Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-11-16
CURSED HIMSELF TO DEATH.
Tho Fearful Scenes ut tho Albion
II Rpn-


WreckinS.
The schooner Albion foundercd off
tho reefs of Chance Cove ON the 9th
INST, and not one OF tho II souls on
board lived to recount tho awful disas-
ter except q colored cook, who, after
nearly half III hours struggle, was cast
ashore near Chance Cove beach, whence
he set out for tho Fort Amherst light
house. Early on the morning Of the
9th inst. II strong northwestern began to-
blow, and increased to such IL degree
before noon that tho mate ordered the
upper tol,sails to be hauled down. The
captain coming ON deck, drunk, cried
ont to the mate:
s. want them -. -, to give
tho schooner full play, and get into St.
Shntts before night"
The mate vainly cxpostulated with
him, saying that the craft could not
bear any moro canvas, and that tho
wind was freshcning.
"Set them upper topsails, if she 90
Tho men olryed. Tho cook says that
the schooner now began to labor great
~, and the heavy seas broke over her
deck, doing much damage. Within all
hour u large breach was made in the
bulwarks Of tho port side. -Four wo-
men, on their way from the Bay Of Is
lands, wcro in :. dreadful state Of terror.
Iu this condition of affairs the mate
plainly told tho captain that if they
continued to carry that amount of sail
tho schooner would either be dashed to
pieces or founder in an hour.
Let her rip, in the devils name
wo'll strike st. Shott's fore midnight, -"
cried the captain, who had grown stu
pidly drunk, and employed himself in
Intervals of drinking, cursing, and
singing iliotically. The mate finally
went up to tho second mate, and asked
him, firmly:
Will your watch stand bysus if we
rule this vessel SO as to savo our own
ives?"
81 know they will, and tho sooner
VIC get about that the BETTER" said the
second mate with equal prcmptitnde.
"The captain was below in his
drunken orgies, and tho second mato
sang out:
Stand by thore, men, and haul
down your upper topsails. "
Before his voice had died away in
the gale, the fastenings Of the upper
rigging were swept away, and the fore
mast near the cap was snapped Oft.
Tho schooner was somewhat eased by
the accident, and after chewing foresail
and taking a double reef in the MAIN
sail she was laid to. During the sec.
ond mates watch (from 8 to II p. N.Y.,
the captain staggered on deck, and,
taking q misty look at the schooner,
asked what Roadway tho craft was max
ing. On being told that tho schooner
was not under canvas, but was lying to,
and that they had lost the foremost and
upper topmast, he began to snarl at
everybody and everything, consigning
the craft to perditlon. His order to
face the schooner for the shore was un-
needed; and on being sternly told by
the second mate that he was incapable
Of commanding the vessel, he swore
violently that he would blow Hardy's
Che second mate's) braius out. He
made attempts to reach his cabin, per-
haps for the execution Of his threat,
but the women induced him to lie
down in the cabin until he recovered
himself.
About 10 o'clock the wind veered q
little and blew still stronger than bo-
fore. The schooner was gradually fall
ing in on tho shore, md there seemed
to be no chance for her safety, except
in striking beach of tho harbor of st.
Shott's. A heavy sea almost stove in
the bowSprit, and it was discovered
that the forccastle was filling rapidly.
The rush Of water continued to in
crease until the pumps were called into
demand. OFF st. Shott's light house,
and within the gut known as Gillicud-
dy's spout, the Albion was driven under
water, and it was not expected that she
would rise again. Rallying, however,
she WAS faced in for the shore, and by
IL great risk tho crow managed to set the
lnainsail to give her greater Roadway
before she foundercd. She struck on
the Gillicuddy point, which is the
first Of the breakers known on that
coast, and was literally burst asundcr.
Further than that is not known by the
only ono Of seventeen who survives the
wreck of the Albion.