Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-14

drowned and killed when the Adler struck.
MANY of the officers and men were seriously
injured.
The Nipsic was standing off the reef with
her head 10 the wind, but three anchors
which she had out were not holding and she
was beating back towards the point where
the Eber went down. The little schooner
Lily got in her track and
was cut down. OF the three men aboard,
only Captain Douglass was saved. The
Nipsc then got well away from the reef and
the men were preparing to hoist tho heavy
eight-inch rife on the forward deck over
board to assist her anchors, when the Olga
again came down upon her and struck her
amidships The Nipsic was unable to keep up
steam, and as it was useless TO try to keep this
steamer from the reef Captain Mullau gave
the order to beach her. When she struck
the sandy beach orders were given to lower
the boats. Five sailors jumped into one, but
the falls did not work properly: one end
dropped. The men were thrown into the
water and drowned, Another boat contain
ing Derr and half q dozen sick men was
lowered in safety, but capsized before 1t
reached the shore. The natives who were
stand in the surf seized the floating
men and passed them to the beach. Several
other men on the Nipsic ran to the rail and
jumped overheard, among them Lieutenant
Davenport. All but two sailors reached the
shore in safety. BY desperate effort line
was got to the bow of the steamer and
double hawser passed ashore. Mataafa's
men gathered in great numbers in the surf
and along the hawsers to assist the men
ashore.
Captain Mullan and several officers stood
by the rail and directed the movements of
the men. The sick and injured were sent of
first and after that the men came down the
ropes quickly. The waves were rolling so
high that when the men had come ten feet
down the hawsers they would often be en-
tirely submerged, and nothing but the noble
efforts Of the natives prevented them from
beng washed off and carried away by the
current.
Captain Mulan was the last man to leave
the Nipslc.
About 10 O'CLOCK in the morning the Van
dalia and Calliope were seen to be in most
dangerous position, bearing back against the
reef rapidly. The Calliope was nearest the
shore and her bow was close to the stern of
the Vandalia. Suddenly the great iron Prov
of the English vessel came with full force
upon the port gu arter of the Vandalia. A
hole was torn below the rail
and the water rushed into the cabin.
Just after this collision Captain Cane,
of the Calliope determined to,make an effort
to steam out of the harbor, and he accord.
ingly gave the order to let go all anchors
The Calliope's head was swung around to
the wind, and her powerful engines worked
to the utmost capacity. She seemed to stand
still for moment and then made Roadway
inch by inch, but gradually increased her
speed until it became evident that she could
clear the harbor. AS she passed abreast
of the Trenton great shout
went up from the 400 men on
the flagship and three hearty cheers were
given for the Calliope, which were returned
with a will The English vessel passed
safely out of the harbor and steamed far out
to sea, returning after the storm abated.
She sustained little injury outside of the
loss of her boats.
When the excitement on the Vandalia
which followed her collision with the Cal
liope had subsided little it was found
necessary to act quickly to save the ship.
Lieutenant Carlin, the executive officer, was
practically in charge of the vessel, as Captain
Schoonmaker had been thrown across the
cabin the night before and injured, his head
being cut and one ear almost torn away.
Notwithstanding his injuries, he faced the
storm and stood by his first officer until
finally swept off to his death, but was in
such weakened condition that he was able
to do but little toward directing the move
ments OF the ship. The highest praise is
given Lieutenant Carln, who had been on
duty since the morning before and had not
tasted food in all the time. Though weak,
he kept his position by the side of Captain
| Schoonmaker and Lieutenant Wilson, the
navigating officer, and encouraged every one
| around him.
The Vandalia was now fast bearing down
| toward the point where the Nipsic lay.
Captain Schonmaker and Lieutenant Car.
| line determined to beach the vessel; two OF
| her anchor chains were slipped and a full
| head of steam put on. She came on until
| her bows struck on the soft sand about forty
yards from the stern of the Nipsc. In hall
an hour the vessel was filling with water
and settling down. BY noon the whole gun
| deck was under water. 1t was impossible To
| get line across to the steamer as
| there was no firing apparatus on shore.
Lieutenant Shearman and Ensigns Purcell
| and Jones attached small cord TO the haw-
| ser and three natives ventured out in the
| SURF IN an attempt 10 rcach the Nandalla
They entered the water quarter Of u mile
above the spot where the steamer lay, wadel
out as far as they could, and then struck
| out into the current with q cord tied to then
bodies. Expert swimmers as they were
| they were unable to overcome the force OF
| the current, which rushed down like catu
ract between the Vandalia and the shore
F, and the men were thrown upon the beach
| without being able TO get within forty yards
| of the Vandalia. Their chief urged them tc
try again, and several other attempts Were
| made but with the same result
The first man to come to shore was CHIEF
| Engineer Green; the next was Naval Cadet
| Wiley, who was caught by the bravo natives
just as he was sinking and was carried tc
the American consulate, insensible. II was
not long after Green and Wiley were washed
over that four officers were swept from tho
deck. Captain Schoomaker was clinging u
the ruis on the poop deck, Lieutenant Carlir
doing his utmost TO support hun, as the ca,,
tain was becoming weaker every minute
| No one knew II better than himself and he
| remarked to those about him that he would
have TO go soon. At last a great wave struck
the Vancalia on the port quarter and sub
merge To deck, Captain Schoonmaker held
on 10 the rail with all his remaining strength
but the torrent OF water was SO strong that d