Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-10-03

| if only that water could be
reached; but in this lay all the
difficulty. My uncle was a good
as well as q brave man; he loved
me as the son of a dead sister,
and he was willing to dare every
thing to save me; but he did not
undervalue the nature of the
awful risk he was undertaking on
my behalf, and he knew that he
was going to take his own life ip
his hands as we'll as mine.
Breathing prayer, he said qui-
etly but firmly: "Tom, there is
but one way for it. I'll save you
or we will perish together. When
| say the word, take your hand
from the rock--Nowl"
As my uncle loudly said "Now, /"
I relaxed my hold of the rock; /;
and at the same instant my uncle
made an immense effort and
sprang horizontally into the air.
carrying me with him and retain
ing his hold of my hand as we
rushed violently down, turning
over in our headlong descent. l
cannot pretend to say that 1 ever
very distinctly recollected my
sensations during those awful
seconds, for it was nothing more.
1 had my senses pretty clearly
while I hung from the rock, and
1 can recall the gasping feeling
which I experienced as l took my
hand away; but beyond that, all
is chaos. So great was the force
with which my uncle leaped, that
he completely cleared the pro-
jecting ledge, and we fell into
the sea, which was deep enough
to break our fall, though the
violence of the shock unloosed
our grasp of each other.
Half stunned, as We were, the
cold water probably acted as a
restorative. We were both excel
lent swimmers, and a moment or
two later we were breasting the
waves, fortunately not too bois
ferrous for our sorely tried
strength. We rose about twenty
yards apart, at some little dis
tance from the rocky ledge, and
rather nearer a fattish rock which
reared its head from the pillows.
For this shelter we made; and
too deep for utterance were the
feelings in which we took each
others hands and gazed into each
others eyes.
"Thank God my boy" at last
said my uncle fervently.
III do, uncle; and you, too.
Where should have been now
but for your
"Hushl Tom. Thank God
we're both safe. 1t was an ugly
jump, no doubt of that.
We both shuddered as we
gazed on the precipice frowning
above US, on the top OF which we
could see our two so recently
horror-stricken friends, wildly
waving their hats in transport
of joy at their discovery of us on
the rock, apparently safe and
sound.
A hearty cheer in reply as
sured them of our perfect safety;
and then my uncle shouted to
them some directions as to the
course they were to pursue in en-
deavoring to procure assistance
for our rescue. Owing to the
width of ledge broken of where
/ fell, their return by the same
route was impossible, and long
and perilous walk had to be
undertaken before they were
themselves in security, where
they Immediately sought out
means of deliverance for my
uncle and myself
But in the meantime better
luck had befallen us. The noise
made by our shouting had at
tracted the notice of a fisherman
who lived in a little cottage under
the cliffs, at a place where the
shore receded, aud left bare a
tiny creek, where small boat
was moored. He had clambered
over the crag that hid us from his
sight; and as soon as ho spied
the two figures standing on the
solitary rock, our situation be-
came apparent to him, and he
lost no time in launching his
boat and coming to our assistance
Truly thankful we were for the
timely aid. We were both soaked
to the skin and shivering witt
cold, and the rock was far toe
small for any attempt at exercise
A very short time saw US in th'
cozy interior OF the fisherman
cottage, where a bright little fire
was burning, very welcome to US
in our chilled condition; Will,
his kindly wife bu.ied herself il
preparations for our comfort, ant
ransacked her humble stores TO
a supply of dry garments, als'
highly acceptable.
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