The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-21
LOSS OF THE ATALANTA
DETAILS OF THE WRECK OF A
BRITISH SHIP OFF OREGON.
Tventy-Three of the Crew Perfshed,
Including John Marks, Formerly
of BrightwOOd, Ind.

YAQUINA Ore, Nov. 30-Additional
particulars of the wreck of the British ship
Atalanta, Captain Charles Mcbride, from
Tacoma to Cape Town. Thursday morning,
five miles south of Alsea, were brought here
by a correspondent of the Associated Press
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 sur
Vivors are:
Francis Mcmahon, a native Of Belfast
Ireland. aged eighteen; John Weber,
Tarrytown, N. T.; George Frazer, PhiIa-
delphia.
The lost are: Captain Charles Mcbride.
- Hunter, first mate; N. c. Huston, sec
ond mate, all of Greenock, Scotland; David
Steward of Liverpool, Alec Beck, w. E.
GROCER, M. o. Pilkngton, Joe Casa, -
Williams, T. L. Lewis, Michael Gallagher
David Green, - jacobson. Pedro Gregory,
John Marks, John Smith and Hamilton.
The unknown two cooks carpenter, sail
maker, second mate and one sailor.
The body of jacobson was recovered and
buried yesterday. Wednesday morning the
ship stood off on the starboard tack, the
course being southeast, twelve east, until
Wednesday night about IL o'clock. She kept
backing off, steering southeast by east and
running under full sail when suddenly the
lookout sang out breakers ahead" Al
most at the same time the ship struck with
q tremendous crash. She rose again on the
heavy ground swell. lurched forward, struck
again, was carried further by the seas,
struck third time, and commenced set
fling at once. The seas by this time were
washing completely over the vessel, and the
decks We're quickly cleared of everything
movable. The crew had chung to the rig
ging, most of them to the miZzen mast.
Within half an hour after striking the hull
n fuyn a
started the miZZen mast, in which nearly all
the crew had taken refuge. AT this moment
George Frazer, sailor, plunged overheard,
preferring to take his chances by swim
ming to be carried over by the totter1ng
mizzen mast. He succeeded in catching
hold of the main hatch and held on for q
few minutes, when he was told that the
port lifeboat was near him. Frazer swan
to the boat after desperate struggle, and
in the rigging giving him three cheers.
After helping Mcmahon and Weber into the
boat they soon drifted shore.
Frazer, in telling the story of the wreck,
said: THE first thing 1 knew the first
mate called me and said the ship was on
the beach The other men came to 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
jumped upon the boat sldds to clear away
the port boat. 1 shouted out TO some one
to give me a hand to- the mizzen rigging.
AS soon as l reached the poop | was
swept off my feet, but graSping stanchion,
when the sea spent its force. When the sea
cleared off the poop / ran for the mizZen
rigging and climbed into it. ] stayed there,
I suppose, ten minutes, when the ship
righted and listed over to 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 the board, and it started the mizzen
mast. / then took TO the water and swan
to the main hatch, which fioated close by
the ship. l stayed on the hatch about TWEEN
ty minutes The sea was throwing wreck
a oo I'm until |
drifted clear of the ship. Another fellow
swan to the hatch, but l told him to get
off the hatch and look for one of his own.
He would not do it, so / got off myself, as
it would not hold two up There was another
hatch near by, and 1 swan to it, but the
breakers washed me off. The men in the
rigging were watching me, and told me the
boat was coming. swan 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 Weber OH
the other side. Mcmahon was among the
wreckage, and we hauled him into the boat.
We had no oars, but soon drifted clear or
the wreck, and the breakers started Us
ashore / looked toward the wreck to see
If 1 could see anybody, but only one man
was visible upon the port aft daVit. We
kept the boats head to sea, and were soon
washed ashore"
Mcmahon said: 1.-THE only reason 1 can
think for the disaster was that the captain
had lost his reckoning on account of the
weather for three days preceding, otherwise
a pitiful sight to see the chief officers in
the rigging crying and praying for help.
consider the escape of myself and two ship
mates nothing short of a miracle.