The Brave Rescuer

There are dangerous rocks in the sea. On such rocks are made lighthouses to warm the ships against them. When dusk falls, these lighthouses flash powerful lights. These lights are seen by the seamen and they keep their ships at a safe distance from then. In each lighthouse there are keepers to see that the lights are switched on and switched off in the darkness of the night and the light of the day.

 

Grace Darling was the daughter of the keeper of the lighthouse upon the Fern Islands. The Fern Islands were, in fact, a cluster of such dangerous rocks.

 

On 6 September 1838, she woke up in the morning by the cries of people. As it was very early in the morning, she could not know the cause of the cries. After the sun rose, she saw a broken ship upon one of the rocks in the distance.

 

She awoke her father and asked him to go to the island in his boat. He could save the lives of the people who might still be alive. But her father was in no mood to put his own life in danger because the tide was rising and a strong wind was blowing.

 

She did not want to waste any more time. She seized an oar and jumped into the boat. Her father did not want her to go alone and he also seated himself in the boat. They rowed off together in a wild and turbulent sea. Now they could see that 9 persons were still clinging to the front part of the broken ship.

 

When they went closer, they found it was very dangerous to reach the rock. Strong waves would have dashed their tiny boat against the rock.

 

After making many attempts, at last the father was able to land on the rock.

 

Moving very carefully, her father succeeded in reaching the very spot where the ship lay broken. But she stayed in the boat. Her task was no less difficult than her father's. She had to see that the boat was not dashed to pieces against the rocks. The boat was among the breakers, and no boat can be safe among them. The breakers are large waves, ready to break and fall on the beach.

 

Her father picked up all the 9 people with care. They were placed in the boat and carried to the lighthouse.

 

There was no one to help Grace and her father. They could not send any message to the mainland because of the storm. For several days Grace fed them, nursed them and looked after their comfort.

 

Among the survivors was a woman whose name was Mrs. Dawson. She had been trying to save the lives of her 2 sons and held them in her arms. But the angry waves of the sea had killed both of them.

 

The name of the ship was "Forfarshire." Something had gone wrong with the ship's engines. When the storm arose, the ship went out of the control. She was driven upon the Fern Islands. A few sailors had been able to save their lives in a boat. Of the others, they had been drowned. Only 4 of the sailors and 5 passengers had remained alive. Those 9 were rescued by the brave girl.