The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-01-08
sALuIlNa I'VE DEAD.
An Unusual Naval Expedition 40 the
Island OF ushnnt.

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Island OF Ushnnt.
or the northwest coast of France
there is region of wild waters, dot
grim aspect and tragic history, about
which cling more legends and super
stitions than are found, perhaps. in
any similar spot In the world. From
the earliest times il has been a place
of shipwreck ard death. One OF It's
bays is believed by many Of the people
who live on the mainland of Brittany
and upon the islands to mark the site
of the suuken city OF Is, whose ghost
~ church bells the mariner. If he but
listen intently enough, may still hear
ringing from the depths far beneath
his keel rs he passes above the spot at
the hour OF the angelus.
Standing upon the summit OF the
headland Of Cornouaille. which juts far
out Into the Atlantic one Is, though
2G2 feet above the water. not beyond
the reach OF It's spray. and the ground
Is felt 10 shake as the mighty waves
dash against the promonotory. Into
the Enfer. a great hollow at the foot
OF the cliff, the waves dash with a
sound like thunder and az the bay OF
Trepasses, not far away, the people
fancy that they perpetually hear the
cries Of the drowned rising above the
tumult OF the waters.
This sound was familiar 10 the pagan
inhabitants OF Brittany. They be-
lieyed II TO be the voice Of god, and
sent nine Druid maidens TO propitiate
the divinity by n life devotion on tire
stormy island OF Seln near by
To the neighborlng island of Ushant.
treeless and shrubless, and scarcely
less desolatc than Sein, there recently
rame an English naval party on ro-
mantle and picturesque errand.
In June. 1896 the British packet,
Drummond Castle, returning from the
cape OF Good Hope with a large NUM-
Der Of passengers struck rock off the
island of Mclene. and in few minutes
went 10 the bottom. Two hundred and
lfty Hives were lost, and but a single
passenger was saved.
The calamity was so sudden that the
hardy people Of Molene aud Ushant
could do nothing 10 save life; but they
turned out en- masse 20 rescue the bod
les OF the dead from the "eater OF men,"
rs they call the sea, and performed acts
81 great bravery I'M this work
In recognition OF the service the Eng
lish queen ordered that medals should
be struck and given to the people OF
Ushant and Molene who had part in
H.; and lately the British man-of-war
Australia carried these medals 90 Brest.
the nearest large port. From there the
officers and men charged with the duty
Of distributing the medals were taken
10 Ushant by the French gunboat,
Eperyier.
On the way, not far from the lower
ing shores OF Molene. the Epervier's
pace was slackened, while the officers
Of The guuboat regarded with interest
n space al sea. The French admiral,
Barrera, who was In command, adj
vanced on the bridge and gave the or
der: "All hands on deckl" Instantly
every man was az his post, the guard
Of marines under arms, the gupncrs az
their pieces The English officers,
grouped together, could be seen to look
with moistened eyes at the preparations
for what they knew was coming, and
their breasts heayed yisibly.
The admiral took of his hat and all
the rest Of the officers followed his ex-
ample.
"My friends" he said addressing the
men Of the Epsryier, last year, In the
month OF June, great British ship, re-
turning from a long voyage, almost at
home, was lost at this spot. The sailors
Of All nations are brothers. To honor
those who died here we shall salute
them and say prayer"
The officer OF the watch commanded;
"To prayer!" Every sailor uncovered
and bowed his head. 4 simple helms
man repeated impressively the Lords
Prayer and the Ave Maria.
Then three times the gunners OF the
Eperyier doomed out in salute Of the
dead and the gunboat moved on.
At Ushant an the population Of the
island had come out to meet the expc.
ditiou. The simple ceremony Of the
presentation Of the medals was soon
over. The village priest and his two
assistants. an OF whom were among
those who received medals. chautcd the
De Profundis AT the church. and the
graves Of the victims Of the wreck IN
the churchyard were strewn with
flowers. Youths Companion.
AulmuIs' Fright Il short