Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-29
TINE nANK,s sURVIroRs.
fo"r Seamen and the Body of Theii
bend Enntnln Ranch PhiInhnInhin

ho'r seitlhen ana the Body OF Their
Dead Captain Reach Philadelphia.
Tuesday mornings Philadelphia Press,
says Henry King, Peter Ancker, Robert
Grler and p. Sandriage, four suffering
and half-clad sailors arrived at the Sail
ors Home early Monday morning in
quest Of a resting place nearly ex-
hausted from exposure and want of
proper food and rest. They are some of
the survivors from the Philadelphia
schooner Nathaniel Lank iowned by
Ex-Governor Hall which was wrecked
off Cape Hatteras Thursday last, and
telling thrilling story of their strug-
giles to escape being washed overheard
by the enraged sea which swept that re-
mote spot where the vessel met her end
In their charge was the body of Cap
tain j. n. Sipple, their master who was
washed overheard from the wreck and
drowned. II was Immediately forwarded
TO his family in Frederick, Del. All of
the poor men bear indications of their
terrible struggle for life and are bruised
and weather-beaten. Their limbs are
stiff and their bodies are broken out in
sores where they We're bathed through
and through with salt water while
clnging to the rigging of their vessel
which was rapidly going to pieces
beneath them.
From IL midnight until daylight Fri
day morning the men chung to the rig
ging Of their vessel until the life saving
crew came to their rescue. During that
time they suffered everything but death,
as the seas washed high over the lower
masts and froze stiff 10 every available
portion of the rigging.
When the patrolman sighted the wreck
from the beach early in the morning he
Immediately notified the station, and in
less than an hour all hands were landed
safely in the breeches buoys excepting
Captain Supple, who was missing. His
body was subsequently washed ashore
in q bruised condition.
Henry King, one of the survivors,
says that he was at the wheel at the
time the vessel struck. "Captain Supple
had just gone below after giving me the
course north northwest UatteraS light
shone brightly on the weather quarter.
About five minutes later / saw breakers
ahead, and sung out down the com
panionway TO the captain He came on
deck and peered ahead with his spy
glass, and said it was only the reflection
Of the moon on the water" King says
he had followed the sea too long not to
know when he.saw breakers, and about
three minutes later, with crash that
shook the vessel from stem to stern, she
struck The vessel kept up her head
way, humping very heavily, until
finally she cleared Gull Shoals and
struck the beach Soon after she struck
the sea began TO rise, and in less than
an hour the schooner was completely
submerged
Captain Sipple, when last seen alive,
was clinging to the main rigging and it
is believed he became unconscious, re-
leased his grip, and was washed over
board.
All four of the sailors say that bad
luck has followed them ever since they
joined the unfortunate schooner and
they have met with nothing but hard
ships. On the voyage from jackson
willie to Demcrara the craft sprung u
leak and ali hands were at the pumps
day and night until their destination
was reached. On leaving Demerara
homeward bound the same trouble was
again experienced and the captain had
to put into st. Thomas for repairs. On
the night the Lank struck it was thick
and haay on the land and Captain
Supple had calculated himself to be
further off shore.