Ellsworth American., 1891-07-30


is some careless critters. like you that has
to have woman hove right at EN-. before
they'd bother to pick her up
How furously the huge seas drove in
upon the narrow slip between the sharp
black lodges. How fercely the stinging
spray assailed those brave, weather season
| ed faces.
Now, boys" cried Jimmie, adjusting
+, himself upon the thwart. and firmly grasp
I ing the oars lashed into the rowlocks, I'm
! all ready, Let her go,"
/ Steadying the boat in their tense clutch,
! the Captain and Jack stood for moment
! motonless as statues. peering into the
+; yeasting sea. Eagerly. anXiously they
; watched the boiling slip. waiting for
/ chance to launch. Full well they knew an
! error in Judgment, a false stroke. an inch
4 To right or left meant destruction 10 the
! boat and death to their blother. death, too
> to the sufferers upon the wreck Once
they started made ready to shove off the
| boat. bnt running wave rushed in upon
/ them, seizing the boat as If eager for its
/ prey, submergiDg the sturdy men waist
| deep. almost lifting them of their feet.
| SO they held fast, and watched. 4 suite
| OF SIX tremendous seas had just dashed
. upon the lodges. When the seventh had
! crashed upon the slip and rcceded taking
| advantage of the momentary calm which
| followed they accomplished their task
Summoning all their energy, they gave a
mighty shove, and down. down the creased
railway into the creaming. kissing brine,
shot the quivering dorv, light as a duck.
"Hurrah, boys" shouted Jimmie look
ing back triumphantly. I'm off, Ill
| bring those folks in, or won't come back
| myself"
/ And 50 he was off He almost touched
| the wicked lcdges on the starboard side,
| and had barely time 20 get clear of the
slip when another suite of seas rolled in
| filling the deep, narrow space with their
| tnmult. BY dint Of lu>ty pulling and skill
| ful mauduvring the intrepid ltghtkecper
| succeeded In reaching the wreck. which
was hard sfast on the outermost point or
! reef at the eastern end Of the island
4 The vessel was a large three mas'td
4 schooner, lamb,r-laien The seas maic
/ can breach over her stern She lay listed
| to the starboard. with her bows high out
/ OF water She -hiytred and gruancd at
4 every stroke of the seas, and was already
1 beginning to break up. She won't hold
together Till sunrise, thought Jim. Lash
/ ed into the fore-ligeiug were four men
| aud a women.
/ Great God :" exclaimed the gallant fcl-
/ 10" ~ n "A'Sheu ihc HuttcTlhE drap,rle>
ana heafh the cries OF anguish. TN" HhtS
wee tiSh'' 'here Is woman aboard ,sutcs
l III a'ht
"a'ChihR ms 'uahces he shot thf cory
aronhd nhheF the ice OF ihe vessels coun-
ter, and sprang up over the rail. drawing
the painter after him. Like cat he ran
up the rigging. and in less time than i
required tu tell II, had cut the la>hjngs uf
the sufferers benumbed aud we'll nigh hrIp.
ie>-' ne men We're ahle to help them
/ selves but The woman, nearly deaf with
lfIGht ana coId, was apparently liirlc>>.
Just As lie had parted her lashngS, heavy
sea struck the vessel when the poor WON
an pitched heavily forward, and would
nave .aien To the deck or into the sea had
she not been caught IN his brawny arms.
Bli our brave sailor was equal 10 the
emergency, aud bore his life!ess burden
safely 10 the deck.
he vessel had gone on at high water,
out the tide had receded somewhat and
the decks were not now constantly swept.
The captain, alter several iruiticss at
tempts, managed 10 get below and save
ms chronometcr and papers.
What vessel IS this: inquired Jimmie.
when at length they all stood huddlcd to-
sether near the forcmast.
he stormy Ittr.i, of Bath, replied
the skipper, with lumber for Salem. An
my name i Rogers, Ihad Rogers there's
nNe OF u ali told. now, my darler here.
the steward, and the t"o hands before the
mast. hui were one man short The
mate was al the wheel when We struck. an
down ne Went to DaVy Jones' locker,
"hrfe ne longs But We won't mourn
hlih' provld'h were lucky ehodgh - Eet
ashore ourselves lie don't count lie
wa u man, he was devil He was one
OF them bloody Bangor pirates, Bill VA
Ioon by name Drunk or sober. and which
last wa oiten. he was nothn' hrt pi-
rate he shouted, trembling, his teeth chat
terlng with anger aud cold and excite
tnent. And lis through his cussed ugli-
ness that he lost his life and the vessel, an
come near KILN US besides,-as he would
have done II it hadn't ben for YOU. We
warned him that he want on the right
course, but II want no use he wouldn't
take word from nobody. He knowed it
all lie s~ore he knowed every rock be-
tween Seguin and Highland Light.
guess he'll remember this one a spell poor
devil! When we hit, overheard he went,
wheel an all swearin' like pirate. on a
wave that knocked US on our beam ends.
But who are you, neghhor, an where be
we:" asked the skipper.
''Oh, this is Bumhlebee Ledge Light.
and I'm Jimmie Burke. first assistant
keeper replied Jimmie modestly. But
come its time We wa, off unless we want