The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-09-26
THE HERMIT OF CIPE MALEA.
Why he Lived and Died on Stupendous
Cliff, Within Sight and Sound of the
Cliff, W


Why he Lived and Died on Stupendous
Cliff, Within Sight and Sound of the
Ocean.
There is one feature of Cape Malea that
rarely fails to attract the notice Of the
most careless voyager doubling 1t By
day, a touch of human tragedy and
pathos, belonging in point Of chronology
to our own time, but in universal inter-
est TO all ages. Al the extreme pitch OF
the cape a stupendous cliff rises sheer
from the fretting waves for about a hun
dred feet. Then comes an Irregular
plateau or shelf, OF perhaps two acres
in area, the mountain rising again
abruptly behind II to height or ABOUT
1900 feet. This plateau is apparently IN
accessible, and Yet, perched upon a huSe
bOwlder in its centre, a mass or rock ue-
tached from the mountain ages ago, IS
house. 1t IS rudely built OF wooden
fragments ingeniously fitted together,
but It's outlines convey az once the idea
of its designer having been an Anglo
Saxon. II must be firmly built too for
il is exposed 10 the full fury of wind re-
bounding from the mountain face, ana
the observer InStinctively wonders why,
If a house must be built on that shelf,
so terribly exposed a position was Sc
!
hear it's story, says Z. T. Bullen, In the
London Spectator.
About twenty-five years ago there was
a young sailor who. by dnt of hard work.
integrity OF character and tirmneSS OF
will reached at the age OF 26 the summit
of his ambition-becoming master of what
would then be called good-sized steam
ship, some $40 tons register. Upon tnls
accession TO good fortune he married the
girl of his choice, who had patiently
waited for him since as boy and glrl
sweetheartS they parted on his first going
to sea- And with rare complacency, his
owners gave him the inestimable privilege
OF carrying his young bride TO sea with
him. How happy he was! How deep anu
all embracing his pride, as. steaminS
down the grimy Thames he explained 10
the light of his eyes all the wonders
that she was now witnessing for the hrst
time but which he had made familiar 10
her mind by his oft-repeated sea stories
during the few bright days between
voyages thai he had been able to devote
TO courtshp, The ship was bound 70
several Mediterranean ports, the time pc
ing fate autumn, and consequently the
most ideal season for honymoon tnat
could possibly be imagined. Cadiz. Genoa,
Naples, Venice, delightful tour WIFI HoI
one weary moment wherein 10 wish Tor
something else. Even flying Visit 10
old Rome from Naples had been possible
for the two officers. rejoicing IN tnelr
happy young sApper's joy, saw TO IL thae
no unnecessary cares should trouple MIN,
and bore willing testimony, in order that
he should get as much delight out or
those halcyon days as possible, that the
entire crew were as docile as could De
wished, devoted to their bright command
er and his beautiful wife.
Then at Venice came orders 10 proceed
to Galatz and load wheat for home.
Great was the glee Of the girl-wife. sne
would see Constantinople and TIT Dati-
ube. Life would hardly be long enough
to recount all the wonders Oh tnis most mos.
wonderful OF wedding trips. And tney
sailed with hearts overbrimming with
ioy as the blue sky above them seemed
yelling over with sunlight. wind ana
weather favored them; nothing occurred
70 cast a shadow over their happiness
until. nearing Cape Malea at that fatal
hour of the morning just before dawn,
when more collisions occur than al any
other time, they We're run into py
laundering Greek steamer coming the
other way, and cut down amidShlpS 10
the waters edge. 10 their peaGeLbut, sii
or quiet appreciation of the nights Sill
yern splendOrs succeeded the overwhe!m-
ing flood the hiss and roar OF escaping
steam, the suffOCating embrace OF de2th;
In that dread fight for life all perlsheI
but one-he so lately the happiest OF
men-the skipper Instinctively cllnginS
m q piece Of wreckage. he had been
washed ashore under Cape Maiea AT 'he
ahbing of the scanty tide. and ms SlrolS
nhysiGue reasserting itself. enabled him
to climb those rugged battlements and
reach the plateau. Here he was found
gazing seaward by some goatherdS, VINO,
in search of their nimbe-footed Hooks,
had wandered down the precipitous side
of the mountain. They endea9ored 10
persuade him to come with them PACK
70 the world. but in vain. He would I'VE,
gratefully accepting some OF their poor
6royis!on. but from that watching pace
he would not go. And those rude peas
ants understanding something of his
Woe. sympathized WIKI him so deeply
that without payment or hope OF any
they helped him TO build his hut and
kent him supplied with such poor NOR
sells of food and drink as sufficed for MS
stunted needs. g., ,.,
And there. with his gaze fixed during
all his waking hours upon that lnscru-
tabIa depth wherein all his bright hopes
had suddenly been quenched. he lived
unfil quite recent years, the world Tor
getting, by the world forgot. EfinS
monument of constanCy and patient, uh-
complaining grief BY his humble friends
whose language he never learned, he was
regarded as a saint, and when one day
they came upon his iifelesS body. fallen
forward upon its knees at a little glazed
window through which he was wont 10
look upon the sea where his dear one lay,
they felt confirmed in their opinion OF the
sanctitv of the hermit of Cape Malea.