The Portland daily press., 1894-10-11
Waves Get High.

Develops Devotional Spirit When the
Waves Get High.
Yesterday was a time of turmoil and
wreck on the rocky shore of Cape Eliza
beth. The tremendous storm which began
yesterday morning SO suddenly as to catch
many vessels in exposed places, lashed the
sea into tremendous fury and sent thunder
ing onto the Cape Shore some of the most
magnificent waves seen for a long time,
At the Two Lights at six O'Clock last
evening at the time the PRESS representa-
tive arrived on the ground, the scene was
wild and exciting in the extreme. The crew
of one wrecked vessel had just been brought
into the Life Saving station, and Captain
Irundy and his crew were just hurrying on
their ollsk1ns and running along the shore
to rescue the crew of another schooner
which had just come ashore in Broad Cove.
With them were also the crew Ct another
schooner that had been abandoned at Rich
mond's Island.
In all there were thirteen shipwrecked
persons who part ook of the hospitality of
the Life Saving station last evening.
The first wreck of the day was the two
masted, lumber laden SC chooner Rosie and
Adra OF Machias. Captain A. ". Robbins,
from Calais, bound to North Falmouth.
Mass. The Rosie and Adra was off Half
Way Rock when the storm began suddenly
yesterday morning. 1t was not the captains
intention to come into Portland; but as the
storm soon developed unusual fury, he
decided to seek the refuge of this harbor.
In gybng to run for Portland,:the main
boom was broken, disabling the vessel to
such ansextent that when she arrived off
the Cape she could not combat successfully
the high wind and tremendous seas that
begar, to drive her to the shore. About a
mile this side of the Life Saving station is
Trundy's reef, dangerous rock extending
out some distance from the Shore Upon
this reef the Rosie and Adra drifted rapid
ly, and striking began to pound heavily,
The situation was disastrous for the vessel,
and very perilous for the crew. Captain
Trundy and his life savers, who have been
patrolling the coast since August 11th, this
year, were on hand promptly and began the
work of rescue. With some difficulty line
was f1oated ashore and seized and made fast
by Captain Trundy's men. Upon this line
Mate James B. Larrabee and Seaman
Arthur Libby gained the shore safely
There remained on board Captain A. W.
Robbins and Seaman Charles Colson, and
to rescue them the life savers launched a
dory through the surf and came alongside
in such position that the imperilled d sailors
were able to drop into the dory. II was
about noon that the Rosie and Adra struck;
but it was late in the afternoon before her
sailors arrived at the Life Saving station.
The life saving crew had barely gotten
through with the Rosie and Adra when they
discovered another two masted schooner
drifting into Broad Cove, which is about a
mile frUm the station, between it and
Trund7's reef. The whole crew. led by
Captain Trundy, set out at once on the
run; but after proceeding to within sight of
the vessel, a portion of The crew were sent
back after the gIn which throws the line
to imperilled vessels. The schooner proved
to be the Laura Cox, Captain Mcmillan, of
and from Isaac's Harbo1. n. S. and Lound
to Portland with a cargo of canned blue
beans for Burnham & Morrill,. AS shown by
the narrative of Captain Mcmillan the
Laura Cox encountered the storm when
about fifty miles from the Cape. She came
along all right, although the s.a was very
tempestuous, until she arrived off the Cane.
Then she mistook the light near the Life
Saving station for Portland Head light, and
started into Broad Cove. The captain
found his mistake when he saw the
breakers. He then determined to 1un his
vessel as far onto the shore as possible A
favorable beach assisted him. and he soon
grounded her in place where she would
stand good chance of being hauled off
after the storm. The situation was not
comfortable for the officers and crew, how
ever. The great waves that rolled in would
break with tremendous force against the
stern, and rolling along the schooner.
threaten to swamp any boat While the
shore was very near within a stones throw,
the crew of the uIa Cox did not meet
with good sncc' o II their efforts to get ii
line ashore. Il.> .,par to which they at
tached the line WAS whirled around and
away in the seething oauldroI of waters |
Having sent for the life line gun Captain i
Trundy counselIed the imperilled mariners
TO stay by the wreck until it should arrive. |
But they were nervous and anxious, and |
were soon seen getting ready to launch |
their boat, a perilous piece of business.
Captain Trundy says it WAS only by u |
piece of the rarest good luck that they got |
the boat into the water and got into it |