The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-02

danger until nulr midnight, whom he wns
far 20 tho south Of the scene, with tho
wind blowing In his face.
Tho hotel watchman alarmed tho sta
tion at 2 o'clock and Keeper Green, with
all his crew and the beach apparatus
reached tho spot where the fire was burn
ing on tho sand at a quarter before
O'Clock. The dim outline II sails and
spars could be seen through the fog. but
there was no sign Of life ON board the
wreck. Tho first shot line was fired from
tho beach mortar at 3 o'clock, and furtu-
natoly IL fell across the malntop, whero
the active mate, McAuley, climbed up and
seized 1t, passing IL into the hands Of those
on deck. The masts were already swaying
terriflcally before the mate @prang aloft,
for the ship was fast going to pieces under
tho power OF tho sea- Hardly had McAu-
ley left the tops when the mainmast ana
foremast together fell with an awful crash
that sounded on shore and seemed to those
there anxiously watching the fate OF the
ship like tho rattle Of muskotry. AS soon
as tho mast came down tho stern of tho
vessel, where the imperiled sailors had
congrogatcd, broke of just forward OF the
mizzen rigging. leaving the hull In two
entirely severed paris. Tho stern was list
ed oifshorc, with tho port rail in the wa
ter and ths sailors clinging to tho star-
board rail Al Of this was invisible then
tn tho life savers ON tho beach. but I'm
short time they learned that thero was life
on board tho wreck, which they know, by
the fearful sounds coming from it, must
bo porilous refuge. The line they had
snoJ athwart i.cr Ihasts was being nauicd
on board The unfortunatos on the wreck
understood the meaning Of tho shot line
and hauled away until they got tho tail
block, which they fastened securely, and
shouted TO the people on shore. Keeper
Green then prepared to send out the haw-
ser which carries tho life buoy, when, to
the dismay Of those on shore, the sound OF
another terrible crash camc from the
wreck, followed by deathly stiffness. The
fog had again become so thick that the life
savers could no longer see the wreck.
The last falling Of the masts had been
fatal to ono soul on board, and the entire
party Of l3 remaining had barely escaped.
Tho mizzcnmast had fallen over the side,
causing the stern where the men were to
carcen suddenly and throw all hands into
the water. Then tho lifo lines stretched
across deck carly in the evening once moro
camo into play. The sailors caught them
and struggled through tho flood Of water
to the opposite rail, which had been thrown
high out of water. 1t was life and death
BATTLE and somc of the strongest cried to
their mates for help, but all except tho
cabin boy crossed over and laid hold OF tho
safety rail. A sailor passed q rope to tho
lad as no struggled in the water; but,
weakened from long exposure, he soon let
go and was swept off by wave. But for
the lifo lines stretched across tho decks
many Others would havo been lost in the
catastrophe, which increased the peril In
moro ways than one Tho whip block and
lines sent of 20 tho wreck by tho life savers
had been fastened TO tho inshorc side OF
the ships stern and the canting OF the
vessel when the inizzcnmnst went over
buried these under water beyond the reach
OF tho sailors. This fact could not be sig
nalod To the men OH tho beach, owing to
the thick fog, aud they hauled away gal
lnntly To pull the life buoy hawscr off to
the wreck. In short time it worked free
ly, and u jagged end SOON came in, show