The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-11-18
CURSED HIMSELF TO DEATH.
The Fearful scenes ut the Albion
w eel king

The Fearful scenes ut the AIbion's
WiccNinS.
The schooner Albion foundered off
the reefs of Chance Cove on the 9th
INST, and not one of the II souls on
board lived to recount the awful disas-
ter except a colored cook, who, after
nearly half an hours struggle, was cast
ashore near Chance Cove beach, whence
he set out for the Fort Amherst light
house. Early on the morning OF the
9th inst a strong Northwestern began to
blow, and increased to such IL degree
before noon that the mate ordered the
upper topsails to be hauled down. The
captain coming on deck, drunk, cried
out to the mate
s want them -- --, to give
the schooner full play, and get INTO St
Shott's before night"
The mate vainly eXpostulated with
him, saving that the craft could not
bear any more canvas, and that the
wind was freshenlng.
''Set them upper topsails, if she go
to hell for it, " growled out the captain.
The men obeyed. The cook says that
the schooner now began to labor great
", and the heavy seas broke over her
hour a large breach was made in the
bulwarks of the port side. -Four wo-
men, on their way from the Bay of is
lands, were in dreadful state of terror.
In this condition of affairs the mate
plainly told the captain that If they
continued to carry that amount Of salt
the schooner would either be dashed to
pieces or founder III an hour.
1 ,
we'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 idiotically The mate finally
went up to the second mate, and asked
him, firmly:
9 VIII your watch stand bysus If we
rule this vessel SO as to save our own
lives ~
4 know they will, and the sooner
we get about that the better, said the
second mate with equal promptitude.
The captain was below in his
drunken orgies, and the second mate
sang out
q Stand by there, men, and haul
down your upper topsalls.
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 of.
The schooner was somewhat eaSed by
the accident, and after chewing foresaIl
and taking double reef in the MAIN
SAL she was laid to. During the sec
ond mates watch (from to II p. Nj,
the captain staggered on deck, and,
taking misty look at the schooner,
asked what Roadway the craft was max
ing On beng told that the schooner
was not under canvas, but was lying to,
and that they had lost the foremost aud
upper topmast, he began to snarl at
everybody and everything, consigning
the craft to perdihon. His order to
face the schooner for the shore was I'M
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
fthe second mate's1 brains 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
little and blew still stronger than be-
fore The schooner was gradually fall
ing III on the shore, and there seemed
70 be no chance for her safety, except
III striking Il beach of the harbor of ST.
Shott's 4 heavy sea almost stove III
The bowsprit, and it was discovered
that the forecastle was filling rapidly.
The rush of water continued to in
crease until the pumps were calleC into
= I.rI,t
and within the gut known as Gilhcud-
dy's spout, the Albion was driven under
water, and 1t was not expected that she
would rise AGAIN Rallying, however,
she was faced III for the shore, and by
great risk the crew managed to set the
mainsail 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 asunder.
Further than that is not known by the
only one Of seventeen who survives the
wreck of the Albion.