Storm Warriors; or, Life-Boat Work on the Goodwin SandsGilmore, John
History
Storm Warriors; or, Life-Boat Work on the Goodwin Sands
Gilmore, John
Goodwin Sands (England); Lifesaving -- Great Britain; Shipwrecks
And as the "Storm Warriors" entered the harbour waving the strong right
arms that had worked so well, and shouted, "All saved!" "All saved!" and
the flags of triumph were seen flying out in the gale. Cheer after cheer
broke from the crowd as they welcomed home from the dread battle-field
those who had fought and conquered, and now bore with them as trophies
of their victory, nineteen men; fellow-sailors, whose lives had been
saved from a terrible and certain death. And many cheered again as they
thought of the number who would have had life-long cause to mourn, if
these poor fellows had perished. Parents, wives, children--what a group
they would seem if they could be pictured watching the saved ones
return; what words, and looks, and tears of thanks where feelings are
too deep for words, for the Storm Warriors, and for the life-boat cause,
and for the generous English people who placed such boats at the
disposal of such brave hearts and strong hands--of men ready to dare all
and to do all that men can do to rescue the perishing from death.
Think only of the group that may possibly welcome back the little pale,
exhausted cabin-boy, their hearts as warm as his, their love as deep as
his--as his, which made that little canvas bag full of simple presents
so dear to him that he held to it through all the many hours of the
storm; that made it his first thought when the wild seas rushed over the
vessel, and the crew had to take to the rigging; love that made him,
when grown men thought only of their own lives, rush to his chest and
seize his treasure, and all through the wild gale cling to it; cling to
it still, though the winds in their bitter cold froze him through and
through, and the seas beat over him hour after hour. Think of the faces
that may have seemed to peer at him out of the darkness of the storm. A
loving-hearted father ready to thank him for the tobacco-box; a mother
for that wonderful brooch; a little dark-eyed brother for the knife with
four blades, and a little sister for the little very blue-eyed doll with
such rosy cheeks. No, he could not let the bag go, and so it nearly cost
him his life, and by the delay his clinging to it caused, nearly cost
all the brave men their lives also; but the good God would not let so
much simple love work so much disaster, and the loving ones shall see
him again, and perhaps he will stand, and perhaps each of his
fellow-sailors will stand, in the centre of some tearful group, who
again and again will weep, and thank God, as they are told of the wreck,
and the hours of peril, and the waiting for death, and the hopeless
despair, and the strange wonderful boat that came in through the storm;
and how they were saved, when they never thought to see home again. And
often shall the brave boatmen be blessed and thanked by grateful hearts,
and the life-boat cause not forgotten. I repeat the picture that we may
learn to think much of the sailor's arrival home, as well of his being
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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