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Show SHIPWRECKS ON THE COAST OF NORMANDY. In the opening pages of the life of Jean Francois Millet, "Peasant and Painter," begun in Scribner for September, occurs the following simple and graphic description, by Millet himself, of a series of shipwrecks on the coast of Normandy, which formed one of the most striking memories of his childhood. There are not too many records of calamities or a series of calamities, so extraordinary. "It was All Saints' Day, in the morning we saw that the sea was very rough, and every one said there would be trouble; all the parish was in church, in the middle of mass we saw a man come in dripping wet, an old sailor, well known for his bravery. He immediately said that as he came along the shore he saw several ships which, driven by a fearful wind, would certainly shipwreck on the coast. "We must go to their assistance," said he louder, "and I have come to say to all who are willing, that we have only just time to put to sea to help them." About fifty men offered themselves, and, without speaking followed the old sailor. We got to the shore by going down a cliff and there we soon saw a terrible sight - several vessels, one behind the other, driving at a frightful speed against the rocks. Our men put their boats to sea, but they had hardly made ten strokes when one boat filled with water and sunk, the second was overturned with the breakers, and the third thrown up on shore. Happily no one was drowned and all reached the shore. It was easy to see that our boats would be of no use to the poor people on the ships. Meantime the vessels came nearer, and were only a few fathoms from our black cliffs, which are covered with cormorants. The first, whose masts were gone, came like a great mass. Every one on shore saw it coming; no one dared speak. It seemed to me, a child, as if death was playing with a handful of men, whom it intended to crush and drown. A immense wave lifted itself like an angry mountain, and wrapping the vessel brought her near, and still a higher one threw her upon a rock level with the water. A frightful cracking sound - the next instant the vessel was filled with water. A frightful cracking sound - the next instant the vessel was filled with water. The sea was covered with wreckage - planks, masts, and poor drowning creatures. Many swam and then disappeared. Our men threw themselves into the water, and with the old sailor at their head, made tremendous efforts to save them. Several were brought back, but they were either drowned or broken on the rocks. "The sea threw up several hundred and with them merchandise and food." ""A second ship approached. The masts were gone. Every one was on deck, which was folly; we saw them all on their knees and a man in black seemed to bless them. A wave as big as our cliff carried her toward us. We thought we heard a shock like the first, but she held staunch and did not move. The waves beat against her, but she did not budge. She seemed petrified. In an instant every one put to sea, for it was only two gun-shots from shore. A boat was made fast alongside; our boat was filled instantly; one of the boats of the ship put off, threw out planks and boxes and in half an hour every one was on shore. The ship had been saved by a rare accident; her bowsprit and ???Line Missing??? forepart had got wedged in between two rocks. The wave which had thrown her on the reefs had preserved her as if by a miracle. She was English and the man who blessed his companions was a bishop. They were taken to the village and soon after to Cherbourg. "We all went back again to the shore. The third ship was thrown on the breakers, dashed into little bits, and no one could be saved. The bodies of the unhappy crew were thrown up on the sand. "A fourth, fifth, and sixth were lost - ship and cargo - on the rocks. The tempest was terrific. The wind was so violent that it was useless to try to oppose it. It carried off the roofs and the thatch. It whirled so that the birds were killed - even the gulls, which are accustomed, one would think, to storms. The night was passed in defending the houses. Some covered the roofs with heavy stones; some carried ladders and poles, and made them fast to the roofs. The trees bent to the ground and cracked and split. It was a fearful scourge. The next day, All Souls' Day, the men returned to the shore; it was covered with dead bodies and wreckage. They were taken up and placed in rows along the foot of the cliffs. Several other vessels came in sight; every one was lost on our coast. It was desolation like the end of the world. Not one could be saved. The rocks smashed them like glass, and threw them in atoms to the cliffs. "Passing a hollow place, I saw a great sail covering what looked like a pile of merchandise. I lifted the corner and saw a heap of dead bodies. I was so frightened that I ran all the way home, where I found mother and grandmother praying for the drowned men. The third day another vessel came. Of this one they found possible to save part of the crew, about ten men whom they got off the rocks. They were all torn and bruised. They were taken to Gruehy, cared for a month and sent to Cherbourg. But the poor wretches were not rid of the sea. They embarked on a vessel going to Havre; a storm took them, and they were all lost. As for the dead, all the horses were employed for a week in carrying them to the cemetery. They were buried in unconsecrated ground; people said they were not good Christians." |