Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-10-22
Thu WRECKED MICHIGAN.
Ninety-fve Lives Lost Off Brit
aims Stormy Coast.
THE BRAVERY OF THE SAILORS.

None of Them Made any Effort to Es-
cape In the Lifebouts, and the Gal
liant OnIcers Went Down With Their
Doomed Vessel.
London, Oct. 1.-THE steamer Mohe-
gan, of the Atlantic Transfer company
was wrecked last Friday evening. Or
the IA persons on board including 81
passengers, 95 were lost. The total num-
Der of bodies thus far recovered is S.
Many persons undoubtedly were kill
ed by being dashed on the rocks who
would have escaped if cast ashore on
an ordinary coast. Some of the bodies
are horribly mangled.
The cause of the disaster remains the
profoundest mystery. Nobody attempts
to explain how the MoheSan got SO
far north of her true course-from SIX
to seven miles. There was no fog at
the time, while the wind on her port
quarter was not sufficient to prevent
her answering the helm. 1t has been
suggested that the compass was faulty,
but daylight lasted long ;fter Eddy
stone light was passed. The sailors
say the fact that the Lizard light was
not visible should have served to give
the alarm.
Remarkable stories of rescues con-
tinue. Robert Barrow seaman. per-
formed the feat OF swimming unaided
through the toughest water to Cove
rack Point, distance of two and one
half miles. He climbed up the ragged
cliff. where searching party found
him early the next morning completely
exhausted y. c. L. Smith. of Oregon.
a passenger. surrendered to a woman
in the water wrcckage chat was sup
porting him and swan ashore unaded.
The woman was saved.
The crew. in a chivalrous effort to
save the women. made the mistake OF
undermining the boats. There were
only four sailors in one boat. which
capsized as soon as it was launched
Messrs. Smith and Bloomingdale say
that Captain Grifliths had appeared i'll
ali day.
The heroism of the English coast
patrol and the discipline of the Saxon
sailors stand out boldly. The Mohegan
smashed upon the rocks at the Man
aces off the Lizard at I o'clock Friday
evening while the passengers were at
dinner
From the best evidence obtainable at
st. Keverine it appears that the Mo-
hogan foundered five minutes after she
struck the rocks. She was going at
full speed. struck twice, stopped and
rapidly settled into the water AS the
captain and the executive officers of
the steamer went down with her it has
been impossible thus far to ascertain
how she got out of her course, as Fail
mouth Light and the coast were Wis
ible.
Dinner was ready and Captain Grif
fths was about to proceed to the sa-
loon when sudden crash made it APP
parent that the steamer had gone
ashore. The captain Immediately went
on deck. and the survivors say they
saw him on the bridge doing all in his
power 20 lessen the disaster.
There was rush for the boats, but
the officers stood firm and put the
women aboard first. Captain Griffith
stuck to his post on the bridge shouting
orders through trumpet until he went
down With the ship. One passenger
cut away the fhlls of lifeboat with
razor and thus Saved several lives.
AS soon as the Mohegan struck the
shrieks of ve passengers were waited
ashore and the Port Houstock lifeboat
Immediately put out. The life savers
did noble work: and the Port Houstock
boat was Immediately followed by
others. There was a high sea running.
as the result of a gale, which made
it necessary for tugs which put out to
turn back.
The terror of the scene was indie
scribable-men jumped overheard in an
agony of despair and the women pas
sengers huddled together and refused
to leave the deck. The officers remained
on the bridge TO the last and many
instances of sacrifice are recorded.
Members of the crew are known to
have stood by and watched the boats
launched and put off when it was ap-
parent that these We're the only means
by which their own lives could be
saved.