New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14

were in the rigging Of the latter vessel trembled
Mitn rear as they saw the Trenton approach.
rseiings hard to describe cane over the hundreds
Wno watched the vessels from the shcre
Presently the last faint ray OF daylight faded
away, and night came down upon the awful
scene The storm was still raging with as much
creatures who had been ciinging for hours TO the
ngg1ng of the Vandala were bruised and bleed
ing, but they held on with the desperation OF
men who hang by thread between life and death.
The ropes had cut the flesh Of their arms and
legs, and their eyes were blinded by the salt
spray which swept over them. Weak and ex-
nsusyed as they were they would be unable to
stand the terrible strain much longer. They
looked down upon the angry water below them,
and knew that they had no strength left to battle
with the waves. Their final hour seemed to be
npon them, The great black hull Of the Trenton
could be seen through the darkness Almost
ready TO crush into the stranded Vandala and
grind her 10 atoms.
CHEERS SOUND ABOVE THE TEMPEST.
Suddenly shout was borne across the waters
The Trenton was cheering the vandalis. The
sound of 450 voices brske upon the air and was
heard above the roar of the tempest. Three
cheers for the Vandalia" was the cry that
b the sbeaf Of t dying ts in the
there arose from the quivering masts OF thu
sunken ship a response SO feeble that it was
scarcely heard on shore. The men who felt that
themselves TO the effort and united in faint cheer
10 the flagship. Those who were standing
on shore listened in silence. for that feeble cry
heart was melted to pity. God help them" was
passed from one man to another The sound Of
6"nd next scroFS ths r The
The thousand men on seq and shore had never
before heard strains of music at suoh time as
TINS, An naescrlbaois feeling came over the
the notes of the National Anthem mingled with the
howl of the storm; For moment only were they
silent. and then they broke forth with cry that
rent the the air and reached each Of the struggling
men on the rigging of the Vandslia. Men who
had exhausted every means. during the whole OF
that awful day, OF rendering some assistance TO
their comrades now seemed inspired TO greatet
efforts They ran about the beach. eager to lido
something. even at the risk Of life itself. They
looked despairngy ct the roaring torrent Of wptet
that broke upon the shore and knew that no
boat could live in such sea. Bravely us the
Samoans had acted. there was not one Of them who
would again venture into such SURF where Ger
tain death would befall them. Three officers
who had been untiring In their efforts during the
and Jones. procured a boat and got It ready to
launch the moment the sea should subside. Sew
eral natives and one or two NIpsic sailors volun-
GERS a sufficient number Of men were procured TO
man the OARS. But the storm did not abate III the
least, and there was no opportunity during the
whole night 10 take the boat out TO the vessels.
CLIMBING ON BOARD THE FLAGSHIP.
The collision of the Trenton and vandalia, which
every one thought would crush the latter vessel
to pieces, proven 10 Oe 'ie SN"uou VI
the men in the rigging. Notwithstanding
the tremendous force of the waves. the Tren-
ton dragged back slowly, and when her
stem finally struck the side OF the vandaha
there WAS no shock, and she gradually swung
around broadside to the sunken ship. As soon rs
the vessels struck the men in the mizken rigging
erawled out on the yards snd Jumped 10 H IS
time for as the last left the yards the mizzen-
mast of the Vandalis fell with Il crash on the
side next 10 the shore The men on the main 'maSt
/ ID. 4l1o lGn
son, who was in the maintop, almost lost his NE
In passing from one vessel 20 tie other lie
| to Jump TO the deck OF the Trenton he lost his
footing, and fell distance OF twenty fee'
| into the water He was, however, fort.
which he Began to draw himself up on deck.
! When he was almost within reach Of the deck
his hands slipped from the rope, and he fell back
the rope again, but his strength was almost gone;
and he sank several times. Finally he grasped
| the rope and was drawn upon deck.
The men in foremost escaped by means OF a
| line thrown from the deck Of the Trenton DR..
| Cordero who was in the foretop, in attem Pting
to climb oat on the foreyard; slipped and w fell |;
be struck A a. SsSs hi. the anee oap
Notwithstanding his injuries, however. be stras,
plcd in the water until he reached line and
the Vandala fen soon after the mizzen, and IL
| was believed that several men were killed IN
| the rigging. II not they were KILLED oy the iail
or drowned before the men escaped from the
| rigging. -, =.
Ensign Ripley. who was in the maintop de-
| termined to make an effort TO reach SHORT. ne
| erawIed out on the yard and jumped into the
! sea- He was swept over 20 the stern or the
Nipsic but, not being able to draw himself np. ne
! swan to a piece of wreckage near shore LIE re-
| NAMED there o few minutes and then swan INTO
| the current After hard struggle he got through
| The current and was washed upon the shore.
| Utterly exhausted, he sank down in the water
AID was Just abont being washed out by the
undertow when Lieutenant Shearmnn ana Ensign
Purcell. Who were patrolling the beach. saw him
and dragged him out Of the water lie was taken at
once 70 the consulate and revived In short time.