New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-15
IN THE RIGGING OF THE VANDALLA.
EXPERIENCES OF THE SHIPS MAcHINIsT
DURING THE TRYING HOURS.

eor rranclsco Apnl ID speciaD.-wflllam f.
pov,on. the maOhirtst Of the Vandala, who arrived
ON the Alameda gives the following graphic details OF
the loss of the ship: "My homo is at Dayton OHIO
This was my first voyage on the VandaIs' having
sbpped In January last. When the vessel was dnit
ING on TO the reef on deck mastering Voiuh'eefs
for the fire department, as during the panic most
Of the regular men got Sick after the bursting Vi
two glass water gauges, by which several men "ere
scaIded After We had succeeded in shutting the
anuees obtained one gang OF six men as volunteers,
who went down into the reToom with me ana staftea
10 work 1 then went deck and got four addidona
volunteers ready 20 relieve those below, out just
this moment the vessel struck the reef Inc csptS&n
then gave orders for tho fremen to leave tner poes
and come on deck went on to the poop ana "hen
Tho vesSel began 10 break up standing on the
starboard side, near the small salute gum warned
four or five Of my mates who were standing rouho
and they all. with the exception Of Chinaman
took I'm different position The decks then began
IN break I'D and the Chinaman who persisted In
cAngtng 10 the gun carried overooafu WIN to
rpn and a portion Of the deck, and in few minutes
WAC drowned / then made for the rigging Oh phe
mizzenmaSt and when only half way up large UOuy
Of water came over me with such force as 10 maze
verv dlfDoult TO hold on. This was before IL q H.
and remained in the same position tll nearly v p m
when the Trenton camo down upon US.
ar too,r of all my clothes when In the rigging
and with the cold heavy continually breaking
over the ship I had a fearful time. had great
difficulty In reaching the Trenton, as had nrst 10
lump from the starbOard rigging To- the JACOBS
and then on 10 the port rigging. ibis hSo :"
done IN a very dark night and / ran geSt HsA'
Tho y-sccgeant, as soon as the VesSe Oro' ~,
nut OH a large life buoy and jumped overOoaru' no
made for tho NIpsc, but the current was 100 suonS
for him and he was drfftcd out round TO the Stern
=, ,be vapdalla. where he was got on board again
Tia took a rest then got piece Of wood ana uSHlS
:, tor A paddle swan for the Nlpsic. The One'
however was too strong for him and he WIS oAd''0A
out to ,,,,.
"A seaman named benjamin Davis and hachinisI
Yeoman made a desperate struggle for hte' "hen
the ship struck the reef Davis standing on tn'
POOP and subsequently cluging to the easneao' no
held on, erouchlng down with every ses Lsies X xn
no was compelled TO take TO the digging but eventua
saw him a. the oS SeSsr c Gi fnG Downey Bad
lust been carried away from the same pisoo 81. ~
then stripped and jumped overheard, lie swan gal,
Iantly to tho side Of the Nipsic. rope was throw
him. but the poor fellow missed IT, and BY the nes s
sea was taken hight under the stern OF the SNIP i0e
foremost. nrTer saw him rise again. - .,s
- The people on the Trenton threw me rope, ana
s0d m ad 70 sio S5 IN IL then lot 60 as dreCe and
feil heavily between the two ships Ihey haa eri,
S Ssn managed with the assistance Of the waves
TO got up again, and swan foT mast WhS III va
ennSa with the Wire rope belonging TO the
cling OF The mEzcnmast. By this time the mon OF the
trenton heard me In the water, and again threw me
rome hut as | was already fast with the wire rope
round INV ankles, seized II and mado 1t last tili
could release INV foot There four men behind
me- who had fallen with the mast. asked them 70
Give mo few minutes assistance, but they were all
SanIc stricken and would not move from their posi-
lion These men eventually taken on board the
Trenton by the rope which had been thrown me
AZ had then given myself up as lost thinking hau
no chance OF being saved. About fifteen minutes
later a swell came from the shore and carried the
mast on board again. This gave slack rope.
NV ankle and foot by this time had all the flesh torn
OF leaving the bone exposed and was suffering IN
tense pain. My left leg was then caught, put
managed to clear II, and sang out for another rope
which was Immediately thrown, and was pulled
on board the Trenton. The next morning was
taken on shore In a boat TO the hospital"