Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-16

yholc-souled letter OF thanks.
The first DAY of the next December found
me in Norfoll; on my way to CurTituch, and
l reached Joe's hut orc evening, jast as the
sun sunk in glory OF amber and Pinl, that
made the sound look like vast sheet Of dor
nlant fame.
Joe was away, but The door was open, and
| having slowed my traps and some boxes i
had brought for him, | threw q lot Of drift
wood on the srnoulIering e1nbers, and soon
/ had q glowing fire, lighting the rudely fur
nishod room, il whose corners the gathering
/ twilight had made deep shadows.
| Joe came in shortly after the fire had got
well under way and gave me q cordial greet
| ing, and a very favorable report as to the
prospects for a good two weeks sport We
were out early the next morning, and for
five days had excellent weather and fine
| shooting, but the morning Of the sixth day
| brought q change. The sky was covered
with q thin gray vapor, and the sun shone in
this Ike q great red bal. Gradually the gray
ness grew deeper, and the vapor thickened to
vast masses OF cloud.
Then the sun changed its hue TO dull yell
low, and slowly faded out from sight, and as
It disappeared the low moaning in the air
grew wonderfully intense
"Therli be 2 hard blow" Joe had said in
the early morning, and after eating our break
fast we stroiled over toward the seaward
beach
Joe's hat was sheltered by collection of
sand dunes, among which its low roof rose like
a sharper point. 1t stood midway between
toe ocean and the sound, and a short walk
was all that was needed to reach either.
When we came TO the beach the waves were
rolling up its changing sands with regular
monotony that seemed utterly devoid of
fierceress, but soon q wild, sobbing murrnur
sounded across the wide eastern expansc,
ard they grew more restless, and began to
toss little foam-crowned crests against each
other. The day during its first part was q
changing dreariness. The somber hue of the
sky, and tho storm sounds in the air, deep
ened, and the great waves darkened, as the
gloom above them assumed density that
soon was sadly oppressive. Occasional puf7s
rGfiled the water, and these quickly grew
heavier and more frequent
Then Joe, who had clambered to the top
Of a sand dune, cried: There she comes"
and fastening to his side, saw what seemed
q huge wall Of white foam rushing shore
ward
Then some sharply driven rain drops struck
hard on our faces, and, with a roar, the first
great gust Of the gale surged past Us, and the
fOan-crOwasd waves rolled laundering Ill,
the beach.
We found shelter IL low she'd made of
wreck drift, and there watched the sea. 1t
was a grand and a wild sight, that tumult Of
water with the wind surging over it, and
there was a fascination in it that must be
Salt to be known. As we stood watching this
tempest painted picture q man came swiftly
down the beach, the wind driving him before
il. He made for our shelter, and, as soon IS
he could regain the speech that the gale had
deprived him Of, said:
There's a schooner trying to draw of |
shore above us, but / don't think she can |
weather the point yondeT"
Joe sprang toward the beach
I'VE must have the boat ready" he said.
There were several rlen in the shed, and |
one asked:
DO you know the vesseim
yes it IS Mark Wards schooner. I know |
her by The yellow square on her quarter"
[ noticed that the men turned their gIanccs
toward Joe, and that his face grew peculiarly |
hard and white; bat it was only for a mo-
ment and then it assumed the old look, only |
q strength and firmlness came to the eyes that |
made them burn with a strange brilliancy.
He seemed moro erect, too, as he grasped q
line that hung against the wall of the shed,
and there was a tone OF command in his
voice, as he said:
Come boys, We have no time to lose" and
went cut, and down the beach, battling with
the wind that almost took him off his feet.
We followed, and soon reached q low build
ing, in which the men who were Joes conf
Danions, and lie, kept q small but serviceable
ifebcat. Itwas whore short point jutted
)ut just inside Of a large headland, and
formed a shallow, partially protected bay.
The wind was from the northeast, and as this
Doint reached out toward the southwark, it
lad 4 marrow belt Of comparatively smooth
water bordering its leeward face The boat
vas fun close to this, and the men, lying
Town under the lee of the sand dunes.
watched the vessel to the rorthward, as she
made desperate fight for an ofIing.
'She can't reach out beyond the point"
aid one, for she can't carry sail enough"
The schooner was under short canvas,
having close reefs in all her sails; and still the
Wind seemed to bury her il spray. as it drove
ler down toward the sand. To spread more
all was impossible, as that already set
vas strained TO its utmost capacity, and a
anger surface would bring upon it more
power than it could bear.
No, sir, she can't reach out beyond the
,oint,' said the eldest man of the group. "and
shoals fearfully there. don't think there
S much chance for either vessel or crew"
Again the men turned toward Joe with the
TRANCE look I had before noticed, but he
made no sign.
All this time the schooner had been draw
ne nearer, driven on by the cruel gale. and
igrals for help were now flung out. showing
hat ler crew had given up all hope Of reach
ny The open water beyond the point.
joe, seeing this, removed his waterproof
nit and stepped into the boat \ coil of
mall line lay in the stern, lis end run through
fair-leader. This end he passed to the men
n shore, and then sat down and grasped
u oar. As he did so lis companions seized
he boat and gave her shove clear into tie
water, three of them sQringing in with Joe
hen, with strong, steady strokes. they bent
. their work ana the boat shot forward lust
5 a loud, despairiny hail came sounding in
II the wind.
We looked seaward and saw that the
choocer had grounded and was lying broad
ide 10 The waves, which were rolling On
Gard of her In huge masses. Their force
vas terrific aad they soon drove her stern I
round, each blow making heT rlasts treilble
&c reeds. This new position Yves an easier
ne Tor tie vessel, but tie men said that she
7oUld not last long, as the seas were growing
III the wind SIN kept rising. We saw her
len cliEsins to the rigging, but cur main
interest was cente-e1 in the boat, which was
making slow progress ont toward her 1t
'as q hard battle and a desperate enc, for
he waves came rolling in, heavy and foam
rovned, and the wind zoared along. tossing