The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-02-19
An Incident Of the Late Storm ut Long
Branch.


The most thrilling and exciting of all
the wrecks happened while the report
ers were in Station 4, receiving the news
about the Babcock. Captain Valentine
had just given them the final point,
when a man dashed into the door and
excitedly exclaimed, "My God, Cap
tain, here's a brig heading dead for
shore, scarcely half mile away" The
crew was hardly prepared for anything
of this kind. Two men were rolling up
the life-rope, another was swabbing and
furnishing the cannon, and another was
at work on the breeches- buoy. Every
one not connected with the station made
a dash for the beach. There, scarcely
a quarter of a mile away, heading
dead ON, with only a foretopsail set,
came the Inflated vessel. One man
was seen halfway up the main rigging;
another was at the wheel; the waves
were'rolling in with the incoming tide,
throwing the spray fully five hundred
yards: The pelting rain which almost
cut the skin blinded .one as he looked
seaward, and the wind, lifting up the
fine particles of sand, threw it into the
face viciously and painfully. On came
the vessel, sinking now in the trough
of the sea, anon rising upon the crest
of the wave until her keel was visible.
Within ten minutes she was within hail
ing distance of the shore. and the hum
dred fishermen waiting for her in their
rough tarpaulins and sou'westers
watched her every movement with
bated breath. A gigantic wave struck
her aft and washed her from stern to
stem.
To every ones horror the man at the
wheel was seen standing fixedly at his
post, while wave after wave washed
over the ship and him mercilessly. She
was brought up to the beach, in the
words of one of the fishermen, beauti-
fully. She lunged upon the beach
headfOremOst, but swung round until
she was broadside. Then five men
were seen budding together in the
forecastle, while one sat mournfully,
half-naked, hatless and shoeless, under
the lee of the cabin. Her name, Au-
gustina, was seen printed on her side.
Ten minutes elapsed, when the life
saving crew emerged from their
house, about fifty yards away.
Arrangements were made carefully;
the gun was aimed, the life rope care
fully tied; but when the gun was
fired the rope snapped. Another effort
was made, but with the same result.
Finally. Garrett, one of No. As men,
advanced dewn into the surf and threw
line, which cleared the vessels sides.
1t was eagerly seized, and rousing
cheer greeted the act. The line was
hauled in-the larger line also-but the
poor sailors, in their eagerness to save
their lives, failed to take heed of the
block of wood that gives the directions.
Much valuable time was lost in signal
ing to them what to do, and they mis-
understood the signals, so that the line
sagged and the drift-wood from the
Babcock accumulated between the ves-
sci and the beach, and tangled the line
so that it fouled with the anchors
f1uke. The next moment one of the
sailors jumped over the side, grasped
the line and made for the shore. He had
very little distance to get over, but the
high tide and choking drift-wood were
obstacles which threatened to prevent
the success of his plan. Twice he was
knocked down, and once, when he was
halfway, it seemed as though he must
perish. But he arose, staggered few
feet onward. fell again, and just as he
was being carried out by huge wave
he was seized by two of the lifemen,
and, half dead, dragged upon the beach.
He had strength enough to say that the
vessel was bound from Havana to New
York, twenty-days out, and that the
captain, when he perceived the High
lands and knew that the ship must go
ashore, had gone into the cabin and
Llown out his brains. While he was
speaking another cry was heard, and
two more sailors were seen strug-
ling in the water. One of these
fellows was he who was shoeless and
hatless, mere boy. He was caught in
an eddy, and was nearly strangled by
the driftwood. Robert Potter, of No.
4, jumped into the surf to grasp the
man, but was himself borne away by 3
receding wave.
"Save Potter! save Potter!' came
from all sides. For minute or two
not a sound was heard but the roar
ing of the tempest; the rescue seemed
impossible. Fortunately a spar was
close at hand, and Potter, with cool
ness suggestive of his calling, seized
it, retaining his grip on the sailor the
while. The next wave threw the spar
upon the beach, where hundred will
ing hands seized the gallant life-saver.
Five men in all saved themselves in this
way. and the remaining two were per-
sfectly willing to stay where the} were
until low tide.--M. Y. Cor. Boston
Globe.