The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-27
"A Dread Romance Of the Sea.

Dread Romance of the Sea.
: The British steamer "West Indian"
which arrived at Baltimore few days
ago, brought from Jamaica the news OF
one of the most heartrending marine
disasters which even the present tempest
nous winter has caused.
About the middle of last month the
British bark "Fontabelle," Capt. Nixon,
sailed from Jamaica for London, having
on board crew of twenty-five men and
ten passengers, including the captains
wife and three children, and two young
couples who had been married only SIX
weeks before. The voyage opened with
promise; the wind was fair and gentle,
and everything indicated quick and
pleasant passage to the English shores.
The West Indian seas, however, are
treacherous, and when one day out the
wind fell, and the vessel lay becalmed,
rolling lazily upon the long waves. -Four
DAYS after sailing, when every sail was
set to catch the listiess breeze, hurrl.
cane car = of prodigious fury fell without
warning upon the bark, and stripped her
of masts and rigging in ten minutes
time. The gale increased in fury, and
the dismasted hulk was driven violently
before it, being repeatedly swept by huge
waves. which momentarily threatened to
sink it by the weight Of the tons Of water
which they threw on5board. The pas
sengers and crew, abandoning hope,
cro1cbed under the bulwarks, and
through the long night listened to the
bowling of the wind and the shrleks OF
anguish, as, one by one, their numbers
we're diminished by the relentless seas.
Vivid flashes of lightning at times illu-
mined the scene, making its details more
terrible. With every dash the passen.
gers who creuched in the stern could
perceive one of the young married cou.
ples clinglng to the wreck and to each
other, the husband standing over his wife
to shield her from the force Of the waves.
One wave of unusual power struck the
pair and tore from the body of the young
wife the night clothing in which she was
wrapped whereupon the husband, strip
ping off his own clothing, fastened it
about his wife, and leaving her bound
securely to the side, plunged down into
the hold. at the risk of his life, and
brought up for her more suitable attire.
Just as the dawn was breaking the climax
came. A tremendous wave hurled the
vessel high in the air; it came down
crashing upon reef; another torrent OF
water struck the deck, and the captain
and ten men, with the young bride, were
hurled into the sea. As she was torn
from her husbands arms, the latter ap.
peared stupefed, but the next moment
ieaped after her with terrible cry, and
he, too, was swept away and out of sight
of the horrifed survivors. To these the
prospect of instant death was not to be
avoided, and they clung to their fasten-.
ines and watched with despair the slow
crnmbling of tug vessel beneath the;
blows of the. sea. About noon the storm
abated, and the survivors began to gather
a little courage. The night came, and
the other bride, overcome by exhaustion.
died in the arms of her husband. Day
dawned again, but only to arouse one Of
the seamen, who, crazed by thirst, leaped
into the sea before the eyes of his horri-
fed companions, and sank forever. In
the clear water they could SEQ his body
descend, until, thirty feet below them, it
lodged in hollow of the rocks. To-
ward night the wind again rose, and the
storm ragged SO fercely that, when the
morning came, seven more had been
swept away, and only the mate, one sea-
man and the captains wife remained
alive. Late in the afternoon Of this
awful day vessel hove in sight, per.
ceiyed the plight of the survivors, and
sent crew of six men to rescue them.
But the pitiless sea had not yet been
appeased with victims; Q wave oyerturn-
ed the boat when it had almost reached
the bark, and the entire crew were
drowned in the surf beneath the very
eyes of those whom their bravery had
yainly attempted to save. Another boat
was sent of, however, and at great risk
brought on board the men and woman
who had sat with Death for eight and
forty hours.
This is but one of the terrible tales
which are every year brought home by
those who go down to the sea in ships,
and which make the romances of inagi-
native writers seem like idle tales. 1t is
rarely that shipwreck occurs which is
attended by more distressing details, but
the seas are full of terrors, many of
which are known only to those who die
in them, and whose fate is never known.
Such narratives as these give a lively
stimulus to the Imagination in thinking
Of the multitudinous wrecks from which
no survivor has ever come, and which go
to swell the chapters OF romance of the
mysterious and threatening deep.