The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-17

strike and go to pieces every minute, but she
was seen to move away from the reef and make
slight Roadway toward the point where the Nip
sic lay. Capt Sehoonmsker and Lieut. Carlin
saw that it was useless TO make any further at
tempt to save the ship, and, as her engines
were not powerful enough to steam out TO sea,
as the Calliope had done, they determined to
beach the vessel. Two of her anchor chains
were slipped and full head Of steam put
on, more than she had ever dared to carry
before. Past Asst Engineer Webster was in
charge OF the engine room and he required his
whole force of men to exert themselves to
their utmost TO keep the fires up and engines
going. The Vandalia was a quarter of mile
from the Nipsic and she was obliged to run
along the edge of the reef the whole distance
IN order to reach the sandy beach beyond. Ev-
cry one on shore crowded down near the point
where II was expected she would strike and
watched the vessel steam across the sharbor.
The Vandalia's draught was much greater than
that of the Nipsic and it was known that she
would not be able to get very close to the shore.
She came on until her bow struck in the soft
sand about a hundred yards off shore and
probably fifty yards from the stem of the Nip
SIC. The engines were stopped at once, and
every man who was below rushed on deck.
The Nandalia swung around broadside TO the
beach, and at first it was thought that her posi-
ton was comparatively safe, as it was hoped
that the storm would abate in few hours and
that the go men aboard could be rescued then.
1t was nearly IL o'clock when the ship struck,
and, notwithstanding her easy position, it soon
became apparent that her officers and crew
were in great danger Nearly all of the officers
were on deck in sight of everyone on shore.
The men were scattered about on the gun deck
and torecastle, holding on to the masts and the
sides of the ship In half an hour il was noticed
that the vessel was filling with water and set
Ting down. Lying as she did, almost brosdside
10 the wind, the seas broke over her furi-
ously and water poured down her matches.
BY noon the whole OF the gun deck was under
water and from that time on the condition of
the men was as pltiable as could be imagined.
The torrents that swept over the rails knocked
the men from their feet and threw them vio-
lently against the sides. Several were badly
injured. Most of the men sought refuge in the
rigging and to those on shore 1t seemed as if all
available space on the ratings and yards and
in the tops was occupied. A few officers still
remained upon the poop-deck, but
number of them had gone aloft
The wind seemed TO increase in fury.
People on shore shuddered as they saw the
sea break across the stem of the vessel. The
force of the water would break the grasp of the
officers on deck and throw them against the
rail. Nearly every one on board had cast
away most of his clothing and some were
entirely naked A few had provided them
selves with life preservers but those could not
be obtained for all, as the vessel had filled so
rapidly. As the hull of the steamer sank
lower in the water the force of the waves was
more violent. The men shore were willing
boat could have lived a moment i'll the surf; IL
was impossible to get a line across to the
steamer as there was no firing apparatus on
shore.
Lieut.. Sherman. Ensigns Purcell and Jones,
and Consul Blackjack, procured large hawser,
to which they attached a small cord. Three
natives were found who were willing to venture
out in the surf with the cord and attempt to
reach the Vandalia. The men entered the
water about quarter of mile above the spot
where the steamer lay. waded as lar as they
could, and then struck out into the current
with the cord tied to their bodies. Shouts of
encouragement went up from the shore, and
the Samoans struggled bravely to reach the
sinking ship. But, expert swimmers as they
were they were unable to overcome the force
of the current which rushed down on them
like a cataract between the Vandalia and the
shore, and they were thrown upon
the beach without being able to
get within ffty yards OF the vessel.
and urged them to try again. Several other at
tempts were made without success. The cord
fouled with pieces of wreckage, which were
floating everywhere. Once 1t became fastened
around a break of spar under a small wharf.
Ensign Jones jumped into the water and lust
as he succeeded in freeing the cord the
struck him and threw him under the piling
He was drawn out by sailor Just in time to
prevent serious injury.
Finding il was impossible to reach the vessel
tnere was nOtnlng 10 90 Dut 10 remain near the
shore and wait Tor an opportunity to render any
assistance that might be possible. It was evil
dent that many of the men aboard would not
be able to stand the waves much longer and
would be swept into the sea. The natives
waded into the water and stood Just on the edge
of the current ready to grasp anyone who
should float near to them. The seas continued
10 break over the vessel and it was not long
before several men were swept over her side.
As soon as they touched the water they swan
to the Nipsic, which was the nearest object to
the Vandalia. Most of them reached the
Nipsic. when they grasped ropes hanging over
side and attempted to draw themselves up on
deck. A number succeeded in doing this, but
others were so weak that after hanging to the
ropes few minutes their grasp was broken by
the awful seas which crashed against the vessel,
and they would fall back into the current.
The first man who came ashore was Chief En-
gineer A. s. Greene. He standing the
poop deck and was among the first washed off.
He was swept from the deck three times but
twice he succeeded in catching rope as he
fell and drew himself back on the steamer. be
had not removed any of his clothing but had
put on a life-preserver. The third time he was
washed from the deck he was swept so far from
the sides of the vessel that he was not able to
reach her again. He then swan to the side of
the Nipsic and caught hold of rope. He hung
here for several minutes and tried in vain to
draw himself up. Finding himself failing he
let go OF the rope. and drifted back
a
wreckage passed by, which he caught
and chung to with all the strength he
had left He soon drifted into the current and
was swept down along the shore. The natives
saw his head above the water and they clasped
each others hands and formed q long line
stretching out into the current, and Lieut..
Greene swept blythe native furthest out clutched
him by his arms and brought him 10 shore.
Just before the engineer was rescued, another
man who had been washed overheard from the
oil la a
side of the Nipsic. He had no clothing on him
sailors aboard the Nipsic by this time, and he
shouted to them to draw him up, but his voice
was lost in the roar of the wind, and after
and grasped the gangway ladder, which was
floating past. He was also drawn into the cur
rent and commenced to sweep along the shore.
almost lost his hold OF it, He was further out
in the current than Greene had been, but the
natives were endeavoring to reach him and had
advanced so far into the surf that they were
almost carried away themselves. Just as the
Vaisigano river where another current would
tives caught him and drew him ashore. lie
was Naval Cadet ii. A. Wiley.
The chief engineer, who had already been
taken to the consulate, had revived sufficient
to give an account OF his experience in the
water, and a dozen persons crowded around
him and asked questions in regard to the safety
of others aboard. 1t was not long after Greene
and Wiley were washed over that four officers
IL. HI