THE magnificence and terror of a gale on the rock-bound coasts of Cornwall can scarcely be exaggerated. The long impe- tuous swell of the great Atlantic, flinging itself on the rugged granite cliffs which guard the shores, is by its own violence broken into seething foam, and wakens up a wild roar of deepest diapason, full of majesty and strength. In the many sandy bays and coves which stud the seaboard, the scene though somewhat different loses none of its fearful power. There the Ocean bil- lows, mountain above mountain heaped of foam-capped wave, come rolling on, until, with sound of thunder, they burst upon the beach, bearing all before their mighty onset.

When to the tumult of the elements is superadded the struggle of some labouring ship, who, with her anxious crew in the very grip of death, strives for life, the excitement indeed becomes intense ; the briny tear may then be seen to course down many a weatherbeaten furrowed face, whilst the earnest prayer, " God save the sailor!" rises from many an anxious heart. Another prayer, too, have we listened to in scenes such as these—" God save the life-boat's crew !" As we have seen the life-boat flying to the rescue of drowning men—a thing of beauty and a thing of power, manned by brave hearts, driven by strong hands, grap- pling with furious waves and beating tem- pest, now rising on the toppling crest and then diving into the bosom of the water- floods—we have both heard and joined in the prayer, " God save her crew!" and have felt at once the magnificence of manly power, the sublimity of Divine Providence ! On the 6th December, 1868, during a 232 THE LIFE-BOAT.

[JULY 1,1869.

fearful gale from S.S.W., a horse, reeking with foam, galloped into Penzance, bearing a messenger with intelligence to Mr. DOWSING, the active and intelligent Hon. Sec. of the Life-boat Institution in the town, that a barque was embayed and in peril. The Sabbath bells were ringing, and congrega- tions were assembling to worship Him whose voice was sounding on the waters; but on the news, "Life in danger!" the quiet of the sanctuary was exchanged for the pelting of the storm, and hundreds of anxious glances peered through the mist, to catch sight of the devoted ship so that help might be afforded. " There she is !" cries one. " No, 'tis the mist." Again and again are the watchers deceived : until at length a momentary lifting of the cloud shows the doomed vessel heading westwards, but making fearful leeway. And now nearer and nearer she approaches. " She is saved!" shout some; but experienced eyes saw that her fate was near. Good seamanship, stout anchor-chains, well-found gear—all were unavailing in that terrible strife, and soon she was seen drifting helplessly to the shore.

" The Life-boat.—The Life-boat." Away, rumbling through the streets of quiet Pen- zance, manned by her brave crew, drawn by horses urged to full speed, away, rolls the Richard Lewis* the brave boat adorned with the trophies of so many saved crews.

Not a moment is lost. She has been for hours, thanks to Mr. DOWNING'S unceasing vigilance, in readiness, and now, like an angel of mercy, flies swiftly to the rescue.

Brave men are with her who have learned to look on danger without fear, and think only of duty. Husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, are out there in that breaking vessel in the jaws of death, and all other feelings are absorbed in the desire to save them. TOM CARBIS, the coxswain, and HIGGINS, the second coxswain of the boat, are at their posts. The Hon. Secretary and some of the Committee are at theirs. Thousands of per- sons of every class and degree, including scores of women of all ranks, line the shore. The boat borne by the rush of men and horses * This life-boat, which is named after Mr. LEWIS, the Secretary of the Parent Institution, has, since she was placed on her station in 1865, saved the crews of the following ships:— 5 men saved.

6 „ 6 „ 5 H 6 „ 13 Brigantine Tdbaco, of Hamburgh Bri antine Bessie, of Hayle . .

Schooner Salome, of Brixham . .

Schooner Selina Ann. of Looe Schooner Heiress, of Teignmouth fchip John Gray, of Glasgow Barque North Britain, of Southampton 9 Total .... 50 traverses the yielding sandy beach, the launching lines are manned, the boat dips her prow into the hissing sea, and cheered to the echo by the vast crowds around, she speeds on her perilous way.

