The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-07-02
The Lady Blanche Life-Boat.

He was drunk as usual on his watch, though
there was big gale blowing out at sea, with
gathering signs OF storm overhead; and 1t
might be that the lfe.boat would have some
work to do before morning.
But what did Peter Pencorrow care about
the lite-boat except for the salary of 81 a
week which he drew as its custodian No
body in the village of Folloot had looked with
kindly eye on the arrival of this foolish boat
as they called (which was to take the char
vestlng" out Of their mouths. For the popu-
lation were wreckers to a man and woman,
and they termed 1t harvesting" when some
well.irelghted ship was driven on to the great
Needle Rock off their coast and went to
pieces.
Such accidents happen too rarely for their
taste--once a year or Whereabouts, and the
booty was often miseraby small. But there
had been years within the memory OF some of
the inhabitants, who were not yet old, when a
dozen vessels of all sizes had foundered IN q
single winter, and when the luck of the wreck
ers had been large. 1t was IN winter of this
kind that old Peter Pencorrow had made his
fortune. He was young then, and it was said
that he had picked up package of diamonds
from the Brazil as his share of the spoils.
Anyhow, he disappeared from Polloot and
went to live in London, like gentleman, as
some supposed; though others affirmed that
he ran through his money pretty fast, and
vert through multitude of queer adventures
afterwards.
Twenty five years after his departure he re.
turned to the village with a boy of sixteen and
a girl one year younger and soon afterwards
he was appointed custodian of the life boat
Lady Blanche, which had been presented to
Polloot by the rich and good Cornish Earl,
and christened after his favorlte daughter.
Peter PencOrrOw was not llkeo at POlloOt
1t was said that he had "blown the GAIT" He
was accused OF having, while steward on board
an ocean steamer, told a number of ugly
stories to the Earl and Lady Blanche, who
were returning home from tour in America;
lnsomuch that my lord and his daughter had
made vow to dedicate lieboat at once to
the salvation of human life.
There was some talk of blasting the Needle
Rock, and erecting lighthouse on that dan.
gerous part Of the coast. Engineers had come
to take soundings and their operations had
been watched with sullen wrath. Harold Ire
corpe, the biggest, most scowling fisherman
in the village-a fellow whose face looked
murder, and whose mouth never opened with.
out curse-had sworn that if he hanged for
it Pencorrow should never live to see life
saved by his boat, nor vessel warned of dan
ger by the beacon of a lighthouse.
Before long, however, Pcncorrow ceased to
be SO much hated. lie was worthless scamp,
always drunk, and his chosen companion
came to be Harold rrecorpe who had several
times threatened his lite. Drunken men are
not dangerous, save to themselves, at least
such Is the popular idea and Harold used to
laugh an odd hooking laugh when anybody
talked of what the Lady Blanche would do
hnrr slya.fl and oil hnr
ly and complete apparatus tor salvage the first
time that vessel stood in peril of touching
on that dangerous Needle
Three years passed, aud the life boat did
nothing. They happened to be exceptionally
disastrous, from the Pollooter's point of view,
for though wrecks enough took place on other
parts of the coast, no craft of any consequence
toundered on the Needle. by this time Har
old Trecorpe was captain of the life boats
crew. He and seven other men received GIG
a year apiece from the Earl to go out prac,ic
ing sometimes with the boat, and to hold them.
selves in readiness at any time when their ser
vices might be wanted. If they saved lives,
they were to have each "A bounty of II on
every human head rescued. Nay, they were
to have fifteen shilllngs, too, for every dead
human body they brought to shore. Thus had
the Earl and his daughter tried to enlist the
tiltSt uitll vi tut sue vi humanity,
hoping, maybe, that some higher agencies
would work, too, for the retaining of a popu.
latlon as barbarous and dcbascd AS any In
these isles.
Peter Pencorrow lived in pretty house
which his patron had built for him near the
large white shed where the life boat was kept.
There was pharmacy in the place, with two
rooms holding three beds Cach which were 10
be reserved for half;drowned men and women
who might be drawn out of the sea; and there
were great number Of useful appliances for
restoring lives that might be just ilickerng
out. Sometimes the Earl and Lady Blanche
would drive TO the village TO see if everything
was in good order; but since their carriage
could be seen five miles off as IL wound down
the steep road on therock side, leading 10 Poi.
loot, Peter and and his daughter Meg ALWAYS
had about an hours notice 10 set things tidy.
Peter now lived alone with his daughter Mar.
garet. His son had left him III disgust 10 en-.
list ard Meg only remained with him because
there was nothing else for her TO do. She had
been cursed at and cudgeled by him all ,hro'
her childhood; she had been his drudge. his