The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-30
across to Foamy Rocks Light on the Florida
coast One course or the other is chosen. ac-
cording as the weather favors.
THE Ell DORADO.

across to Foamy Rocks Light on the Florida
| coast. One course or the other is chosen. &C.
cording as the weather favors.
A SHOCK LIKE COLLISION.
Capt. Byrne has made eighty -se en- voyages
| through there. aud has followed the east side
| Of the channel on twenty Of them. The route
! over which he was steering showed. according
to the chart. nowhere less than six fattoms OF
water. There was no moro reason for fearing
that the ship would ground there than there
would have been at any time after leaving her
pier In New York. Nevertheless as she was
driving along six miles southwest one half
west from the south piunacle OF the rocks.
called Hen and Chickens. at 1885 o'clock at
night the crew suddenly felt Il heavy Jar as OF
collision. The ship careened. and the Cap
tain. who was on the bridge ordered the wheel
hard q. port. and called for soundings.
Tho first cast OF the lead Gavo nine fnthoms
It was a uch-and-go blow upon something.
but whether rock or sunken wreck could not
then be told. As soon as he was sure he was
In deep water the CARPENTER was sent below to
see how much, II any. water was coming into
the ship. for the blow had been heavy enough
to warrant the belief that she had been cut
open. He found that lively streams were
rapidly filling the forward half OF the ship.
Thereat tho Captain headed the vessel to
southeast. and at o'clock on the morning OF
Aug. s beached her on q soft sand bottom In
thirty feet OF water. about ten and one.half
miles south OF Great Isaao's Lighthouse. This
light stands on q rock twenty feet high. and
tho lamp is $50 feet above the sea At daylight
Chief Oficer Boyd was sent Off in
ships cutter 10 this lighthouse In search
OF aid. On tho way there he ran
across little Bahama schooner. such
as the natives use In the sponge and turtle
IL - -
where bargain was soon made. by which the
schooner was to carry the officer to Key West
whore he could notify the owners and secure
the assistance nssded 10 save the ship.
THE CUTTER NC LANE WITH ARMED MEN.
Mr.. Boyd arrived ut Key West on the morn
ing OF Saturday. Aug. =. and in reilly to his
dispatches. the owners started the steamer I.
]. Merritt. Capt. Sharp. to the rescue. AtKsy
West he also found the revenue cutter Nc.
Lane. Capt. L. c. Chaylor. to whom the stua-
ton was also explained.
Cart. Chaylor knew OF the disposition of tba
natives OF the Bahama group and at once
agreed to return with Mr.. Boyd to protect the
FL Dorado. He also towcd over a lighter to
hold the CARGO that might have to be dis.
charged and brought a diver with his outft.
- we'll as some steam pumps. &o.
The McLans reached the FL Dorado at noon
on Sunday. and Mt once put a squad Of armed
men Oh board the stranded ship. There had
been no ill-nRtured demonstration on the part
OF the natives and there were ouly q few
schooners lying about the ship. but the guards
were sot as matter OF prscaution. Then the
diver went down Tor a look ut tho wound in
the ship.
He found dent fifteen feet long, such as ons
would expect from glancing blow on sharp
rock. and several holes where the rock had
broken through. He did what le could toward
stopping them up. Meantime the pumps of
tho shin had been kept mt work and those
brought by the McLano we're rugged. Itwss
found impossible to keep tho engine room free
from water. Then the cargo was taken out
and some OF it put In tho lighter. and every
thing WAS done for the ship pending tho ar.
rival OF the wreclinR steamer from New York,
Tho wreckor arrived on Friday. Aug. IA, and
Capt. Shnrn's men at once took hold, Thew
had boilers and pumps OF the most powerful
description anu appliances for stopping leaks
The divers went down ard began driving
wooden plugs into the open rivet holes
wooden wedges into the splits in tho plates.
and over the largest hole they fastened
= wooden plank. using blankets for caulk-
Ing. They were getting along iamousy
when on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 10, came |
a tremendous squat from north northeast.
With hor nose on the beach tho ii Dorado was |
standing high out OF tue water and wnen the
sQuall struck her over she went to stArboard, |
almost on her beam ends. This was bad
condition OF affairs. and after due considera-
tion. Capt. Dyrne decided to send all bis crew,