Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-05
THE WRECK OF THE INDIAN
CHIEF.
Narrative CT William Lloyd. Chief
Hale.


Narrative CT William Lloyd. Chief
Mate.
| the fl 81 we. of January on the Lons sand. Of
iiamssste England and the story ia tins reported
graph
our ship was the Indian Chief, OF I.25s tons
| register; our Shippers name was Fraser. aud
| We were bound, with general cargo, To Yoke
| hama. There were twenty-nine souls on board
| counting the North-country pilot. We were
lour days out from MiddlesborOugh, but IL had
| been thick weather ever since the afternoon OF
the Sunday on which We sailed. All had gone
well with US. however. so far, and on wednes-
uay morning, at halfpast 2 we made the
| hnocker light. You must know, sir, that here
aoouts me water Is lust network or shoals;
| Ior TO the southland lies the Knock and close
over agalnst 1t stretches the Long sand, and
SenS S nown 10 9, the westward Is me sunk
Ia sight the wind shifted to the BASTARD ami
efought squali OF rain. We were under
al pam sal at the time, with the
exception OF the royals, which were furled, and
the mainsail that hung ia the buntlines. TIE
| Long sand was 10 leeward, and finding that We
, mere r., ai 1 mat way the order was given TO
put tne sup aoOut- 1t was very dark the Wind
| preeAnS up sharper and sharper and cold as
death The helm Was put down but the main
t uhaGeS aOuiso, ana before they could be cleared
tne vessel had missed stays and was Ia irons
We then went TO work to wear the shin. bur
there was much confusion, the vessel nesliaC
| over, ana an OF us knew that the Sands were
~
ical moment the spanker boom sheet fouled tie
wheel; STILL we managed TO get the vessel ro11nd
but scarcely were the braces Delayed and the
| ship On the StarboaTd tack when she struck the
| ground broadside On. She was a soft-wood built
Ship, and she tIemOled, sir. as though she would
| 60 10 pieces at once like pack OF cards Sheets
venture aloft Every moment sthreatenei TO
bring the spars crushing about u.s. aud tue
numbering and beating OF the canvas N lde the
masts buckle and jump Ike fishing rods. We
nnf RI. l-afc
and our signals were answered by the sunk
nghtshlp and the Knock. We could see one
4nothers faces In the light OF the big blaze, and
sung out cheerlly to keep our hearts up and,
indeed. Sir, although we all knew that our sh.p
was hard and fast and likely to leave her bones
on lhat SAND, we none OF US reckoned upon dy-
ing Ihe SKY had cleared, the eastery wind
made the stars sharp and bright, and it was
comforting to watch the ltghtships' rockets
rushing up and bursting into smoke and sparks
over our heads, for they made Us see that our
position was known, and they were as good az
| an assurance that help would come along soon
and that we need not lose heart. But all this
while the wind was gradually sweeping up
into gale-and oh, the cold, good i,orl' tue
bitter cold OF that wind,
IL seemed as long as month before the morn
Ing broke. and Just before the gray grew
broad In the sky, one OF the men yelled out
something, and then came spTaWling and
splashing aft to tell Us that he had caught
sight OF the sail OF life-boat lodging amoag
the heavy seas. We rushed TO The side to
wind and clutching at whatever offered to our
hands, and when at last We caught sight
OF the boat we cheered, and the leap
! Ing of my heart made me feel sick aud
death like. As the dawn frightened we could
see more plainly, and 1t was frightful to notice
now the men looked at her, meeting the sting
ing spray borne upon the wind without wink
of the eye, that they might not lose sight OF the
boat for an Instant, the salt whitening their
races all the While like layer OF flour as they
watched. She was good distance away, ana
closer, and evidently Sinking the huge seas
! which were now boiling around us. At last
she hauled her sheet aft, put her helm over,
| and went away. One OF our crew groaned but
no other man uttered sound and we returned
to the shelter OF the deck houses.
