The National tribune., 1893-11-09
FROM TBE SEA
A Realistic Tale of the Southern Jer-
Sey Coast.

| On the southern Jersey coast Rockledge
| Beach stretches far out into the ocean. A series
of treacherouS shoals form the floor of the sea at
/ this point making nav CATION for ships of large
/ tonnage very dangerous. The United States
! Government buoys at one time warned vessels
/ OF their danger but successive heavy storms
| washed them from their moorings and drifted
| them away upon the high seas.
One bright Summer day small skill was
| rocking idly upon the waves near the outer
| curve of the beach. A solitary fisherman was
! seated in the stern, alternately watching his
! line and flock of yelow-leg plovers. While
pretending to be busily engaged in fishing the
| boy warily eyeisg the birds feeding on the
| mussel- banks along the shore. The sea was
| calm and quiet and the low murmur OF the
| surf was in perfect harmony with the scene.
| As Wendell Merritt turned his eyes from his
| game for an instant and scanned the surface Of
| the ocean he was impressed with the same
| thought.
1.-The tide is very low to-day" he thought to
| himself, land the birds have gone out to the
| shoals. There is no surf on and there isn't
much chance of catching fish here. / can't get
a bite a shot at these plovers; they're too
| scary."
He pulled in his line lazy, and wound it
upon homemade reel. Then taking his oars
he rowed his light skif nearer to the beach,
but AZ he approached the line of mussel-banks
the flock of yelowIegs futtered up in the air
with loud whistles Of alarm.
"Pshaw, | hever saw such scary Birds"
he muttered aloud. "Some gunners must have
been after them before. I'll go out to the
shoals and try to get shot. There'll be fish
there, at any rate"
Turning his skiff around he headed it to-
ward the distant shoals, whose bare, white
heads were glisteDing in the MONDAY sun. 1t
was distance of two miles, but the skif was
IL.
When be approached the hunting-ground he
piled his oars more cautiously. His efforts
were rewarded with good shot, which brought
down three of the birds.
Sailing lazily along the line of the beach was
three-masted schooner, aud as Wendell stepped
out of his skf to gather in his game he noticed
the numbering craft. Placing his hands TO his
eyes to shut out the glare of the sun he watched
the ship uneasily.
Don't they know where they are going" he
asked himself, "ors do they know the water
aud are just running up there for long tack?
They are getting close TO the outer shoals just
the same" or rsI
lie picked up his plovers and threw them
into the skif. Another glance at the big
schooner convinced him that she was not max
ing sufficient calculation for the outer shoals
He waved his hat and shouted loudly to the
crew, hoping to warn them Of their danger.
But either his words and gestculations were
knew his way we'll enoUgif.
She'll be on the shoal in jify," said the
boy. They are indging by the Snake shoal
buoy, and that was wask ed in mile during
the last storm. I'll row gu; to them"
Seating himself in isskiff he rowed rapidly
toward the ship, hoping to reach her side in
time to prevent the impending catastrophe.
But fair breeze was helping the schooner on
ward in her course, and every time the boy
looked over bis shoulder he shGddered. He
knew the exact location of every shoal off the
coast, and Snake Sboal was only short distance
ahead He could not reach the schooner in
time, but he might make his voice heard.
"Ahoy, there!" he shouted at the top of his
voice, using the call of the sailor to attract at
tenti0n. Danger ahead! You're running on
the shoal!"
His words had some effect, for he could see
that there was a commotion on deck. Several
men rushed toward the bow, and scanned the
water ahead. A loud command was given,
and the great sails of the schooner began to
flap in the wind. Wendell gave sigh of relief,
bat the next instant he shuddered. A tremor
passed through the big vessel that made every
spar and sail tremble.
She's struck" the boy breathed rather than
said.
In another minute be was hurrytng out to
the stranded vessel When he reached her
side everything was disorder and con fusion,
but the Captain noticed him and ordered the
sailors to help the boy on deck.
What's the matter with the beach here?
Has the shoal shifted ?" be demanded in loud
tones II thought / knew this coast thor
oughly."
:" It's the buoy, SIR Wendell replied respect
fully. 1.-THE last storm moved it nearly mile
nearer shore. You're on Snake Shoai now"
why doesn't somebody keep the buoys in
placer" he asked irritably. They're worse
than nothing if they are not properly an
chored."
We've all said that several times. but
have no authority to touch them. The Gov
ernment doesn't bother with this beach much"
The Captain walked up and down the deck
several times, and finally halted in front of
the hoy.
"WeI, what are we going to do2 We're
aground hard and fast, and when the wind
springs up we'll spring aleak."
" You might float off with the next tide If
you're not very far upon the shoal," said Wen
del. " Let me see."
He walked to the head of the schooner and
took his bearings in few minutes"
Yes, SIR" he said, again addressing the Cap
tain. "You get of with the midnight
tide 1t will be heavy one to- night, and you
will float easily. The shoal runs out in this
direction-like a snake, in and out "-pointing
with his hand" and you want to shift off in
this direction. Then head straight for the sea
until you get milo out. and you'll be all right.
The Snake Shoal runs off in nOrtherly line,
and then turns due west"
The Captain watched the boy as he directed
him in his course .s
"You to know the shoals pretty
well2" he said, smiling at the boys enthusi-
asm.
Yes; I've always lived here, and know
| the coast" sse II
| "And you are sure that that we can get off
at midnight?" e5 srH
| YES sir; i know it,"
The positive air of the young fellow carried
conviction with it. and Capt Dougherty gave
him a cordial shake of the hand.
If it's nothing more. serious than that I'll
be satisfied" he said. "and take your word
for it. But how did you come to see our
| danger? ~ III
| Il was cunning 'on the shoals when I saw
| your sails. At first / thought you were only
| running in shore tD get along tack"
But you discovered your mistaken"
"Yes; aud then / shouted to you, but you
! did not hear me. tried to row out before you
struck the shoal, bat i couldn't"
| 1t was kind of you to make the attempt"
| The boy looked little mystified
81 don't know Anybody would do that"
| Probably"
| There was considerable curiosity in the boy
and he walked around the ship, inspecting the
rigging and the various implements for loading
| and unloading eargoes.