The Portland daily press., 1884-01-21
WASHED AWAY TO TMEIR Deaf III
The stOry Told by MIR. F. Wy. Fairbanks,
of saOrham.

Boston, Jan. 19.-Mr. f w. Fairbanks of
Gorham, Me-, one of the survivors, is man
just on the hither side Of mid die age, hale and
hearty and intelligent in mind, to the posses-
sion of which qualities he doubtless owes the
preservation of his life. He told a reporter
that he was in his birth in the steerage, bat
awake, and was already somewhat uneasy
when the accident occurred. He is Of the
opinion that the steamer struck on the rocks
several times, two or three at least, before she
came upon them finally. He noticed these
successive shocks, and thought that it might
be that the high sea was hurting ice against
her Sides When the steamer was jammed up
on the rocks the water rushed into the steerage
and he scrambled out, taking with him the
greater part of his clothing that he had already
donned. AS the vessel filed she heeled over
aud he got into her main rigging, where he
chung for hours, with the sea breaking over
him at frequent intervals. At one time some
OF the rigging gave way and fell upon him; he
received stunning blow across the forehead
and another across the chest, but his fingers,
which were then frozen, retained their almost
mechanical clutch and he was not swept off
He attributes his safety trom death largely to
the fact that he wore gossamer rubber coat;
tearing the skirts of this garment he tied the
ends around his waist, and thus the clothing
about his body was not apparently wet. He
thinks that many more would have been saved
but for the high sea which was running not
only when the steamer struck, but also when
help was at hand. This rendered it i'm possible
for boat to approach closely to the wreck
When his turn came. he jumped into the rag
ing water and went down until he thought that
he was going to the bottom; as he came up
again he began to "tread water" only to be ov-
erturned, and at the same time to be swept
within reach OF them who rescued him. He
saw two OF those who made the same perilous
leap washed away to their death, and he thinks
that others met the same fate. Before the res,
cue was attempted single ooat' win several
Indians in it, cameson from Gay Head, but
they did not dare approach the wreck near
enough to render any assistance to those upon
it. They were engaged in picking up fating
matter, and doubtless they would have saved
the life of any one who could have reached
them, but to swim to them, the only means OF
reaching them, was an impossibility. While
they were in the rigging together, the pilot
Mr.. Fairbanks states, said to him that he fixed
the course of the vessel and fastened the wheel
and as he WAS very cold he went to the smoke
stack to warm himself. He remained there
fifteen or twenty minutes, and when he re-
turned to his post he found that the ship had
veered around. When he ascertained that the
vessel was among the rocks, and to save her
was probably impossible, he put her right on
shore and ran her as high up as he could, with
the result that although she ldrewI seventeen
feet her fore-foot was in eleven feet OF water.
Mr.. Fairbanks is of the opinion that many of
the passengers did not leave the cabin until
their bodies were washed ont by the waves,
which soon tore off the after part OF the deck
and carried out bodies, furniture and baggage
before the eyes OF the Mortified survivors, He
says that Mr.. Oscar Iasigi persisted before aid
was at hand. He says further that not one Of
the women and children was seen by him
alige after the vessel went ashore.