The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-02
ON A SEA OF CORPSES.
A VIVID WORD PICTURE OF THE
BARNEGAT DISASTER.

The Second Mate OF the sunken
schooner Tells the Tale-The Ap.
proach Of the Vessels and the Crash.
The Hush OF Death and Then Horror
Follows Horror for hours That
seemed Years.
NEW YORK, Nov. 1.-The pilot boat
Charles a Marshall, anchored of Tomp-
kinsvilie, L. l., at l o'clock this morning,
having on board five sailors of the Spanish
ship Vizcaya, and the second mate Of the
Cornelius Hargraves. The pilot boat picked
them up five miles south of the scene of the
disaster at O'Clock yesterday morning.
Mate Walker, who is an intelligent young
Yankee, gave to a reporter, who boarded
the Marshall in the morning, graphic
and detailed account of the disaster. He
said: ~ had just finished supper and come
on deck, p few MINUTES before z o'clock,
Thursday evening. saw the Vizcaya about
five miles off. Her green lights shone on the
port side. l did not feel the least bit
uneasy. Our lights were burning aud must
have been pl 1inly visible to those on board
the Spaniard. We were sailing at the rate
of about eight knots an hour, and neared
the Spanish ship rapidly. l turned the
fiare-light to show him that sailing vessel
was near but he held on his way, and be-
gan to think we might strike him, or he US,
IL one of us did not alter our course Capt
Allen and First Mate Henry p. Herran
were below, and l was in charge of the
deck
CALLED THE CAPTAIN.
Finally l called the captain. When he
came on decK he looked at Q cloud of can
vas on the Spanish eamship, and then at
our sail all of which were set. we can
clear him, guess he said, and we held on
our way. watched tAe t"o We seis draw
ing nearer and finally veutered: L think
we will strike them Yes, by - we will,
Hard a. port. bard a-port.' he shouted, butt
was too lite. Like a race horse our
vessel dsrted forward. We struck
the Viscaya amidships. and / hope
TO God may never be o witness TO another
such a scene. The Hargravss tore great
big hole in the Spaliard's side. l saw one
bjwsprit sweep alo G her deck and man
in gold buttons aud peaked cap, whom /
took to be the captail, was knocked of the
bridge.
THE HUSH OF DEATH.
"Then the vessels swung slowly about,un-
til almost side by side and for the fraction
of second there was the solemn hush Of
death. Then a chorus of agonlz-
ing human cries burst for b
on the big steamships decks, and soon
heard the sound of their feet as they
jumped down on our decks. They thought
that wi h Us they would find safe y, but
alas, our ship was sorely wounded as
their own. A moment after the crash
caught a glimpse of Capt. Aliens fAce as he
stood immovable under the light of the
binnacle lamp His face was wuIte even to
the lips. Then, as he heard the panic
stricken people dropping on our deck
be shouted to me: Walker,
keep them back. Let's save
our own crew first To the boatsmen, 80
the boats He him ell, with a broad ak,
cut away the taste lings of the llng boat
and jumped in. The first mate and thrse
of our crew followed him. Meantime, |
was lighting a gang of Spaniards, who were
oent on getting to our boats Suddenly l
looked around and saw that Capt. lien had
showed off with mis- four companions. The
ooat would ca ily have carried s.xteeD.
LEFT TO HIS FATE.
II Jumped into the rigging and shouteda
captain, you are not gong o desert your
second mate, are youl for Gods sake come
oack He shouted somoting in reply, what
~ was don't know out | saw him waving
us hand in farwell, and knew the coward
mad made OH. leaving the rest of his crew
to perish mise ably. There were ten of us
on the Hargraves. all told. For a moment
L
rades mounting the rigging with a Gro Nd
Oh Spaniards at their heels I felt the
schooner sinking, and fearing she would be
submerged, masts and all, grabbed a big
gang plank and jumped overboa d with it.
went under water, and when l arose to
ene surface again MEN we've jumping If the
schooner into the water all around, FL
nally counted thirteen of the Vizcaya,s
men ciinglng to the gangplank with me.
One was gentle-faced Spanish lad about
10 years old. The sea was quiet and calm.
put there was heavy, long swell We
were all sitting astride of the gangplank.
EIGHT GO TO THE BOTTOM
suddenly an extra heavy sea turned our
iran cratt bottom up, and we all went over
WIN IL. Down into the water | went. feel
ing arms and legs kicking all about me.
en- got to the surface again | climbed
oacK on the plank and then, one by one
oIners came back, unit | counted seven. A
minute later another big wave washed US
al over again. When got back to the
saug-pianS there were only five of us all
eoid. One of these was the handsome Spanish
iao- He could speak little English. and
ne nad great nerve. Our chances are
mighty thin,' ne said to me.
A., 4acqulesced, and he continued. Every
s'in9 the old gangplank turns over l grow
l.eaer l.eaAer and weaker. l don't think / can
'ess much longer
L
ooiu nlm, but let us hold on as long as we
au. noL,. "hen we go under mold your breath.
NUI 9 swa low salt water
viii !, don't know how long can live, but
trnn ~Il I'VE as long as l cam the poor lad re-
iu.neu' smiling sweetly few minutes
'"'ef his head fell forward On the board.
LAST CHOKING SOB.
h.sl tled to work my way up to him, but
4 cbaIt! etGie could reach him he gave great
EGhoAlng sob and rolled over into the deep.
or1.s +T seemed to sink like lead. There were
o4ly o.y Tour of us left l luld see that the
thu Suers could not last long. They were in
tboiv be maeer hanging to the gang plank with
cIs hands and arms too exhausted to
tbato bIo a-straddle Of it. Their heads lay on
snG nG ooard, and only for the convulsive tight
ovos s OF their arms when the sea was ed
thoar tnem. | would have thought that
oro ey were dead One by
ana / they slipped quietly off
oioIa ioI drowned. | was left alone before 9
elocx. The moon arose about that time.
Of if f. you cannot imagine the terrible feeling
me ana despair that took possession Of
tir,o fin, mad to battle with myself all the
ave I,ue 70 Keep from giving up and sliding
torayy tsy INTO eternity. On all sides of me in-
qule5 reigned. Where at first there
&c an endless chorus of screams and nrav-