The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-03-24
Hold Fast Tom


The Dutch garrison at jamestown, OIL
the island of ST. Helena, in the year 1873
were awaiting the opening Of siege
from feet of British ships under Cap
tain Richard Munden. The, Dutch had
given their whole attention 10 the attack
in front, feeling sure tina. this was the
only point from which they could be as
sailed. And they reasoned well; for
everything else the coast was, merely one
great precipice of several hundred feet,
rising so sheer out of the sea that 1t seem
ed as II nothing without wings could pos
sibly scale it.
Rut they might perhaps have been less
confident had they seen what was going
on just then at the opposite side of the
island.
When the English ships first advanced
to the attack, the hindmost of them, while
sill hidden from the Dutch by the huge
black pyramid of Sugar-loaf Point, had
, lowered several large boats filled with
armed men, which instantly shot AWAY
round the great rocky bluff of 1.-The Barn"
as fast as eight oars apiece could carry
them
Away they went past headland after
headland, while every eye was fixed upon
the rocky shore, as il seeking something
which was not easily to be found.
At length, just when they rounded the
bold craggy promontory of King and
Queen point, a dull boom reached rheir
ears, followed instantly by the thunder of
sustained csnnonade. AT that familiar
sound the sailors clenched their teeth
savagely, as they looked up at the tremen-
dous precipices that seemed to shut them
out from all hope of taking part in the
battle.
Can't we get up anywhere?" growled
the captain of the frgate, who was in the
foremost boat. "We're disgraced for
ever if they do the job without us
with your honor's leave" broke in a
stalwart young topman, touching his
thick brown forelock. II think l could
get up that rock yonder, and fasten rope
for the rest to climb by"
"What. up there?" cried the captain
glancDg doubtfully from the young
sailors bright, fearless face to the tremen-
dous height above.
well, my lad, If you can do it, I'll
give you fifty guineasl'
"It's for the honor of the flag, not for
the money, sill ~ answered the seaman,
springing from the boat to the lowest
ledge Of the terrible rock.
| pp, ups up, cttT higher lit CldlDDcitu,
with the rising wind fineing his loose
hair TO and fro, and the startled sea-birds
whirling around him with hoarse screams
of mingled fear and rage. To the watch
ing eyes far below, the tiny points OF
rock to which he chung were quite invis
BILE, and be seemed to be hanging In mid
air, like fly on the side of wall.
And now he was two thirds of the way
up the precipice; and now he was within
few yards of the top; and now his
hand almost touched the highest ledge
when suddenly his feet were seen to slide
from under him, and in moment he was
swinging in the empty air, graspiDg 9
projecting crag with the strength of des
peration.
Hold fast, Tom p yelled his comrades,
as they saw him.
Tom did hold fast, and the strong hands
that had defied the full of an Atlantic
gale to loosen them from the slippery
rigging did him good service once more.
He reganed his footing, and the lndrawn
breath of the anxious gsZers below sound
ed like hiss in the grim silence as they
watched the final effort that brought him
safely to the top.
The rope was soon fixed, and the last
man had scarcely mounted when The dar-
ing band were hurrying across the ridgy
interior of the island toward the spot
whence the cannonade still doomed upon
the evening air. And there il was at last,
as they crowned the farthest ridge, the
tall masts standing up through billowy
smoke, and the batteries marked out amid
the gathering darkness by the flashes of
their own cannon. deadly yolly of
English musketry cracked along the cliff
\ ~ thA tnh 20
fall, while dismay and confusion spread
fast among the survivors. Thus caught
between two fires, with the British ships
laundering upon them from below, and
the British marksmen shooting them
down from above, the defenders had no
chance; and at length brave old Van Geb-
hardt with look of bitter grief on his
| iron face, slowly hauled down the Dutch
flag in token Of surrender.
"Mynheer," said he to the English cap
tain, as the latter came marching into the
fort at the head of his men, my follow
ers have done all that men could do; but
yours have done more"
And IL we had not done more, we
could never have beaten the gallant
| buchanan" answered the captain, taking
off his battered cooked hat with polite
bow.
Thus 1t was that the English regained
ST. Helena, over which the British flag
hlies to this day. Nor has the brave fel
low who led that daring ats OK been for
cotton; for when l visited the island,
found that the crag which he scaled (aud
very grim looking crsg II Isl still goes
| by the name of "Holdfast Tom.'-Dsvid
Ker, In March st. Nicholas.
.The capture of Gibraltar by Sir George
Rookie, in 1903, was aided by a feat of the
| seine kind.