Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-01-01
CHAPTER XII.
THE SURVIVORS OF THE WRECK

halfway up the cragS, and endeavOred, with
| straining eyes, to penetrate the darkness
seward; but although it was broad day, the
! clouds of wind-blown yapOr still covered the
! troubled sea.
Greatly agitated, l made my way up the
cliff, and reached the summit, where l 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 tharw
, "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 mile from shore.
| Are you sure she's there?' | asked Gag
| erly.
Sure enough" was the reply "When
| the last light went OOp, | 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
! 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 a cloud of white foam that reach
ed to the very summit of the cliff where we
were crOuchtng; 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
|
| hidden vessel. Was all over? Had the cruel
seas devoured 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-SmOSe blew upward
J here and there, leaving visible wild patches
OF tossing water. Simultaneously, the wind
lessened, coming not in solid phalanX, but in
gusts, titful though terrible-very cannon
| blasts of air.
A wild cry rose, and all hands were sud-
denly pointed seward.
| Then, straining my eyes through the blind
| ing rain, L saw something like a white wall
OF vapOr 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
was again visible, this time more distinctly,
SO that | could clearly discern black funnel
| anu TWO maStS a malnmasJ intact, u loIo-
| mast broken off just above the decks. She
was large screw-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, 1t
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 lee-Shore in the
| face of such a gale.
She was so far away, and the mists were
| still so troublesome, that it was difficult to
tell If there were any souls still left Oh board.
| More than once / 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 life-boat must be launched and manned
without delay. | turned to the men and said
as much, but they shrank back in uncOnceal-
ed terror at the mere proposition. And, in
the wind had certainly fallen a 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 a
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
Amusement, that stir was taking place up
on her decks. Yes; there could be no doubt
of the fact; a boat was preparing to leave
| her Sides and freighted with human beings
| push away for the shore.
Never shall l. forget that sightl 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
| heaving patch where the boat could float in
| safety; but beyond it, and nearer to lis the
| waves rose again in awful crested pillows
| whirling and swirling toward the shore.
| Seen from our point of vantage, the boat
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
| simultaneously in the trough of the sea.
| But she reappeared. half Smothered in surf
and flying foam. Then we saw, rapidly APP
| preaching her, mountainous and awful
| wave!
| The little boat as if it were a living thing,
seemed to see it too, and to struggle to es-
| cape! Sick with horror, | covered my eyes;
| | could not look. Then heard a 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, or
| seemed to see, shapes that struggled, sunk,
and died.
Man the life-boatp' cried. Quick, lads!
| Follow mep'
| My uncle gripped me by the arm.
Zoo late, lad! There's ne'er a sawl
aboardp'
Look yonderr' 1 answered pointing sea-
ward. There are living men on the deck
| still, and in the rigging. Come"
| The lads, who were English born and had
their hearts in the right places, responded
| with a 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 l first realized, to my
! diSmay, that we were shOrt-handed, several
| of my best men being away. But two strong
| lads from the mine volunteered, and my I'M
| Gle made third; and so we formed crew.
| To every man l gave cork life-belt and
| tied one on myself. Then, springing to my