The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-01-31
a SAILORS YARN.
Mate Wilson Tells the Story of the Wreck
of Brigantine.


of u Brigantine.
Three sailors were making music with
pair of bones, tamborifie and amaze
Gordon in the front of No, so Market
street, yesterday evening, when a Her
aid reporter entered. and, inquired for
Mr.. Charles Wilson, second mate of
the brigaptine Emma L.. Hall, which
was wrecked at Turks Island on the
10Th inst. A tall man withaa long black
beard and a sun tanned face, came for
ward from the group that surrounded
the musicians, and said: ''My name is
Wilson, sir. | suppose you want me
to tell you how | was shipwrecked.
Well, sit down and III spin you the
yarn
The music ceased and all eyes were
turned on Wilson as he leaned against
lounge and told his story.
Il shipped ION the brigantine last
January" he began, with Captain
James McKie, the commander and
owner. We had made several success
full trips to various ports until we
touched at TURKS Island, on the 9TH of
this month, for the purpose of getting
cargo of salt, On the morning of
the 10Th wehad loaded twelve thousand
bushels, when suddenly noticed a big
black. cloud in the sky. l was about
calling the Captains attention to it
when terrible hurricane struck us
with immense force. sFThen a. success
sion ofsgreat waves. crashed against the,
sides of the vessel with terrific force,
smashing the timbers at each blow. We
rushed at once to the pumps and
worked at them as long as there was a
bare chance that we could save the
brig; but at half past three o'clock she.
was struck so violently that she broke
squarely in two, and then we saw that
no human power could savelher. ,s5'
y got an empty barrel and hitehed
a rope to it, thinking it would drift to
the shore and enable us to save some of
our property, but it would not drift;
so at last a Norwegian sailor and my
| self launched the small boat and started
| il It, The waves tossed us about like a
| cork, and we were almost in despair OF
ever reaching the shore, though it was
only eighty yards distance, but at last
w4 succeeded in igetting there, A
crowd of natives surrounded us as we
landed and implored us not to attempt
to reach the vessel again: But we
were bound to save our mates, so we
started back with the rope. Scarcely,
| however, had we left the shore 'whefI
we were capsized and flung back on the
beach. The natives then came. to our
aid, and as we started second time,
swan alongside Of our boat. When we
e roo oh ba- 1,1.ifr a hot
utter wreck and fast going to pieces.
| We at once launched the big boat, and
by means'of the rope landed the whole
crew.
Captain McKie, however, would not
think of deserving his ship. while Il
stick of her remains I'll stand by her,
he said, over and over again, as he
stood leaning over the starboard side
of the bow, with the great waves dash
ing continually over his face. But as
soon as the crew was landed the Gov
ernor of Turks Island sent a tall native
to tell us that the Captain would be
brought ashore by force unless he pre-
ferred to come of his own accord. We
went back to the brig with the native
and gave the Captain the message, and
after long dispute he cames with us,
or rather we managed to bring him.
And it was well he did, for scarcely had
we left theabrigs side before big wave
lifted her high in the air, and when she
came down she was dashed in thou
sand pieces.
Everything on board was lost ex-
cept the ships papers. | lost my en-
tire kit, several valuables, and my citi-
zen's papers. When ] landed l had
only pair of pants and shirt. Con.
sui Sanger, of'Turk's Island, gave me
pair of boots, apair of drawers, and
an overshirt. He hunted the whole
island for coat'for me, but could MOI
get one. The other men were just as
badly off. We left the island on the
18th inst, and arrived here yesterday or
the steamer Santo Domingo.-N
Y. Herald.