Year: 1862

A STORY OF THE CORNISH wRECKERS.


Some dozen years ago, before the railways
now throbbng like arteries through the land,
were in existence, | went with two friends to
lodge in Cornwall. The place was the most re-
tired ever saw. far removed from the cross
country road, and only reached by venturing o.
yer track--for it could not even he called a
path-winding along the edges of cliffs often
two or three hundred feet above the beach, it
was place to delight all whose fortune had car
red them within sight of it.


The southern end of the bay closed in steep
sope of living green, caused by landslip, in
which the turf had slid down like veil to hide
the ruin it left behind, of which nothing was
seen from the beach but q back ground of tow
ering rocks. Like some old Norman castle, we
fancied them still resisting step by step the adj
vance of decay. 1t was near this southern point
that the traces of former lawlcss doings were
still to be seen. A small hole apparently only
fox dcn led into cave where a thousand kegs
of French brandy had often been stored in a
single night.


We were anxious to learn whether the tales
we had heard of Cornish wreckers were true,
and it was some questioning on this subject which
drew from the old miller the following story:


''I can't say I never hecrc of such things, but
never seed no such dongs myself. have liv-
ed here, man and boy, these seventy years" he
said. ''mauy and manv's the night we've been
Watching ON these bleak cliffs for chance to
help the poor creatures as had only trail plank
between them and death. Scores of lives Eve
seed saved, but never one took; no, not even the
brute beast that came to the shore from all the
muttutcs of wrecks I've seed. am not going
to say that when the ships, poor things, are all
broken up and the timbers come ashorc-I'm not
clear to say, there is not some small matter as
never gets reported 10 the kings man. Little
blame those that take it, for, as the Lord above
knows believe it is more the fault of those that
keep back the honest dues for the salvage.


II remember in the time that barwood," and
he pointed to some pretty things made by his
son, of the bright colored logwood, "was COM
ing in. There was those as worked night and
day, landing it, and after all their toll they want
ed to pay them off with just quarter of what
was the right money So if they that arc so
well off try to cheat like that, I'd ask your hon
or if it is not setting an example to the poor!


''There's Ned Smeeth, now-he has got that
fine medal from that grand place up to London
/ am sure he is rs tender hearted as a child, but
you'll never make him believe there is any sin
III taking stray baulk Or two the tide brings in,
and nobody owns; while after he'd been work
ing for a whole week they wanted to pay HIM
with a little more than nothing. That's what
call stealing!


''But my old head is forgetting the story. Well
well, you must please to excuse it. 1t does make
my bleod boil to hear such falshies.


'''Twas seven years last November-I mind
1T well-me and Ned were standing as your hon
or and me is now, by my old hut here. 1t was
bitter night of weather, and was so dark we
could not see even the clouds of foam that kept
flying in our faces I'd just put the mill 60
INC with some barley, and was minded to lie
down for nap, Gory see always wake when