Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-27
A NEBRASKA BOYS DARING,
Brave Conduct of Oscar Brinlsman
in the Samoa Storm.
A HARD FIGHT WITH THE WAVES.
Washed Overheard He Returns, as IL
Were, From the Grave, Bringing
Succor to His Endangered
Comrades,
A HARD FIGHT WITH THE WAVES.
Fearless Oscar Rrinkmnn.

FREMONT, Neb, April 26-[Special to THE
BEE. II have Just learned of an act Of great
herosm by youth eighteen years of age,
Oscar Brinkman, son of Henry Brinkman, of
Seven Oaks farm, near Fremont. Young
Oscar was a sailor on board the Vandalia
when that illfated ship met with the late
disaster in the hurricane in Samoan waters
When the hurricane struck the ship all
hands were at.their posts. The anchors were
cast, but 1t soon became evident that they
would not hold the ship against the furious
gale, and she slowly but surely drifted
towards tho surf. A tremendous sea struck
her. sweeping over her, washing away many
poor fellows, and clearing the deck of every
thing which was not securely fastened. In
the interval of quiet which followed the men
took to the rigging and clung to the masts
and spars. Presently the vessel gave
heavy lurch before the gale, and many men
and boys, including young Brinkman, were
literally
BLOWN FROM THEIR PLACES.
and were left in the foaming surge. Brink
man struck out for life and in another min
ute succeeded in seizing plank which had
been washed from the deck of the steamer,
and to which he clung with all his strength.
Another terrible wave swept over the ship
carrying with it Captain Schoonmaker. He
was seen by Brinknann, but apparently
quite stunned or else exhausted IS he made
carried away by the storm and not again
seen.
Brinkman, whilst clinging to his plank and
furiously driven about by the waves, saw one
of his mates struggling in the water and
nearly exhausted, and Immediately quitting
his plank seized hold of him by the hair and
swimming with him again got on the plank
to which they both clung whilst the storm
roared. All around
MEN WERE STRUGGLING FOR DEAR LIFE
-
stunned or killed outright by being dashed
against floating objects which had been
washed from the storm-battered ship. How
ever, these two on the plank were driven to-
wards the shore. Time and again they
were overturned and immersed in
in the sea. One tremendous wave drove
them well up the beach; when the wave had
receded they were left in shallow water and
abandoning their plank, they ran as fast as
possible landward, but did not succeed in
getting far enough up not to be caught by
the next incoming wave, which carried them
off their feet and bore them back with the
outwash Of the sea. They being expert
swimmers, kept afoat till the next wave
washed them shoreward, this time landing
them further up than before. AS 500 m as
they felt the bottom they again ran with
their utmost speed, and got far enough up
to be
OUT OF DANGER
before the wave returned. Half dead, as
they were. Brinkman's first thought was to
render assistance to those on board the ILL
fated ships. He secured a boat, and pursuad-
ing some OF the natives to accompany him,
determined to again venture into the angry
sea, from which ne had so perilously es-
capped. Three natives and himself manned
the boat, and started with rope to establish
q line between the shore and the shipTrenton.
At the first essay the small boat was upset
and all were thrown into the sea and again
swaying with the elements. Fortunately it
soon righted and all succeeded in getting on