The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-25
CHAPTER XII.
THE SURVIVORS OF THE WRECK.

| halfway up the erags. and eude1fored witt
straining eyes. to penetrate the darkness
seaward; 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 was my uncle, who addressed
Inc eagerly the moment appeared
Did you say the lights, lad? Sure as death,
| there be ship on the rocks out tharI'
"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 a mile from shore.
| Are you sure she's there?'' I asked, eag-
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 go 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 thith-
| 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
OF faI IE1fff0 taa
hidden vessel. Was all over? Had the cruel
seas deyoured her, with the helpless souls on
board? 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, l saw something like q white wall
of yapor rising out of sea in the direction OF
the South Stack and right in its center the
black outline of large vessel, wedged firm
ly on the Jagged rocks. For a moment she
was visible, then the vapors blotted her once
u.
was again visible, this time more distinctly.
so that l could clearly discern black funnel
and two masts mainmast intact fore
mast broken off just above the decks. She
was large serew-steamer, with her back
broken right across, and only saved from
sinking by the very rocks which had destroy
ed her.
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 a lee-shore in the
face of such gale.
She was SO far away, and the mists were
still so troublesome, that it was difficult &c
tell If there were any souls still left ON board.
More than once l fancied that discerned
shapes like human forms clinging to or lash
ed to the rigging of the mainmast, but it was
impossible to distinguish them with any GER
tainty.
However, my mind was now made up.
The lite-boat must be launched and manned
without delay I turned to the men and said
as much, but they shrank back in uneonceal-
ed terror at the mere proposition. And, in.
deed, it seemed 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 it seemed impossible that even q
life-beat could live among them. Even if she
lived. how could the strength of men propel
her right in the teeth of the tempest?
While the men stood hesitating, the mists
rose all round the ship; and we saw, to our
amazement, that stir was taking place up
on her decks. Yes; there could be no doubt
of the fact; boat was preparing to leave
her sides, and freighted with human beings,
push away for the shore.
Never shall l forget that sight! Just in
the lee of the crippled vessel, under the cloud
OF white smoke which rose for a moment
high above her remaining mast, there was a
heaving patch where the boat could float in
safety; but beyond it, and nearer to us the
waves rose again in awful crested billows
whirling and swirling toward the shore.
Seen from our point of vantage, the boat
seemed mere coekle-sheli; but we saw the
tiny specks crowding into it, while the brok-
en- water streamed like milk over the vessels
decks and down her shoreward sides.
.'God help themr' cried aloud, and more
/ than one voice echoed my prayer.
The boat pushed off. The under-swell
caught her and rushed her along at light
ming speed, and in few moments she reach
ed the broken water. There the wind seem
| ed to smite her sidelong, and she was buried
| instantaneously in the trough of the sea.
| But she reappeared. half smothered in surf
and flying foam. Then we saw, rapidly ap-
| preaching her, mountainous and awful
wave.
The little boat. as if 1t were living thing.
1 tn cf,1f faa nd To Sfr vuf to
| cape. Sick with horror, covered my eyes; /;
| 1 could not look. Then heard deep groan
| from the men around me, and looked again.
| The boat had gone, never to reappear.
| The mighty wave had broken and was roar
/ ing shoreward, and amid its foam | saw, Oh
| seemed to see. shapes that struggled, sunk,
| and died.
Man the life-boatr' cried "Quick. lads
| Follow mer'
+, My uncle gripped me by the arm.
'sToo late, lad. There's ne'er sawl
aboard!''
Look yonderl" answered. pointing sea.
| ward. There are living men on the deck
still. and In the rigging. Gomez
/ The lads, who were English born and had
| their hearts in the right places, responded
with cheer. and down the path we rushed
/ till we reached the shore. Entering the boat,
house, we soon had the boat baled and ready
for launching, when / first realized, to M
dismay, that we were short-handed, several
! of my best men being away. But two strong
lads from the mine volunteered. and my un-
Gle made third; and SO we formed a crew.
To every man gave cork life-belt, and
| tied one on myseif. Then, springing TO my
place in the stern. l urged on my men, a.
| with shouts and yelis, scarcely heard amid
~ f<sff.
creek.
| Each man knew his place. They urged
the boat, bow forward, into the surge, and
waded with il, those the furfhest from shore
wadIng breastdeep in the waves Thrice w
were beaten back, and thought the boat
would have been crushed to pieces on thu
beach, but at last she fioated-tlse men leap
ed in and took their places-the oars sr1ot<
the boiling surge and out we crept to sea-
Once fairly afioaf, we realized for the frs
time the strength and fury of the storm.
Clouds Of flying foam covered US, the strong
seas caught the oars and almost tore them
| from the grasp. and for time We scarcely
seemed to gain foot Of way. But the lad
put out their strength, and sheer muscle and
bold heroic viii ccnquering at LAST, the life
boat left the shore.
| And now alone, standing in the stern
Sheets with the steering car in my hand
could see what mountainous seas we had 4
pass before we could reach the doomed ves
SCI which was now scarcely discern:bls
through the sheet 81 Iow-dying spray A
some great wave eame near, curling higi
above rs Icheered on the men. and Ne me-
II with shock like thunder and ! rnftlo d
! every plank of which he boet Wn1 mnde
00ro t1an once the sens made ocloGn 1Euod1
oye<u4 but tho aIr-tfxht compoxtmen11 on<