The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-01

ing over her and threatening destruc
ton TO the vessel even then. At last 8
line was gotten to the ship, to which 8
hawser was made fast, and when ii
was hauled taut by hundreds of ma
tives and whites ashore, the crew and
officers escaped by climbing down the
rope "hand over hand" A sad wreck
the old NiDsic looked-piled up on the
beach, with masts splintered, yards
gone, slnoIe-slack cut off, and rigging
and sails tern and Tapping over the
sides. Two boats were lowered on the
starboard side, but only one reached
the shore, it being washed high Oh the
beach by powerful sea, the oars prov.
ing utterly useless. The other was
capsized as soon as she struck the wa.
ter, and seven of the crew were swept
out to sea on the current of the Val
siago and drowned. A painful sight,
indeed, to see them lost, and not a
chance of their rescue yet so 1T was,
and seven stout sailors found Watery
graves in the angry sea close to the
land where their fellows stood power
less to save. When all had left the
ship and the hawser was clear again,
it became my duty to go aboard and
secure the money and papers of the
pay department.. What q miserable
sight was the once trim and handsome
ship when / climbed over the side and
went aft to the safe Tying the pay
roll and other valuable papers OH my
back and making fast the money III
the "treasure belt" 1 fastened it
around my waist, and slowly went
"hand over hand" across the hawser
again before L had gotten to the beach,
however, two stout Samoan friends
waded out in the water and pulled me
off the rope and shouldered me ashore.
1t was a great relief, for $20,OO0.0O in
gold is no tritling burden to carry
while climbing hawser over a resist
less river.
The United States ship NandaHo
lost her anchors, and was run into by
the Olga, and at $3.50 IL. m., she struck
Oh reef about two hundred yards fur
ther ont to sea than the Nipsic. Her
poOp-deck was torn away, and she was
badly damaged in many other re-
spects. Where she struck, the heavy
seas had clean sweep at her, and
washed over the ship almost every
minute. Heavy guns were torn from
their carriages, and for Il while it SEEM
ed as if she would 60 to pieces in few
hours meanwhile the gale continued
to increase, seas rose higher, and hope
went lower for the two hundred men
aboard, for nothing could be done from.
shore for their rescue. Thousands OF
dollars were ofiered to any on who
succeeded in getting line to her, and
many efforts were made, in which two
men lost their lives, but all to no avail:
| Frequently we could see men washed
overheard from her when heavy seas
swept the ship, but only one or TWO
bodies We're picked up, aud in them
every spark OF life was extinct. One
tremendous sea struck her, crushing
her considerably, $, that she settled
deeper in the water, and loosened her
maots; at the same time a gun got
adrift and struck the Captain, wound
ing him severely, after which he was
washed overheard and drowned. All
hands were obliged to take to the rig
ging about noon, as by this time, the
ship was below decks in water. 1t
was heart-rending to sec them clinglng
grimly to their last hope, and it fast
failing one,-and, still, no hand to
savei Unable to hold Oh longer, or
their grasp being loosened by the del