Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
had thrown; but it was evident he was too much exhausted to secure it
round him. At that moment the huge vessel struck with a terrific shock
against the solid wall, and staggering backward, became half buried in
the boiling waters. Again it was plunged forward with a frightful
impetus, and the next instant the mast fell with a crash--and the whole
great hull seemed to dissolve in the liquid chaos. In another moment the
black stern of the ship was seen to heave from the waves, and then
disappear, and anon spars and casks were seen churning in the snowy
surf, and tossed as playthings by the riotous sea again and again to the
annihilating wall.
The next morning the wind had greatly abated; and, with the first peep
of day, numbers of fishing-boats put out to see whether any thing of
value which had floated from the wreck could be picked up. George
Jolliffe was among the earliest of these wreckers; but in his mind the
face and form of that old man were vividly present. He had dreamed of
them all night; and while the rest of his crew were all alert on the
look-out for corks or other floating booty, he could not avoid casting a
glance far and wide, to see if he could descry any thing of a floating
mast. Though the wind was intensely still, the sea still rose high, and
it was dangerous to approach the cliff. The vessels around them were
busily engaged in securing a number of articles that were floating; but
George still kept a steady look-out for the mast: and he was now sure
that he saw it at a considerable distance. They made all sail for it;
and, sure enough it was there. They ran their vessel close alongside of
it, and soon saw, not only a sling rope encircling its lower end, but a
human arm clutching fast by it. Jolliffe had the cobble soon adrift,
and, with a couple of rowers, approached the floating timber. With much
difficulty, from the uneasy state of the sea, he managed to secure a
cord round the drowned man's wrist, and with an ax severed the rope
which tied him to the mast. Presently they actually had the old man in
the boat, whom they last evening saw imploring their aid from the wreck.
Speedily they had him hoisted into the yawl; and when they got on board,
and saw him lying at his length on deck, they were astonished at his
size and the dignity of his look. He was not, as he seemed from the
altitude of the cliff, a little man: he was upward of six feet in
height, of a large and powerful build; and though of at least seventy
years of age, there was a nobility of feature, and a mild intelligence
of expression in him, which greatly struck them.
"That," said George Jolliffe, "is a gentleman every inch. There will be
trouble about him somewhere."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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