Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-04-18
Life In "A Lighthouse.

There are horrible stories told of former
DAYS. when couple Of men being on duty
on some isolsted 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 well seem
incredible were 1t not amply authenticated.
The watchmen on the Wolf Rock, oppo-
site the Cornish coast, were cut OIL from
all communication with their kind through
the dreariest months of the winter; and ii
was nearly the middle of January when
IT lief reached them at last. Nowadays,
however, the light-warders in similar
circumstances invariably consist OF th' ee
at the least; and both on the light-towers
and in the light ships the men are sur
rounded by all manner of material CON-
forts. They have rooms as snug as the
limited structural arrangements will admit
they have ample rations of excellent food,
nor are the needs of their minds by any
neglected. Still it must be an unnatural
life at the best. and one that is perilously
fitted to nourish sombre fancies. We may
conceive that in the Hen who take most
kindly to the occupation. the imagination
is seldom strongly developed; but never
theless they must be quick and Intelligent.
General 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-
casional changes OF scene and company.
But in many lighthouse the occupants
are held fast by the legs, for exercise be
comes something more than effort when II
IS reduced to practlcIng the treadmill upon
the steps of a corkscrew staircase, or to
taking half dozen steps upon a Shiny
rock at low water. The crews OF the light
ships are somewhat mere fayorably cir
cumstanced In this respect, since they can
do their walking on more or less roomy
deck, and they enjoy besides, greater
variety of company. But the llie in both
cases must be intolerabIy monotOnous; and
to a landsUan there would be little &c
choose between the terroIs of the one and
the other, when the sea Is wrapped 10 i'm
penetrable fogs or is being lashed into
fury by bowling tempests. In a storm,
the lighthouse is in reality the safer resi-
dence of our modern engineers, 1t Is mos
unlikely that another Eddystone will bs
swept away. Yet as the waves rush VI
the sloping sides CT the tower, and tosi
their tons of seethlng green water agans
the lower courses of masonry, seeming t
shake the massive structure from the ngh
room to the foundation, 1t must need nerv'
and long habit TO resist the belief that tn
violence or the elements may bring abou
catastrophe. As for the light ships. be
ing moored in shallower water, thew ma.
be less exposed to the extreme fury OF tn
storms, though there is always a chanc
for their being torn from their anchorage
But, on the other hand, In even moderate
ly bad wecther they must always be emi
nently disagreeable places of abode Tn
peculiar jerking motion, when the naturs
heaving OF the ship Is being perpetuall
checked by the strainlng cables, is said t
be trying to the most seasoned of mariners