San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-06-26
CHAPTER XII.

Quitting the storn-swept shore, | climbed
halfway up the crags, and endeavOred, with
straining eyes, to penetrate the darkness
seward; but although it was broad day, the
clouds of wind-blOwn vapOr still covered the
troubled sea.
Greatly agitated, made my way up the
cliff, and reached the summit, where found
that an excited group, composed of fisher
men and miners, had already gathered.
Among them wasmy uncle, who addressed
me eagerly the moment appeared.
Did you say the lights, lad? Sure as death,
there be ship on the rocks out thar
"On the South Stack" said an old fisher
man, naming an ugly reef which lay right
across the mouth of the bay, three quarters
of mile from shore.
Are you sure she's thereG' l asked, Gag
erly.
"Sure enough" was the reply. when
the last light went oop, l saw 'un-least-
ways, summat black amang the mist and
foam" ..-.-
There was nothing for it but to watch; for
TO 20 to the rescue in the teeth of such a
storm was out of the question, even If we
had been able to launch the life-boat through
the pillows madly breaking on the shore
The wind still blew with extraordinary fury,
though signs were not wanting that its
strength was partially broken; and still, with
thunderous roar the waves came rolling in,
sending up cloud of white foam that reach
ed to the very summit of the cliff where we
were crouching; and still, trailing as it were
on the waves and belching hither and thitl-
er, like thick smoke from furnace, the mist
came driving shoreward, blotting the sea
from sight.
From time to time the gun sounded again;
then it ceased altogether; and no more rock
cts rose, to indicate the whereabouts of the
hidden vessel. Was all over? Had the cruel
seas deyoured her, with the helpless souls on
boardp Sick with suspense, we waited and
watched; almost certain that the last appeal
had been made, and that all was over.
Suddenly, the storm-smoke blew upward
here and there, leaving visible wild patches
of tossing water. simultaneously, the wind
lessened, coming not in solid phalanx, but in
gusts, fitful though terrible-very cannon
blasts of air.
A wild cry rose, and all hands were sud-
denly pointed seaward.
Then, straining my eyes through the blind
ing rain, saw something like white wall
of yapor rising out of sea in the direction of
the South Stack, and right in its center the
black outline of a large vessel, wedged firm
ly on the jagged rocks. For a moment she
was visible, then the vapOrs blOtted her once
more from sight. A minute afterward, she
was again visible, this time more distinctly,
so that could clearly discern black funnel
and two masts, a mainmast intact fore
mast broken of just above the decks. She
was large screw-steamer, with her back
broken right across, and only saved from
sinking by the very rocks which had destroy
ed her. ..HH l..t
How she had got into that fatal position, il
was difficult to tell. Possibly her propeller
had snapped, as is not uncommon with such
vessels, or the water had swamped her en-
gines and put them out; in either OF which
cases, seeing how little sail she would be
able to carry at the best it had been vain
task to attempt to beat off lee-shore In the
face of such gale.
She was so far away, and the msts were
still so troublesome, that 1t was difficult to
tell If there were any souls still left on board.
More than once fancied that L discerned
shapes like human forms clinging TO or lash
ed to the rigging Of the mainmast, but il was
impossible 10 distinguish them with any GER
tainty.
However, my mind was now made up.
The life-boat must be launched and manned
without delay. i turned TO the men and said
as much, but they shrank back in unconceal-
ed terror at the mere proposition. And, in
deed, 1t seemed a hopeless affair! Although
the wind had certainly fallen little, its fall
ing seemed to augment, rather than to lessen,
the fury Of the sea. The waters between us
and the vessel were terrible even to look up
on; and II seemed impossible that even a
life-beat could live among them. Even II she
lived, how could the strength Of men propel
her right in the teeth Of the tempest?
While the men stood hesitatlng. the mists