The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-11-20
CLOSE TO THE BREAKERS,
The British Bark swaini6re Has q
Close Call Near Cape Falcon.
The Little Coassing Steamer Harrison
Arrives in the Nick of Time and
Saves Her

halge, II days from San Francisco, ir
ballast for this port arrived off the
! mouth Of the river in the vicinity Of the
(, lightship. The tug had gone inside ant
the pilot boat was nowhere to be seen
SO taking advantage of a gentle breeze
blowing off-shore, the bark stood tC
sea in southerly direction. Wher
night came on, with 1t came a dense
fog, and soon the bark was enveloped
In cloak Of darkness that 1t seemed
light would never penetrate. The wind
died away to dead calm, and the ves-
sci was left drifting helplessly on the
waste Of waters. 1t was impossible to
tell just how far the bark was off shore
when the first hours of the morning ar
rived, and the fact that heavy shore
swell was known to run in this vicin,
W, caused the captain no little alarm.
A vigilant watch was kept on deck,
and about 2:SO on Sunday morning the
cry Of breakers from the man at the
wheel startled everyone on board. The
sound of the foaming waters on the
beach grew louder so quickly that it
nearly froze the blood In the veins
OF everyone on board, for an instant.
Then. without wasting any more time
the starboard anchor was dropped in
about 20 fathoms of water and 35
fathoms of chain run out Here she
held until $3.50 when a breeze sprung
up, and quickly slipping her cable,
headed off shore with all sails set. She
made about eight miles when a dead
calm set in and she began to drift
shoreward again.
There is nothing that strikes the
sailors heart with dread to much as to
hear in the dead of night, the roar
of breakers on the beach. Darkness
adds volumes to the awful noise, and
so 1t was with the crew of the Swan
more Sunday morning when the omi-
nous sound reached them of the waves
breaking furiously on the rugged walls
of Cape Falcon not more than a thous-
and yards away. Daylight had dawn
ed, and with 1t came breeze that had
carried them out of the very Jaws of
death into place of apparent safety,
and now to find themselves drifting
helplessly back towards that awful !
spot again, was enough to cause des-
pair to come into every soul on board. |
On and on they drifted, until finally
the duh roar of the breakers was again
plainly audible, but fortune favored
them before they reached the first
foaming line. A breeze filled the sails,
and away surged the great vessel, as
II alive to the fact that danger was
ut her heels, The breeze stiffened, and
I cheerful air prevailed among those
IN board at the prospects of getting
plenty of searoom before another calm
night set in.
Fate seemed against the Swanmore
md the crew, for when a run of about
EN- miles had been made, the wind
lied, even more suddenly than before,
md the big spread of canvas tapped
azily with the rolling motion of the
'essel. Thoroughly alarmed again,
;aptain Greenhalge gave orders to
prepare the boats and be in readiness
hould they get into the breakers and
trike, to cut loose from the bark and
.ttempt to make the shore. Clothing
nd other articles of value were placed
n the ships boats and then the help,
ess crew awaited their fate. Nearer
nd nearer the treacherous ground
we'll carried them inshore, and after
few hours, about $3.50, the familiar
ound Of the breakers hidden by the
og, could be plainly heard 1t seemed
ges to the terror-strlcken crew, as
hey slowly but surely drifted into
hat seemed certain destruction to
heir vessel, and probable death to all
n board,
Louder and louder the awful roar
ecame, until finally the first long line
foaming surf was visible through the
". Each succeeding swell carried
lem nearer, until finally amidst a
'rrible roar, the bark went over
g green comber, and the frantic crew
'ew knew they were inside the line
here but little hope was left them. A
w minutes more, and two lines OF
'eakers could be counted outside the
doomed bark, and the in.
lore view Of foaming waters struck
rror to all on board, among whom
ere two ladies.
Little did the captain and his crew
brave sailors know at this critical
oment that coming down upon them
rough the fog bank under a fun head
steam, was q little steamer that was
ultimately prove their savior. The
arrison, with Captain Schrader. and
lot McNelll on board, had crossed
er the Nehalem bar at about the
ne the Swanmore had sighted the
st breaker, and seeing her masts
I'm which distress signals were fly.
:, looming up above the fog, they
'ds toward her under a full head
steam. 1t would be hard to describe
J intense joy with which the crew OF
: bark greeted the first sound of
! Harrison's whistle.
IS soon as the little steamer came
ngside a steel hawser was thrown
and hastily secured. Then the
iggle for life began. Faithfully the
rrison's engines worked, each turn
he wheel slowly driving them away
m the bowling surf that seemed to
m and plunge and swirl with anger
the thought OF losing their costly