El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-28


watching the sun set-from the water"
/ said.
We clambered up the rocks and went
to the penthouse. where we got boat
and rowed out into the pretty bay. The
sun was setting. and the shading or
the sky was exquisite. shading from a
bright lemon through reds and puppies
to a misty gray. Presently the big
globe dipped lingeringly behind the dis
tant hills and gradually sank down.
leaving a ruddy glow behind which
skinned the ripples and shot streaks
of gold through some black, rolling
clouds which were poking their omi-
nous tops above the horizon.
was rowing. and Brown sat in the
bow. He said he preferred the bow, If
l did not mind the added difficulty OF
rowing. Sitting that way we could
both see the sunset. For long time
we said nothing. l rowed on half lazi-
ly When the sun had disappeared,
turned to Brown with a smile. Are
you enjoying yourself?" l asked.
Its dreamy" he returned and look
ed out to sea. Then he added quickly:
"Pull way out. Let's row far out to
sea and come back by moonlight. The
pleased, for a moonlight ride was more
than / had hoped for. So in spite Of
the black clouds which were gathering
fast rowed on and on. Brown offered
to row once, but told him that I was
perfectly satisfied. Pretty soon
breeze sprung up and ruf11ed the wa
ter. l looked back again at Brown and
found him eagerly scanning the hori-
elf oh q
me looking at him. Row on" he said.
"Row OnI'
His manner was peculiar. I thought
he was nervous. do you fear a
storm?'' l asked without turning my
head. Just theIf a pretty large wave
thumped against the bow. Its getting
rough" added. 1T always does after
the sun goes down." he said. Row
on" l looked up at the sky, out OF
which the light was fast fading. Then
l stopped rowing for a moment We
were almost out of sight of land. 1t
only looked like black streak through
the twilight. The waves had grown
considerably. and I knew that they,
together with the tide, would soon car
nv us beyond sight of land. Then if
there should be no room. and if
storm should come up-I found myself
getting anxious.
1--WE must go back" 1 said decidedly
and was just going to pick up my oars
and turn about when 1 felt a heavy
weight plump down upon me and crush
me to the bottom of the boat. One
oar was lifted clear out of the rowlock
and dropped into the water. In a mo-
ment Browns hands were at my
ha
butting my head against the boards. L
could not speak, and my senses were
fast leaving me. / remember his face
being close to mine and his heavy
breathing sounding loud and labored.
Then the sharp raised rib OF the boat
seemed to crunch into my head, and l
lost consciousness.
The first thing 1 became aware Of
was a faint rumbling which came from
the distance. and as l gradually recov-
cred 1 saw flashes of lightning spread
over the sky. A storm was coming
fast. The boat was rocking violently,
and Brown was bending over me bath
ing my face with water. 1 reached
out nv hand and graSped him.
Don't" he said simply and made me
let go.
back Lie still. The sea is rough.
The storm came on faster and faster.
Flash after flash of lightning lighted up
the heaving ocean; the thunder grum-
bled rolled and crashed; the waves
rose to frightful heights and rushed
down upon the little boat with their
tops curling and falling. The boat
would rise on the crest of wave and
then take n sickening dive down until
it seemed to me that we must surely
reach the bottom. Then the going up
was so sudden and the motion so differ
ent that 1 held my breath. We were
wet to the skin, for the boat often
plunged right through the top of
wave. We both hung to the seat of the
half sinking boat and waited.
The storm was short. The thunder
became fainter and fainter, and the
lightning ceased it's ZigZag form and
gave out soft, broad glareS far off on
the horizon. The air changed, and it
became cold. l do not know what time
of night it was, but it must have been
somewhere near morning when a big
wave dashed us against a pile Of rocks
and completely shattered the boat. We
were flung out and lodged in a large
crevice between two towering rocks.
With what strength we had we climb
ed up the ragged surface of the rocks
till we were out of reach of the pound
ing waves, and there, in a cleft, we
shivered till morning.
1t was not long before the sun put in
sickly appearance through the riffs of
the scudding clouds and revealed a
long stretch Of heaving, muddy bill
lows, some of which still frothed and
foamed. There was a stiff, cold wind