St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-05-26
The Rescue.

snow and Sleet falllng 1Or tne most OF
that time. Forward, the vessel was
thickly coated with ice, and it was
hard work to handle her, as the rig
ging and sails were stiff and yielded
only when the strength Of the men
was exerted To the utmost. When at
length we made the port, all hands
worn down and exhausted, we could
not have held ont two days longer
without relief.
"A bitter cold night, Mr.. Larkin,"
said | to my mate, as | tarried for
moment on deck.
The worthy down-easter buttoned
his coat more tightly around him,
looked up ut the moon and felt of his
red nose before he replied. "lt's IA
whistle, captain, as we used to say on
the Kennebec. Nothing lives COM
Portable ont of blankets OH such
night as this"
''The tide is running out swift and
strong; it will be well to keep Il sharp
lookout for the floating ice, Mr.. Lar
kin"
GAY, ay, SIR" replied the mate, and
| went below.
Two hours afterward | was aroused
from IA sound sleep by the vigilant of
tceT.
Excuse me for disturbing you, cap
TAIN said he, as lie detected an eX
preston of veXatiOn on my face, 'but
| wish you would turn out and come
on deck as quickly as possible"
"Why, what's the matter, Mr.. Lar
kin ?"
"Why, sir, have been watching
cake of ice that swept by at little
distance moment ago; | saw some
thing black upon it something that
thought mOVed-the moons under IL
cloud and | could not see distinctly,
but really believe there's child
floating out to sea, i'll this freezing
night, on that cake of ice"
We were on deck before either
spoke another word. The mate point
ed out with no little difficulty, the
cake of ice, floating off to leeward,
and its white, glittering surface was
broken by black spOt-mOre | could
not make ont.
"Get me the glass, Mr.. Larkin; the
moon will be out of that cloud in II
moment, and then we can see distinct
ly."
| kept my eye upon the receding
|
ly working her way through heavy
bank of clouds. The mate stood by
with a glass. When the full light fell
at last upon the water with a bill
liancy Only known i'll our northern lat
itudes, | put the glass to my cyclone
glance was enough.
Forward there J" | shouted at the
top of my voice and with one bound
reached the main hatch, and began to
clear away the little cutter which was
slowed away i'll the ships yawl.
Mr.. Larkin had received the glass
from my hand, to take look himself.
"My Cod" he said in n whisper, as
he set to work to aid me in getting out
the boat-"my God, there are two chill
dren on that cake of ice ~
The men answered my hail, and
walked lazily aft. In an incredibly
short space of time we launched the
cutter, into which Mr.. Larkin and my
self jumped, followed by the two men
who took the oars. | rugged the tiller
and the mate sat beside me i'll the
stern sheets.
"DO you see that cake of ice witt
something black upon it, lads 7"
cried "put me alongside of that, and
I'll give you a months extra wage,
when you are paid off"
The men bent to their oars, but theil
strokes were uneven and feeble. They
were used up by the hard duty of tn,
preceding fortnight, and though they
did their best, the boat made httl,
more way than the tide. This was
/ long chase, and Mr.. Larkin, who wai
suffering as he saw how little we gain
ed, cried out "Pull, lads I'll double
, the captains prize; two months pay
] pull, lads, for the love of God, pull !!
A cOnvulsive effort ut the oars tOl'
how willing the men were to obey, bu
q, the strength of the strong men wa
f gone. One of the poor fellows WASHED
us twice in recovering his oar, an'
2 then gave out; the other was nearl,
, as far gone. Mr.. Larkin sprang for
? ward and seized the oar.
"Lie down in the bottom of tn
boat" said lie to the man; ''and, cap
tain, take the other oar; we must ROY
for ourselves"
= took the second mans place Lar
n kin had stripped to his Guernsey shirt
and as he pulled the bow, waited fO
the signal stroke. 1t came gently, bu
Y firmly and the next moment we wer
+. pulling Il long, steady stroke, gradual
ly increasing in rapidity until tn
|, wood seemed to smoke i'll the Oal
J. locks. We kept time, each by til
=, long, deep breathing of the othel
J Such pull We bent forward unit
V our faces almost touched our knees
: and then, throwing all our strength i
to the backward movement, drew o
the oar until every inch of the spaC
e covered by the sweep had been gain
! ed. At every stroke the boat sh,
VI ahead like an arrow discharged from
= bow. Thus we worked at the oars f,
~ fifteen minutes it seemed to me 4;
- many hours. The sweat rolled off II
II in great drops, and | was enveloped
l. steam generated from my own bod
care we almost up to it, Mr.. La
kin ?" gasped ont.
almost, captain, don't give VI
for the love of our dear little ones
home don't give up, captain ~
The oars flashed as the blades turl
ed up to the moonlight. The III,
who piled them were fathers and h;
fathers hearts; the strength whi'
On nerved them at that moment was mo
in than human.
es. Suddenly Mr.. Larkin stopped pul
Ds a. ing, and my heart for IA moment ceas'
,os its beating; for the terrible thong
% or that he had given out crossed n
mind. But | was quickly reassur
by his voice. Gently, captain, gent
,"d ,sd "a stroke or two mOre-there, til
will do" and the next moment t
;. boats side came in contact with som
an thing, and Larkin sprang from t
OF boat with his heavy feet upon the il
Oi started up and, calling upon the IN
s. to make fast the boat to the ice, f
for Ion1