Not a word is spoken by the crew. CARBIS holds the tiller, his eye flashing, and his firm face speaking the strong resolve of his soul, that he, like a true British sailor, will do his duty. By his side is Capt.

CAY, the Inspecting Commander of Coast- guard, and- HIGGINS, Coastguard man, the second coxswain, and on they go with their brave crew, daring danger and death, to the rescue.

While this was going on to the west- ward of the North Britain a terrible event occurred between the barque and the shore to the eastward, at a distance of more than half a mile from the life-boat. A four-oared pilot-gig had left Penzance at considerable" peril to attempt to board the ship, but was driven back by the violence of the weather. A large eight-oared barge belonging to Sir EDWAKD ST. AUBYN, Bart., of St. Michael's Mount, also bravely attempted to reach her from the Mount Pier, but without success.

The captain of the barque had seen the boats from Penzance and St. Michael's Mount, and observed them both return.

Alas, he did not see the life-boat. He therefore gave orders to lower one of the ship's boats, which was immediately upset and stove in against the sides of the ship. The jolly-boat, of 22-feet keel and 6-feet beam, was then got out of the davits, and with great difficulty 9 men and the captain got into her, to try to reach the shore. The captain kept her head well to the northward, and on she rushed, driven as if by an irresistible impulse, amid the cheers of the crowd and the prayers of many that she might safely reach the land; she was nobly manned, and struggled hard for the shore, but all in vain. Behind her is an immense breaker. " She will be swamped!" " She must go down !" " God save her!" are the cries of all around.

And in less time than it takes to write these words, or almost to read them, the wave holds her in its strong grasp, whirls her round, turns her keel up, and her freight of ten precious human beings are struggling in the sea some three hundred yards distant from the shore. If ever a picture of childlike helplessness was presented by grown men, this was one. No man could get near them, JULY 1, 1869. j THE LIFE-BOAT.

233 no one could help them. They were as straws and waifs on the ocean. As if to mock all human effort, the sea immediately, around them was, for a moment, almost as calm as a glassy lake, and the half-score of drowning men were in a gulf of smooth water; but, alas! to the greater number it was the dark gulf of death. Three of them seized the keel of the boat, but three times are they driven from their hold by the heavy breakers. Two or three make for the oars, but the rest beat about in despair, or are car- ried away by the under-current. The captain, a fine, stout, muscular sailor of fifty years of age, swims for the shore, and four or five others struggle on behind him. Scores of men join hands on the beach, and stretch into the sea, to meet some breathless swim- mer fortunate enough to get within range.

One brave man, by name WILLIAM JEF- FERY, an athletic wrestler, a fine boatman, and a bold swimmer, throws off coat and waistcoat, and, close followed by many others, heroically dashes into the teeth of the breakers, in defiance of danger, resolved that, if it were possible, he would rescue at least one fellow-creature from a watery grave.

Near him is one of the drowning men.

He makes a tremendous dash, grips his prize with a determined grasp, and turns towards the shore. Others now take the seaman from him, and again and again-the brave man, at imminent risk, rushes out and stays until he saves three from all but certain death. Five men reached the shore, one only to survive a few moments, not- withstanding all that cordials, and rubbing, and medical skill could effect. Four only of the ten men who left the ship in the jolly- boat, half an hour before, now survived.

And now a momentary pause ensues.

Whispers of disaster are abroad. The shipwrecked men are still on board, and the boat is turned head to shore. What can it mean ? The story of her strugglej disaster, and final victory is told in graphic words by Mr. DOWNING :— " After a pull of more than an hour she reached the vessel. As she was pulling under her stern a great sea struck the boat and immediately capsized her. All on board were at once thrown out. The noble boat, however, at once self-righted. The cox- swain, brave old CARBIS, was jammed under the boat by some wreck, and very nearly lost his life, having to dive three or four times before he could extricate himself.

