The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-11-21
The WRECK OF
The ATALANTA.
II Was Probably Due to Cap
tain's Loss Of Reckoning.
A SURVIVORS, GRAPHIC STORY.
Vessel Struck on the Rocks While Going
With All Her Sails Set.
A SURVIVORS, GRAPHIC STORY.
THE HULL SOON BROKE IN TWO.
Ptfu Sight 10 See Chief Officers In Rigging, Cry
Ing and Praying For Hslp---0y Three Of
The Crew We're Saved.

Yaquna. Ore. Nov. 2l.-Additional
particulars OF the wreck OF the British
ship Atalanta, Captain Charles Mcbride,
from Tacoma to Capetown. Thursday
morning. Ave miles south Of Alsea, were
brought here yesterday by n press rep
resentative who went to the scene.
Twenty-three lives were lost. including
all the officers of the ship. and only three
sailors survived TO tell the terrible story
OF the wreck. The survivors are: Fran
els McMahop. native of Belfast, Ire;
Johr Webber, Tarry;own, y. Y, and
George Frazer, Philadelphia.
Wednesday morning the ship stood off
on the starboard tack, the course being
+. r.. Il r.. until Wednesday night about
II o'clock. She kept backing off, steer
ing southeast by east and running under
full sail. when suddenly the lookout sang
out. Breakers ahead" Almost at the
same time the ship struck with a tre-
mendous crash. She arose again on the
heavy ground swell, lurched forward,
struck again, was carried further by the
seas. struck a third time. and commenced
settling at once. The seas By this time
were washing completely over the ves-
eel and the decks were quickly cleared
Of everything movable. The crew had
taken TO the rigging. most of them 20 the
mizzenmast. Within half an hour after
striking the hull broke in two. The main
mast fell and this started the mizzen-
mast. In which nearly all the crew had
taken refuge.
At this moment George Frazer. a
sailor, plunged overheard. preferring TO
take his chances by swimming to being
carried over by the tottering mizzen-
mast He and two others succeeded in
catching hold OF the main hatch and held
on for n few minutes. when he was told
that the port lfeboat was near him.
Frazer swan to the boat after a desper-
ate struggle and succeeded in climbing
into Ii. his shlpmates In the 'igging Civ
ing him three cheers. After he,ping Nc
Mahon and Webber into the boat they
soon drifted on shore.
Frazer. in telling the story OF the
wreck, said: The first thing I knew
the first mate called me and said the ship
was on the beach. The other men came
10 the door and sang out All hands lay
aft, we are going to wear ship
The second mate shouted; Clear
away the boats, that's our only chance.
The second mate and myself Jumped on
the boat skids to clear away the port
boat ! shouted out for someone to give
me a hand to the mizzen rigging. AS
soon as reached the poop was swer t
off my feet, but grasped Sanction when
the sea spent its force. When the sea
cleared of the poop ran for the nfizzen
rigging and climbed into 1t. I stayed
there. suppose, 10 minutes when the
ship righted and listed over 10 starboard
/ crawled across the cross backyard and
got into the port rigging, when the ship
broke in two. shortly after that the
mainmast WENT by tha board and it
started the nizsenmast. Itben took to
the water and swan 10 the main hatch
which foated close 10 the ship. stayed
on the hatch about 20 minutes. The sea
was throwing wreckage UP, hitting me
over the head. until drifted clear OF the
ship. Another fellow swan TO the hatch
but ! told him to get Off the hatch and
look for one OF his own. He would not
do IL, so got off myself, "a il would not
hold two up. There was another hatch
nearby and / swan toit, but the break
ers wasfpd me on The men IN me rtg-
ging we're watching ME and told me the
boat was coming. sYam TO the boat
and got one arm over the gunwale. the
crew In the rigging cheering me all the
time. ! crawled into the boat. which was
full of water, and looking around saw
Webber on the other side. Mcmahon
was among the wreckage and we hauled
him into the boat. We had no oars, but
soon drifted clear Of the wreck and the
breakers started us ashore. looked
toward the wreck TO see II could see
anybody. but only one man was visible
on the port aft davit. We kept the boat :
head TO sea and were soon washed
ashore"
Mcmahon said: The only reason
can give for the disaster is that the cap
tain lost his reckoning on account of the
bad weather for three days previous,
otherwise the accident Is quite unac-
countable. II was n pitiful sight TO see
the chief officers I'm the rigging crying
and praying for help. I consider the
escape Of myself and two shipmates
nothing short of miracle"