels, head downward,
from the end OF tho yard, dipping into
the sea at each plunge Of the old craft,
ana holsted up again, high and dry,
every time she came to the wind.
expected every roll to SEQ him jerkcd
from his foothold, and 10 boat that we
hhi Coulu HuSC llFCu II minute IN lDuI
sea. | did not dare to lull, for fear Of
being taken aback. When | thought
Of his mother | had Il great mind to
save him, even If bcachcd the old tub;
but the point wanted to weather was
close ahead, and the roar of the surf
did not sound altogether tho thing.
We did save him at last. guess his
feelings were quite rs queer as that of
your friend, the fowler. lie had but
one pull up, while my ncvvy had bet
ter than Il hundrcd-with a cold bath
In frosty sea, between each pull-no-
thing butan accidental half hitch round
his ankle, and head downward all the
Whllc.'
"lIorrible, indeed. What did you say
to the poor fellow when he was re-
licycd ?"
''Told him he deserved Il starting for
being so clumsy when he knew was
northumberland him swallow some
hot coffee and turn in. lie never went
aloit again, and at the end of the yoy-
age cut the sea and took to curpcnler-
ing. That's some years ago, and his
hair ain't turned gray yet"