When dragged on board he was apparently dead, and in this state was brought ashore.

Another man, EDWARD HODGE, pulling the stroke-oar, was lost altogether from the boat, and the men were all so exhausted that they could not pull up to rescue him. Thank God for his cork jacket, which floated him ashore, when a brave man, called DESREADX, swam his horse out through the surf and rescued the poor fellow. Both these men still lie in a very dangerous condition. I have them at houses near the wreck, and I have ordered every possible attention to be paid to them.

" Captain R. B. CAY, R.N., Inspecting- Commander of the Coastguard, who ex- pressed an earnest wish to go off on this occasion, was also on board, and, with others, suffered severely. It is due to him to say that .his great coolness and judgment, as well as his exertions, greatly conduced to the bringing of the boat, with her exhausted crew, to shore. The second coxswain, HIG- GINS, the coastguard-man, also behaved like a hero, and though scarce able to stand, managed the boat, when CARBIS was dis- abled, with consummate skill. Judge of our horror when we saw the boat returning and no rescue effected. We knew at once that some disaster had happened, and when the boat came near we rushed to meet her.

There was the coxswain, apparently dead, a stream of blood trickling from his wounded temple, one man missing, and all the crew more or less disabled. At once I called for volunteers. HIGGINS then shouted, ' I'll go again, sir!' and by his bravery produced a wonderful moral effect. This I would not allow, but I do hope he may have some conspicuous reward from the Institution.

He has been off now every time this boat has been afloat, and I cannot tell you how much I owed him yesterday. His place was at once most efficiently filled by Mr. BLACK- MORE, Chief Officer of the Coastguard at the Penzance Station, and a braver and a worthier, man never took the tiller of a life- boat. Mr. S. HIGGS, jun., French Vice- Consul, also volunteered, and thus in a short time another crew was formed. I cannot describe in anything like adequate terms the struggle which now followed. The boat had to be pulled to windward in teeth of a tremendous wind and sea. Sometimes she would rise perpendicularly almost to the waves, and we looked on with bated breath, fearing she must go over, and then again she would gain a yard or two. The way was disputed inch by inch, and at last the victory was won. But no one who beheld the struggle will ever forget the manner in

which the boat was managed by Mr. BLACK- MORE." Loud and long rang the cheers as the boat neared the shore, and quickly the ship- wrecked mariners and their brave rescuers were safe. It was afterwards found that one of the second crew, named PASCOE, had three ribs broken; but both PASCOE, HODGE, and CARBIS were well cared for, and after a while recovered.

The crowds have dispersed, the broken fragments of the ship are strewed along the shore, night has settled on the scene, the wild sobbing of the storm is still heard, as it is moodily and angrily subsiding, and here in a wayside inn are the wounded men, CARBIS, and PASCOE, and HODGE, as yet stunned and sense- less by their heroic exertions, in an ad- joining room are the corpses of the dead mariners, who, alas, waited not their help, and leaving the door to press once more the warm, loving hand of wife and mother, are nine men saved by the life boat's crew.

A few weeks afterwards the medals and other rewards which had been voted by the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION to the two crews of the Life-boat and others were publicly presented to them in St. John's Hall, Penzance, by RICHARD LEWIS, Esq., the well-known Secretary of the Parent Society, who had been specially deputed by its Committee to attend on the occasion. The Meeting was one of the most enthusiastic and influential ever held at Penzance.

The vessel was the North Britain, Cap- tain INO. ROGERS, with 950 tons of timber and deal on board from Quebec.

Mothers and daughters of England, when the wild storm blast howls around your secure and cheerful homes, pray for the sailor who, through many dangers and dis- comforts, ministers to your luxury and happi- ness ; and, oh, forget not to include in these prayers the noble watchers of the tempest, our life-boat crews, whose path of duty is a path of peril, and who, to save others, will sometimes even dare to die.