Thopgh the gale was not at It's height when
the sun rose 1t was not far from 1t. We plucked
up spirits again when the sun shot out OF the
raging sea. but as we lay broadside on to the
/ waves the sheets OF lying water soon made the
s!opiIg decks dangerous place for man 10
stand on, and the crew and officers kept the
shelter Of the ck-cabins, though the captain
and his brother and were constantly going out
10 soo see t II any help was coming But now the
hoCd was making, and this was a fresh and fear
| ful danger, as we all knew, for at sunrise the
water had been too low to knock the ship ont
of her sandy bed. but as the tide rose it lifted
the vessel, pumping and Straintng her fright
1ulIy. The pilot advised the skipper TO let go
the starboard anchor, hoping that the set OF
the tide would slew the ships stern round, and
make her lie head on to the SEAS so the anchor
was dropped, but 1t did not alter the position or
the ship. To know. sir. what the cracking and
stTainiDg Of that vessel was like, a. bit by bit
she slowly went to pieces, you must have been
aboard Of her. When she broke her back sorr
Of panic seized many Of US, and the captain
roared out TO the men to get the boats over, and
see II any use could be made Of them. Three
boats were launched. but the second BOAT. With
two hands In her, went adrift, and was instant
y enguiphed, and the poor fellows In her van
ished lust as you might blow out light The
other boats filled as soon as they touched the
water There was no help for us Ia that way,
and again we withdrew to the cabins.
little before o'clock in the afternoon
huge sea swept over the vessel clearing the
decks fore and aft, and leaving little but the
uprights Of the deck houses standing. 1t was
dreadful sea, but We knew worse was behind
1t, and that we must climb the rigging II we
wanted to prolong our lives. The hold was
alrt ady full OF water. and portions 1I The deck
yawniDg CULTS met the eye, with the black water
washing almost flush. Some OF the men made
for the fore rigging, but the captaIa shouted
to all hands to take the mizzenmast, az mat one
in his opinion, was the securest. + number OF
the men who were Scrambling toy' ward returned
On hearing the captain sing out, but the rest held
on and gained the fore-top. Seventeen OF us got
over The mizzentop and with our knives fell TO
hacking away al such running gear as We
could come at to serve as lashingS. None OF us
touched the mainmast for we all knew now,
the ship had broken her back. that that spar
| was doomed, and the reason why the captain
| had called TO the men to come aft was because
| he was afraid that when the mainmaSC went
! 1t would drag the foremost, that rocked In its
| step with every move, with IL. j was next the
| captain in the mzZen-top, and near him was
| bis bT0ther-a stout built, handsome young
| fellow. y years old, as fine a specimen
| OF the English sailor as ever j was
| shipmate with. He was calling about him
| cheertully, bidding us not to be down. hearted.
| and telling us to look sharply around for the
! life-hOatS. He helped several OF the henumbed
| men TO lash themselves, saying encouraging
| things to them as he made them fast. As the
! sun sank the wind grew more freezing, and
! saw the strength or some OF the men dashed
| over me leaving them fast. The captain shook
! hands with me and, on the chance or my being
| saved. gave me some message TO take home, TOO
! sacred to be written down, sir. He likewise
handed me his watch and chain and put them
| In my pocket. The canvas streamed in ribbons
from the yards, and the noise was like con
| unuous roll OF thunder overhead II was
/ dreadful to look down and watch the decks rip
| ping up and notice how every sea that rolled
| over the wreck left less OF her than &c found.
! The moon went quickly away-itWaS young
| moon, with little power-but the white water
| and the starlight kept the night from being
black. and the frame OF the vessel stood out like
| sketch done in ink every time the dark seas
| ran clear OF her and left her visible upon the
| foam. There was no talking no calling to one
| another, The men hung In the topnast rigging
! like corpses, and noticed the second mate to
| windward OF his brother In the top shelterng
| him. as best he could, poor fellow, with mis-
| body from the wind that went through our
skins like showers Of arrows TN q sudden T