Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1888-05-24
IMPRISONED RY THE TIDE.
The PerIlous Experience of Party 9
Daring English Boys.

Daring EnE11gh Boys
From the Newcastle Chronicle.f
Eleven boys, ranging in age frona II to IA
years, had most extraordinary adventure
on the beach at Seaham Harbor Saturday.
At the south side of the town there is rock
projecting from the mainland known as Nose
Point, on the top of which is built the Vane
and Seaham blast furnaces. Underneath is
q large cavern, locally known as the "Smug
glers' Cave" which, at high tide, is flied by
the sea. Among the boys referred to the
exploration of this cave and the unearthing
of treasure of some buocanesr Of the past had
long been an object to be accomplished and
determination was at last come to to car
ry out the project at the first fitting oppor-
tunity.
Saturday was fixed upon for the day of
searck, and they started of, headed by
trusty leader, and provided with candles,
lanterns, torches, PICK and shovel. En-
tering the cavern at low water, they com
menced work, and soon were SO intent upon
the object of their labors that they never
needed the turn of the tide, and it was only
when they found escape from the cave by
the way they had entered impossible that
they realized their position. The water
drove them further and further back into
the cave, until at length they found it inn
possible to recede further To avoid the rise
of the water, several Of the boys climbed as
high up the walls of the cave as possible.
Others had no alternative but to stand
| pressed up against the end of the cavern and
allow the water to gradually creep in upon
them.
Higher and higher rose the water, and
deeper and deeper the lads became immersed,
until some of them were covered up to the
shoulders. They all managed, however, to
4 x1as 4
condition, produced by shouting for help
| and NUN bness from being compelled to stand
| in the water. Now and then broken wave
would wash in among them, rendering their
| position still more perlous. Moreover, the
| cave was nearly dark, all the lads lights
| having been put out except one, which had
escaped the wash of the waves and continued
| to give forth its feeble illumination. One of
| the boys at last, from sheer want of strength,
was washed from his holding; but soon anoth-
l er lad standing near gropsd in the dark, and,
with nothing but the cries of his comrade to
| guide him. succeeded in restoring him to his
feet.
! In the meantime the lads had been missed
from their homes, and their continued alb
| sencs caused inquiries to be made. This
| resulted in their whereabouts beeomine
known. A rumor then got abroad that all
the boys had been drowned, and soon faith
ers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and q large
| body of other men, women and children
rushed off in eager haste to the top of the
cliff. There was no way Of reaching them
from the shore, nor was there any possibility
of going down the preeipitous face of the
cliff with ropes. Nothing could therefore
be done by the hundreds of people who mad
collected but to wait until the fall of the
tide would admit of access to the cave from
the shore. Meanwhile the imprisoned boys
passed terrible time; but just when they
thought the worst had come the water stopped
rising. Slowly the water left the cave, and in
q short time they felt themselves in compare
tive safety, although in darkness. 4t was,
however, 1919 o'clock at night before they
| were rescued.