Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1892-06-25

then followed the crowd as fast ss the
storm would let him. When he Joined
them they were gathered on the summit
Of huge cliff, watching the doomed
craft She vas now within sight, and il
was evident that her seamen had lost
almost all control over her She must,
ere long, be flung by the waves upon the
Jagged and frightful rocks toward which
she was driving. In the lulls of the
wind, not only the booming of the min
nte gun, but also the outs OF the i'm,
periled crew could be heard.
What can be done?" said Jones to
an old man, whose face betrayed the
strongest emotion.
Nothing, sir, ain afrait If sh,
had managed to rount Ia rocks, sh.
would have gone to pieces on ia sand
have risket life to save life. But how
are we to reach them from tnis height"
11ON IdI are VIC AOOSC "otcIt
"This rock goe, down like wall,
forty fathoms, sir. ,
''What depth Of water at the footl"
Thirty feet or more"
''Gool. Have you plenty Of light,
strong rope2'
''Mnch as you want, sir; but let me
tell you, sir, yol cant live three minu tes
down there; ia first wave will throw you
on ia rocks, and dash you to pieces.
Plenty of US would put you down, sir,
but you can't swim if you get down.
''Do you know, old man, what 'suri
swimming is? have dived through
the surf at Nu4iuhcva"
"God bless you, sir! | thought no
white man could do that same"
While this conversation was going on,
Jones was .divesting himself of al; super
i1uous clothing, and cutting out the
sleeves of his heavy pea jacket with his
pocket-knife. This done, he passed
some light, strong rope through them
The men watched him with eager in.
terest, and seeing their inquisitive looks,
he said:
"The thick sleeves will prevent the
rope cutting my body, ycu see."
Gay, ay, sir, see now what you are
doing"
"Now, men, have only one requests
Give me plenty of rope as fast as draw
on you. When ] get On board, you know
how to make CRADLE, suppose2"
cay, ay, sir; but how are you going
to reach the water?"
1 am going to plunge down. l have
dived from the main yard OF the Ajax
before this. 1t was as high leap"
He passed a double coil of the rope
round his waist, examned'it thoroughly
to see that there was plenty to start with,
and saying: "Now, friends, stand out oil
I
he raised his bare head toward heaven,
and, taking a short run, leaped, as from
the spring board of plunge bath
Such an anxious crowd as followed
that leap. Great numbers, in spite o.
the dangerous wind, lay fiat on their
breasts and watched him. He struck
! the water at least twenty-five feet beyond
the cliff, and disappeared in its dark
foamy depths.
! When he rose to the surface, he saw
! just before him Il gigantic wave but he
had time to breathe, and before it
reached him he dived below its center
1t broke IN passionate fury upon the
rocks, but Jones rose far beyond it.
mighty cheer from the men on shor
reached him, and he now began in goo,
earnest to put his Pacific experience int
practice
Drawing continually on the men fo
more rope-which they paid out wit
deafening cheers-he met wave afte
wave in the same manner, diving unde
S,hem like an otter, and getting neare
the wreck with every wave, really &C
vancing, however, more below the wate
than above it.
Suddenly the despairing men on boar
heard clear, hopeful voice:
Throw me a buoy"
And in another minute or two Jone
was on the deck, and the cheers on tn
little steamer were echoed by the cheer
of the crowd on the land There wa
not 6 moment TO be lost; she was break
, ing up iast; but it took but few min
utes TO fasten strong cable TO the smal
rope and draw i. on board. and then
second cable, and the comm unicatio
was complete.
There -is lady here, sir, said til