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Article THE WRECKER. Page 1 of 10 →
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The Wrecker.
THE WRECKER .
BY BROTHER J . SHERIDAN KNOWLES , AUTHOR OP "THE WIB E , " EOT . * THREE days had the gale continued . A lee shore , a boiling sea , and on the coast of Cornwall ! Heavens , ' twas a wild and fearful offing ! Foam ! foam ! foam ! which way soever you looked . Nothing but foam ! Black reefs of huge rocks—that even in the highest spring tides were
never completely covered—discernible only by a spot or two , here and there , so thick the breakers fell upon them I—The spray flying over the cliffs , fifty—sixty feet and more , above the level of the sea , and spreading acres over the land ! And all above pitch dark , ancl at noon-day ! Every thing , but man , seemed to cower hefore the spirit of the storm . The shore , which consisted partly of gigantic groups of rocks , partly of
shingle , was lined with human beings—some in parties , and some alone —promiscuously furnished with boat-hooks , gaffs , grapples , hatchets , and knives , prepared to dispute with the waves , or with one another , the plunder of the fated craft that might be driven within the jaws of that inhospitable bay . Expectation glistened in their eyes—which kept prowling backwards and forwards , far and near , over the waste of waters . They were Wreckers . Not a few women , and even some children , were among them ; nor were these unprovided against the approach of
tne wished-for prey . All seemed to have their appropriated places , whence , if they stirred , it was only a step or two to be retracted the next minute . Little was spoken . At one and the same moment every head was turned towards the cliff at a wild and shrill halloo that rang from it . " 'Tis only Kate ! " cried one here and there , as a female rapidly
descended by a crevice which few among the lookers on would have attempted , and then with a wary foot . " The crazy jade will break her neck , " carelessly remarked one to another . But the maniac was safe in her utter recklessness or unconsciousness of danger . " A lovely day ! a fair , lovely day ! " exclaimed she to the first group she came up to . " Good luck to you , friends ; any tiling yet ? No , no , "
she continued , replying to her own question . " White to the northwhite to the west—white to the south—all white . Not a spot upon the water ! But it is coming—it is coming—it is coming ! " she reiterated , ascending to the top of her voice . " I saw it last night ; a huge black hull—one mast standing out of three ; guns and stores overboard ; rising and sinking , rocking and reeling , driving full bump upon the reef where the William and Mary was stove in ten cursed years ago . I saw it , " she repeated eyeing the standers-by , all round , with a look
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Wrecker.
THE WRECKER .
BY BROTHER J . SHERIDAN KNOWLES , AUTHOR OP "THE WIB E , " EOT . * THREE days had the gale continued . A lee shore , a boiling sea , and on the coast of Cornwall ! Heavens , ' twas a wild and fearful offing ! Foam ! foam ! foam ! which way soever you looked . Nothing but foam ! Black reefs of huge rocks—that even in the highest spring tides were
never completely covered—discernible only by a spot or two , here and there , so thick the breakers fell upon them I—The spray flying over the cliffs , fifty—sixty feet and more , above the level of the sea , and spreading acres over the land ! And all above pitch dark , ancl at noon-day ! Every thing , but man , seemed to cower hefore the spirit of the storm . The shore , which consisted partly of gigantic groups of rocks , partly of
shingle , was lined with human beings—some in parties , and some alone —promiscuously furnished with boat-hooks , gaffs , grapples , hatchets , and knives , prepared to dispute with the waves , or with one another , the plunder of the fated craft that might be driven within the jaws of that inhospitable bay . Expectation glistened in their eyes—which kept prowling backwards and forwards , far and near , over the waste of waters . They were Wreckers . Not a few women , and even some children , were among them ; nor were these unprovided against the approach of
tne wished-for prey . All seemed to have their appropriated places , whence , if they stirred , it was only a step or two to be retracted the next minute . Little was spoken . At one and the same moment every head was turned towards the cliff at a wild and shrill halloo that rang from it . " 'Tis only Kate ! " cried one here and there , as a female rapidly
descended by a crevice which few among the lookers on would have attempted , and then with a wary foot . " The crazy jade will break her neck , " carelessly remarked one to another . But the maniac was safe in her utter recklessness or unconsciousness of danger . " A lovely day ! a fair , lovely day ! " exclaimed she to the first group she came up to . " Good luck to you , friends ; any tiling yet ? No , no , "
she continued , replying to her own question . " White to the northwhite to the west—white to the south—all white . Not a spot upon the water ! But it is coming—it is coming—it is coming ! " she reiterated , ascending to the top of her voice . " I saw it last night ; a huge black hull—one mast standing out of three ; guns and stores overboard ; rising and sinking , rocking and reeling , driving full bump upon the reef where the William and Mary was stove in ten cursed years ago . I saw it , " she repeated eyeing the standers-by , all round , with a look