The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-03
Life. In u Lighthouse,

There are horrible stories told of former
days. when q couple OF men being on duty
on some Isolated rock, one OF them hap
pened to die IN rough weather; when the
survivor, fearful Of being charged with a
, CRIME, renamed shut up in the closest
proximity to the corpse of his comrade
till the lull of the storm brought relief and
the opportunity Of explanation. Recently
we heard OF a case which might we'll seem
Incredible wore 1t not amply authenticated.
The watchmen on the Wolf Rock, oppo-
! site the Cornish coast, were cut off from
all communication with their kind through
the dreariest months Of the winter; anu it
WINS nearly the middle of january when
rtltef reached them at last. Nowadays,
however, the light-warders in similar
circumstances invariably consist of thl CT
at the least; and both on the lght-towers
and in tho light ships the men arc sur
rounded by all manner of material COM
forts. They have rooms as snug as the
limited structural arrangements will admit
they have ample rations OF excellent food,
nor are the needD of their minds by any
neglected. Still it must be an unnatural
Lie at the best. and one that Is perllously
lifted to nourish sombre fancies. We may
conceive that In the lneu who take most
kindly to the occupation, the Imagination
is seldom strongly developed; but never
thcless they must be quick and intelligent
Geacral speaking, some moderate amount
OF exercise Is believed to be indispensable
to preserving the balance of the bodily and
mental powers; rnd in the dullest routine
OF ordinary drudgery there are usually oc-
caslonal changes OF scene and company.
But in many a lighthouse the occupants
arc held fast by the legs, for exercise be
comes something more than effort when it
ls reduced to practlcing the treadmill upon
tho steps OF cOrkscrcw staircase, or TO
taking half a dtzen steps upon q Shiny
rock at low water. The crews Of the light
ships are somewhat more favorably Cir
cumstanced Ill this respect, since they can
10 their walking on more Or less roomy
deck, and they enjoy, besides, a greater
variety OF company. But the lie In both
cases must be intolerabIy monotonous; and
to landsman there would be little to
choose between the terrols of the one and
the other, when the sea ls wrapped in i'm
penetrable fogs or is being lashed into
fury by bowling tempests. In a storm,
the lighthouse is in reality The safer resi-
dencc of our modern engineers, 1t is most
unlikely that another EddYstonc will be
swept away. Yet as the waves rush up
the sloplng sides Of tho tower, and loss
their tons of scethlng g,een water against
the lower courses of masonry, seeming to
shake the massive structure from. the light
room to the foundation, 1t must need nerve
and long habit to resist tue belief that the
violence Of the elements may bring about
a catastrophe. AS for tn , light ships. be-
ing moorcd in shallower water, thew Inay
be less exposed to the extreme fury oe !he
s6elr fbeise t6ir tt6hir9 is Gagee age
But on the other hand, IN even moderate
ly bad wecther they must always be emf
nently dlsagreeable places of abode. The
peculiar jerking motion, when the natural
heavlng OF the ship Is being pcrpctually
checked by the strainlng cables, is SAID to
be trying TO the most seasoned OF mariners.